0 

Posts tagged “Social Media”

Back to all posts

How AI is Changing Social Media Marketing

Posted on 20th March 2025
 
 
 
 
AI is rapidly transforming the way businesses approach their social media marketing. Artificial Intelligence has become a key tool on social media platforms and for many businesses it’s now a necessity for them if they want to continue to be competitive. 
 
The use of AI is evident across social media platforms – whether that’s through chatbots or content creation itself. Each platform is racing to become the leader in AI usage, testing and introducing features at a fast pace to put themselves at the forefront of the market. 
 
Here’s more about how AI is changing Social Media Marketing. 

Automating Customer Interactions 

Chatbots powered by AI are changing the way businesses interact with consumers on social media. Acting as virtual assistants to your business, these chat bots can provide help, answer questions and, if needed, connect people to a live chat agent when required. Unlike a regular customer service agent, AI chatbots are available 24/7 – ensuring that customers receive instant, timely support whenever they require it. Businesses of all sizes have started to adapt to AI chatbot models, which can be used to guide a customer’s journey and give them a more seamless, faster experience. Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are just two places that use AI chatbots on social media to help audiences and businesses speed up their processes. 

Enhanced Advertising 

Advertising is one of the biggest areas where AI is making a difference in social media marketing. Traditional advertising often requires trial-and-error processes if you’re just starting out. AI features, like Metas Advantage+, combines what customer knowledge you have with AI to ensure you’re reaching relevant audiences and have highly optimised campaigns. If you aren’t looking to use something like Advantage+, then ensure you turn the feature off at each step of your campaign where Facebook has toggled the usage of it on - allowing you to design and set up your campaign the usual way. 
 
Marketers have also started to use generative AI to create their campaigns – but there are ethical issues that can arise here. Whilst not necessarily required, not disclosing where AI has been used can actually harm businesses in the long run – you have to make sure what you’re presenting, whether visually or in the copy, is true to what you’re advertising – which is why using generative AI is still a divisive topic, even if the platform you use offers generative AI features itself. If you do choose to go down this route, make sure you keep a close eye on what is being generated. Meta will add a label to images they deem to be made with AI, and noting where it has been used yourself will give audiences transparency, helping them to decide whether they want to take a chance on an AI generated Ad campaign image. 

AI Generated Content Creation 

Content-creation can be time consuming, especially for small businesses with a few employees all focusing on different tasks. AI powered tools can now help to create post copy, blog wording, closed-captions and more, becoming a useful tool for businesses looking to hold a consistent posting schedule whilst putting the majority of their focus onto other tasks that require their full attention. However, whilst using AI can speed up the process, it has its limitations. Audiences appreciate authenticity and a human touch, and AI shouldn’t be solely used in place of creating the posts yourself. You can combine the efficiency of an AI tool with your own ideas – using AI to form the post but letting yourself reword and rewrite sections where they don’t align with your brands style or voice – adding a little bit of personality into an otherwise computer-generated approach. 

SEO Usage 

AI is also having a big impact on SEO, with algorithms now analysing user behaviour, trend an engagement to decide which content get displayed. AI makes things more user-centric, helping search engines tailor their algorithms to the most relevant content online It can also help businesses make their content more SEO-friendly, helping to discover where key words can be used, monitor backlinks and allowing you to continue to shape your SEO and AI strategies to be more user-friendly and aligned with the current scope of SEO. 

What Are the Issues With AI? 

Whilst AI on the surface sounds like a great thing to introduce to your marketing strategies, and whilst its being pushed to the forefront of digital marketing, it doesn’t come without it’s concerns and issues. Firstly, the use of AI comes with environmental issues – especially with generative AI, which has been a controversial topic when it comes to it’s power usage and energy consumption. There’s also concern over the job market, and whether the growing popularity of AI will eventually end up taking over digital jobs – again, hindering the human element that has managed to produce engaging content for years prior to the AI boom. We’ve already discussed concerns regarding transparency and the disclosure of AI content, which could affect brand trust from audiences if they would rather shop or engage with a business that isn’t using AI. Forbes Advisor research found 59% of Brits had concerns about the use of AI – 37% had issues over the ethical implications and potential misuse, 42% were concerned about dependence on AI and 39% had concerns over AI being used to make decisions without human involvement. 
AI has become an ingrained part of social media and digital marketing, and whilst there are many positives to its continuing rise, there’s also understandable hesitation towards embracing it entirely. Whatever you choose to do, AI is becoming difficult to ignore in the digital field – and it’s only likely to gain more prominence in the coming months and years. 
Read more

How To Effectively Write Copy For Different Social Media Platforms

Posted on 13th March 2025
 
Copywriting plays a key role in your marketing campaigns – sitting alongside your visual elements in both ads and general posts as a way for you to get more information across, speak directly to your audience and generate interest and sales. 
 
Each platform requires different styles and lengths of copy that can be effective for your business when marketing on social media. Here’s how you can write copy for Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and X. 

Instagram 

Instagram is a visual platform, and your main efforts here should lie with your images and videos. Here, your copy can be used to give context to your visual elements, but it shouldn’t be too long. Instagram recommends using 3-5 hashtags, and using your call to action early on in your caption is more effective than leaving it to the end of your post. If you do have more to say, using infographics is a good way to keep followers hooked – as they’ll likely see on their feed before they see your copy. 

Facebook 

Facebook is still the third most visited website behind Google and YouTube, and has over 3 billion active users. Sprout Social research found that 60% of people use Facebook for product discovery – meaning it’s incredibly important you get your copy right if you’re using Facebook for your marketing efforts. Facebook has a character limit of just over 63,000, so there’s a lot of room for you to get your message across. Despite this, people aren’t coming onto Facebook to read long blogs or sales pitches – you have to grab their attention quickly – keeping in mind the KISS model (Keep It Short and Simple) when it comes to writing your copy. In fact, Buffer’s research recommends that using 80 or less characters give’s posts a 66% higher engagement rate. Anytime you post a link or a picture, use a short, persuasive and catchy piece of copy alongside it. 

X 

X (or Twitter) is a little more complicated – whilst premium accounts have 10,000 characters to work with, non-premium accounts have 280 characters to work with – which isn’t a lot of room if you have a lot to say. With around 240 characters being the recommended amount, you should make sure your points are concise enough to fit, but also detailed enough to get your point across. Tweets with hashtags get 2x more engagement, but using more than 3 hashtags a post can see a drop in engagement. You can also create your own hashtag relevant to your business which helps people find your products and services. 

LinkedIn 

When creating copy on LinkedIn, you need to approach it a little differently to how you approach your other social media platforms. On Facebook, Instagram and X, you’re talking to consumers – on LinkedIn, you’re talking to other businesses, so you’ll have to change up your language and marketing plans too. Whilst you can use LinkedIn to push simple posts or job offers onto your connections’ timelines, it’s also a great place to repurpose your blogs and get them out in front of other industry leaders – showing your expertise and building trust in you and your business. You can upload these as articles – picking a catchy title, writing or pasting in your content and using an attention-grabbing picture. 
Copywriting forms a big part of your social media marketing efforts, and understanding the different methods and styles to use on different platforms can help you form your plans for each site more effectively. By tailoring your approach, you and your team will have a clearer idea of how to approach your social media sites, and improve your engagement. 
Read more

Social Media & Digital Marketing February 2025 Roundup

Posted on 27th February 2025
 
2025 is well underway, and now we’ve reached the end of February - which means it’s time for another social media and digital marketing roundup! 
 
Here are all the stories from this month! 

Meta Updates Advantage+ Ads 

Meta have revealed new features and updates to their Advantage+ Ad campaigns, continuing to grow their focus on AI tools and solutions. They’re currently testing a streamlined Advantage+ campaign setup to help shopping and app campaigns benefit from AI optimisation. They’re also introducing an Advantage+ leads campaign, which now lets advertisers find the highest-quality leads using AI. Opportunity score will be expanding to more advertisers, letting users improve their campaign performance using recommendations from Facebook, including AI optimisations. 

Threads Performance 

Threads has reached 320 million monthly users, and with ads being slowly tested and rolled out on the platform the site’s growing audience is certainly something to keep an eye on. A survey by Sprout Social discovered that 53% of marketers are using Threads, with 23% looking to add it to their upcoming strategies. In Buffer’s analysis of 10 million posts on both platforms, Threads actually drove more engagement than X – with a 6.25% engagement rate compared to 3.6% on X. 

Text-To-Speech Introduced on Shorts 

Don’t want to do your own voiceovers? YouTube have rolled out text-to-speech on IOS for Shorts, currently allowing 4 different voice options for users. The feature has been popular on TikTok for some time, with YouTube quickly optimising their Shorts feature to continue to challenge the popularity of the platform – especially during a turbulent few months for TikTok, especially over in the USA. 

TikTok Marketing Calendar 

TikTok have released their 2025 marketing calendar, allowing users to see key dates, events and trends that are currently ongoing so they can leverage engagement and take advantage of the current landscape of the platform. TikTok provides quarterly overviews, but you can print out an overview of the whole year with important dates highlighted. 

Instagram Adds New Metrics 

Instagram has added new metrics to their system. Called Views Over Time and View Rate, Instagram now lets you see how many views your content is getting compared to your average viewership, if your views are coming from followers or non-followers and what percentage of people continue watching after the first 3 seconds. They are also providing tips to users, letting them know about their reels performance and if it’s resonating with viewers – helping to shape your marketing plans for Instagram going forwards. 

Introducing Edits 

Edits, a new app by Instagram, was introduced last month – and now we have more information on what you can actually do using the app. Designed essentially to be a CapCut competitor, Edits works in a very similar way – allowing users to streamline the process, turn static images into videos using AI, add captions and have enhanced video quality. They’re also teasing a future feature, allowing collaborators to leave comments in real time to help improve videos before they're posted. 
That’s all for February! Have a great March and remember to keep an eye out for any updates over the next month…. 
 
Finally, your social media tip is: One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is that Facebook ads should start delivering instant results the moment they go live. It’s like expecting to plant a seed and have a tree grow overnight—it doesn’t work that way. 
 
Here’s the truth: ads need testing and optimisation to perform. When I run campaigns, the first thing I focus on isn’t instant sales—it’s gathering data. 
 
➡️ Is the targeting right? 
➡️ Are people engaging with the ad creative? 
➡️ Is the message connecting with the audience? 
 
This testing phase is where the magic happens. It’s where you figure out what works and, more importantly, what doesn’t. Then you tweak, adjust, and refine. 
I’ve seen campaigns that started slow but, after a few tweaks, turned into major wins. The key is patience and a willingness to dig into the numbers. Ads are a process, not a quick fix. 
 
So, if your first ad doesn’t deliver instant results, don’t panic. It’s not about the quick win—it’s about building a campaign that delivers sustainable, consistent results over time. 
Read more

How To Generate Leads On Social Media

Posted on 20th February 2025
 
 
If you’re looking for leads, you need to have a quality strategy in order to generate them. Social networks all require different forms of engaging, compelling pieces of content and ads that hook in audiences and bring you the leads you require to take your business and social media marketing to the next level. 
 
In this blog, we’ll discuss how you can generate leads on social media… 

What Is Lead Generation? 

Lead Generation is where you use marketing strategies to retrieve information about your audience – such as through forms or signups – which can help you identify interested audience members and contact them, building your relationship and potentially finding you brand new clients. 

Optimise Your Profiles 

Your pages are the first point of contact for potential customers, and therefore you need to make sure your profile communicates what your business is, what you offer and how people can reach you. Here are a few things you can: 
 
• If you have a logo, use this in your profile picture; if you have a headshot, use this. Either way, your images need to have a high quality, professional appearance. 
• Write a compelling bio that uses relevant keywords, communicating to your audience what you do and your business' tagline. 
• Link to your websites landing page or a form. 
• Include your contact information so potential leads can easily reach you; this should include your location (if you have a physical store), your phone number and your email. 

Engaging Content 

How will you generate leads if you’re not posting? Your content is key to attracting an audience and keeping them engaged – the more value your content has, the more likely it is that people will want to purchase from you or work with you. The type of content you produce will have to align with your business’ style, goals and brand voice: you can try educational content, go behind the scenes, share user generated content, carry out polls and surveys or host live videos or webinars that get your audience interacting in the moment. Eye catching visuals and compelling copy will help to draw in new leads. 

Use Lead Magnets 

A Lead magnet is a free incentive that encourages a user to share their contact details with your business in exchange for something that will, as mentioned, provide them value. Examples of a lead magnet include e-books, exclusive discounts, free trials or demos, webinars or giveaways. You can promote these through your posts and ads to drive sign-ups. 

Run Targeted Ads 

Ads can be staple of your lead generation campaigns when done correctly. On Facebook, you can create lead generation campaigns by directing audiences to a form, to message you or to call you. Meta says that in 2023 over 1 billion instant forms were submitted through ads – so, if you weren’t considering it before, you definitely should now. 
 
If you’re directing them to a landing page like your website, make sure it’s user-friendly, professional and easy to navigate. You’ve managed to get someone interested enough to click on your call-to-action, so don’t fall at the last hurdle with a website that’s not up to the same standard as your social media accounts. 
Generating leads on social media requires time, a good strategy, consistency and lots of valuable content. By optimising your profiles, creating engaging content, leveraging lead magnets and targeted ads, you can turn your followers into loyal customers. Start practicing these ideas today and watch your business grow! 
Read more

5 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Facebook Ads

Posted on 13th February 2025
 
Are you currently running a Facebook Ads campaign? 
 
If you are, but it’s not working out well, or if you think you could make improvements but don’t know where to begin, then this blog is for you. 
 
Facebook Ads can be a huge source of success for your business if they’re optimised right. Here are 5 things you can do to improve your Facebook Ads. 

1. Audience Targeting 

Your target audience is the key to getting your ads working. If they’re not seeing your ads, then you won’t be getting the sales or clicks you’re looking for. Check to see who your ads are being targeted towards against your ideal customer, and see if they match up. If they don’t, then use Facebook’s targeting options to ensure you’re reaching the right people. 
You can choose their gender, location, age, interests, job titles etc – anything that aligns with your target customer. If they do match up however, it could mean your audience size is too small. Whilst it’s better to be specific with your targeting, it can also be an issue if you’re too specific. Shrinking your audience size down too much will mean your ad won't be shown to enough people - impacting your click through rate and sales. By taking advantage of Facebook’s targeting options, you will be able to fix any issues with your ad’s audience, improving your reach, impressions, click through rate and sales. 

2. A/B Testing 

If your ad isn’t performing, then A/B testing is a great option for ensuring you’ll get a return on your investment. With A/B testing, you’ll change one ad variable and run separate ads at the same time – analysing the results afterwards to see which worked the best (or if you use Facebooks A/B test function, they’ll select the best performing one at the end of your test period). Changing anything like the graphic, wording, headline, audience etc might be the key for taking an ad that currently isn’t working at its best to an ad that brings in more clicks and sales than you predicted. You can’t assume which ad will be successful, which is why A/B testing is such an important step in running Facebook Ads. To read more about A/B testing, click here. 

3. Set Your Goals 

It may sound simple, but knowing what you want to achieve from your ad makes the entire process easier, and more likely to bring you your desired results. Aimlessly going in and setting up an ad with no plan, no idea what you want from it and minimal understanding on how Facebook Ads actually work will not work out for your business. Instead, set your goals before you go into creating an ad, which will help you with each step of the process. The type of campaign you select has to align with your goals – want website visits? Use a Traffic campaign. Sales campaigns are great if you want someone to buy a product or service. Awareness campaigns are good for brand recognition. Having a clear cut idea of your needed outcome will also help you with tailoring the right message to your audience and creating a suitable visual component to go alongside it. 

4. Be Concise 

Your copy needs to be concise and to the point. You need to grab the audience’s attention instantly – telling them that you have a solution to their problems. Having great, eye-catching graphics and a clear message that work well together can make a great impression, and if you have the option, using video allows you to get even more of your points across outside of a long stream of text. Speak to their pain points, explain how you can fix it, and then tell them what they’ll gain from using your products. This gives your audience a straightforward overview of what you’re offering them, and is much more attention-grabbing than lots of text that takes a long time to get to the main point of the subject. 

5. Measure Your Analytics 

Your analytics are telling you how your ad is doing, but if you don’t pay attention to them then you’re just putting money into something that might not be bringing you anything back. This links to you knowing your goals – if you wanted sales for example, you can use your analytics to see how many sales are being brought in by the ad you’re running. If you want link clicks, look at how many you’re getting and what this is costing you. You analytics relate to everything we’ve already discussed – strengthen your targeting if your ad isn’t working, run an A/B test and compare your analytics, ensure you are getting a concise message across and set your goals so you know exactly what to look for. Keep a track of your metrics, so you can see when things begin to improve. 
Facebook Ads often are a game of testing and changing things until they work – you can hope something sticks, but that’s not always going to be the case. If you’re thinking of making changes to your campaigns, hopefully you’ll find these tips useful in turning a poor campaign into a winning one. 
Read more

Facebook Ads: A/B Testing Your Ad Creative

Posted on 6th February 2025
 
When it comes to creating Facebook Ads, you may have run a campaign that hasn’t worked as well as you expected, or are thinking of creating a campaign but aren’t 100% sure on whether you’ve chosen the right ad creative. 
 
If you’re in this position, then you should use A/B testing. This allows you to change different elements of your ads, run them, and then analyse the results to see which one works the best for your business. 
 
Here’s how you can use A/B testing with your ad creative. 

What Is A/B Testing? 

A/B testing is the method of changing elements of your ad and then running both variants at the same time. The point is to see which variant works the best, and then to choose the best working ad to run on Facebook.  
This helps you keep your cost-per-click low, and means you won’t be wasting money on ads that aren’t performing or are giving you a much higher cost-per-click than an ad that may be successful if you run an A/B Test. 

Testing Variables – What Should I Change? 

To do an A/B test with your ad creative, you can change multiple variables, including: 
 
- Ad headline 
- Ad copy 
- Graphics 
- Type of Ad – static, video or carousel 
- Call To Action 
 
You should only change one variable at a time. If you run an ad with a different graphic, copy, and call to action for an A/B test, you’re essentially running an entirely separate ad. You can do multiple A/B tests If you want to try different things to get the best result from your ad, using the past results to create the ultimate ad that gives you the best return on your investment. 

How To Do An A/B Test 

To do an A/B test, select your campaign and on the toolbar, click A/B test. Then, you can select the variable you want to change. Alternatively, you can do this by creating your initial campaign, copying your ad in the ad level and changing the variable for however many ads you plan to test. So, if you begin by changing the graphic, choose the alternative graphics whilst leaving everything else the same and then you can publish your ad. To get a good idea of the result, Meta suggests that you run an A/B test for 7 days, but can also run it for up to 30 days to get a full scope of how your ad has been performing. If you want, you can then keep the best performing graphic, but change the copy to see which copy connect most with people. You can test as much as you like, but you shouldn’t constantly be testing these ads and spending more and more money when you could already have an ad that works perfectly well without the need for constant changes and tests. 

What Should I Look For 

If you’re using Facebook’s A/B test function, they will automatically select the best performing ad at the end of your testing and display it to all of your audience. If you do it in the ad level, you will have to judge yourself based on the goal you set out to achieve – whether that’s the lowest cost per result, link clicks or conversions. You can use this to determine your best performing ad – switching off the others so your budget is directed at the ad that’s bringing you your desired results. 
A/B testing is an important component in your paid digital marketing efforts, allowing you to get the best results from your ad campaigns, taking a poor campaign to one that becomes a key part of your business’s marketing strategy. Try it today and see how it works for your business. 
Read more

Social Media & Digital Marketing January 2025 Roundup

Posted on 29th January 2025
 
Happy New Year! We’re at the end of the first month of 2025, and there have been quite a few updates over the last couple of weeks that would be worth noting if you’re using digital marketing for your business. 
 
Here’s all the news for this month! 

Reels Time Limit Expanded 

Instagram Reels have been extended to a 3-minute time limit – so if you want to make longer content to post on your Instagram, you’re no longer restricted to getting everything into a 90 second clip. This move, despite Instagram initially saying keeping Reels under 90 seconds is ideal, allows them to be much more competitive with TikTok – who has been allowing longer videos for quite some time now, and YouTube Shorts, who updated their time limit to 3 minutes earlier this month. 

Google Introduces AI Agents For Retailers 

AI remains a big topic in the digital marketing space for 2025 – with Google now offering retailers the chance to use an AI Agent that helps shoppers find exactly what they’re looking for. With AI now giving shoppers access to answers in seconds, Google expects this to be the way forward for future consumers. Here’s what they had to say: “Retailers can now use AI agents to personalize the customer experience by offering tailored product recommendations, answering questions in real-time and guiding shoppers through the buying process. AI agents can also streamline operations by automating tasks like inventory management, customer service and even loss prevention, allowing employees to focus on higher-value work.” 

The TikTok Ban 

Recently, TikTok was banned in the USA…then unbanned less than 24 hours later. President Trump gave the app a 75-day extension – with suggestions it could be purchased by Elon Musk or Microsoft, allowing it to stay operational within the United States. Whilst it doesn’t directly impact the European market, if TikTok is to get permanently banned in US, it could possibly open up a world of opportunity for businesses in the UK to capitalise on a market that has been freed up by the exit of American companies. We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but it’s certainly something that will remain a big topic in the news until the app does – or doesn’t – leave pp stores in the USA. 

Instagram Updates 

Instagram has started off the new year updating user profiles – saying goodbye to the square format on grids, and introducing a rectangular one instead. If you need to change your graphics, the new ratio is now 4:5. Boss Adam Mosseri said that the change reflects how people now use Instagram the most, but reassured those with carefully curated grids that they will be able to make changes to re-align their images: “We started with the tall grid because most photos and videos that are uploaded to Instagram at this point are vertical and rectangles do a better job showing off those photos and videos. That said, I know some of you spend a lot of time tweaking your grids and this blew all of that up, so we’re going to improve the ability to customize those thumbnails to make it easier to get back to a place you’re happy with.” 

Threads Makes Long-Awaited Updates 

Threads have made some big updates this month – which may make the platform much more attractive to marketers who’ve either been using the app or thinking of adding it to their social media marketing plans. Firstly, users can now schedule their posts within the app – giving people the choice whether to do it natively, or by using a third-party tool. Secondly analytics have been rolled out for everyone – a great sign for those using the app for marketing purposes, as now you can check how well your content is performing – whether that’s overall or based on specific posts. Finally, Meta have announced that Ads will be coming to the platform – with tests being carried out in the US and Japan before being rolled out globally. 
That’s all for January! Keep an eye out over the next month for more updates, and have a great February! 
 
Finally, your social media tip of the month is: Are You Leaving Money on the Table by Ignoring Your Email List? 
 
When I talk to business owners about their Facebook ads, one of the first questions I ask is, “Are you using your email list?” And honestly, I’m surprised how many people say no. 
 
Your email list is full of warm customers—people who already know your business and are more likely to buy. Yet so many businesses focus on cold audiences and ignore the huge opportunity sitting right in front of them. 
 
Using your email list for ads lets you: 
 
✅️ Re-engage customers who haven’t purchased in a while. 
✅️ Cross-sell or upsell to people who already trust you. 
✅️ Turn warm leads into paying customers with the right message. 
 
I’ve seen it happen time and time again. Clients who thought they’d “maxed out” their sales started targeting their email list, and the results were incredible. Warm customers are the ones who convert the quickest—and often at the lowest cost. 
 
If you’re running ads without leveraging your email list, you’re leaving money on the table. It’s that simple. 
Read more

4 Ways Social Media Marketing Influences Consumer Behaviour

Posted on 22nd January 2025
 
 
 
If you’re thinking of marketing on social media, then you may be wondering how it can influence the behaviour of your consumers. Social commerce has become a huge part of a customer’s journey, with sites like TikTok even offering a shop function that allows purchasing to be done seamlessly without the need to leave the app entirely. 
 
Whether you’re selling on social media or building brand awareness, your marketing can influence the way consumers behave towards you and interact with your content. 
 
Here are 4 ways your social media marketing influences consumer behaviour. 

Social Proof 

Social Proof is where consumers can see what others think of your business, what they have to say and acts as a signal as to whether new audiences can trust you. Part of social proof is likes, comments, shares – any type of engagement on your post that shows if your products, services and/or business is credible. The more positive this social proof is, the better it is for your business. Responding to comments will also help you build loyalty and a relationship with your audience, showing new consumers that you care about their experience. 
 
Reviews also are a great form of social proof, and encouraging them from your customers allows you to have a stream of positive comments from those happy with your service. If you do get any negative reviews, responding promptly and professionally is the way to go - offer a solution but deal with it in private and take it away from your public timeline. Show you are willing to listen to any complaints, but also acknowledge if any review you receive turns out to be fake. Being transparent helps develop trust in your business and boosts your reputation amongst consumers. 

User Generated Content 

You can influence a consumer’s behaviour and buying intent by platforming user-generated content (UGC). UGC shows real-life examples of your products/services working and solving problems for people that your customer can recognise elements or traits of themselves in, helping to convince them your business is the right one for them. Having UGC be a part of your strategy helps to build a relatability between your brand and your audience, showing a genuine, authentic side to your content and your brand. Influencer Marketing is also helpful here. Influencers already have loyal, dedicated audiences that listen to what they have to say - 63% of people are more likely to buy a product when it’s promoted by an influencer that they trust. 

Engaging Content 

Creating content that engages your audience, is professional and communicates your brand values will all help to encourage interactions and shares – helping you reach more people. You should be using a mixture of content – videos, infographics, live streams, polls – anything that you think is helpful for your business to produce and matches with your brands style. You should also decide on a purpose for your content – what value will it bring to your audience? If consumers don’t feel swayed or interested, they’ll stop interacting entirely. Depending on the type of business you run, you must decide on a style that aligns with your brands personality and with your audiences wants and needs. 

Social Listening 

Social listening lets you discover what your audience are saying about you – being aware of the way your business is being perceived allows you to change your strategies in real time, effectively engage with your audience and identify the way consumer behaviour changes over time. Social listening is good for more than just studying consumer behaviours – allowing you to ensure you are keeping up with the latest trends and remaining at the forefront of your industry. Social listening tools can help with monitoring all of the information and data you need to study the way your marketing and business is perceived, giving you more opportunities, helping you avoid a potential crisis (if necessary) and allowing you to discover influencers you can work with. 
Consumer behaviour can be tough to predict, but the more your brand begins to understand your audience, the easier it will be for you to bring in more sales, grow your business and form loyal, lasting relationships with customers and followers. 
Read more

Is TikTok Still a Good Platform for Businesses Amid Ban Concerns?

Posted on 17th January 2025
 
 
 
I’ve been watching the conversations around TikTok potentially being banned in the US with interest. It’s a hot topic, but the bigger question for me is: what does this mean for businesses? 
 
TikTok has been a game-changer for so many brands, offering an incredible platform to reach audiences in creative, authentic ways. But with the looming threat of a ban, businesses are left wondering whether they should still invest time and effort into the platform. 
 
Here’s my take: 
 
For UK businesses, TikTok remains an excellent platform to build visibility, connect with audiences, and drive growth. A potential US ban might even create more opportunities for UK-based creators and brands to stand out. 
 
However, it’s also a reminder that businesses shouldn’t rely too heavily on one platform. Diversifying your social media strategy is key to ensuring long-term success, no matter what happens. 
 
 
So, is TikTok still worth it? Absolutely—for now. But as with any platform, adaptability is everything. 
 
What are your thoughts? Could a TikTok ban open doors for UK businesses, or would it signal a shift in social media priorities altogether? 
Read more

What To Consider When Targeting Your Audience On Social Media

Posted on 16th January 2025
 
 
 
 
 
Social Media Marketing can become an important part of your overall marketing plans, but you’ll only start seeing results when you target your audience correctly. Not having an idea of who your ideal customer would be, or just posting content without considering a specific audience in mind will mean your marketing efforts won’t work as well as they could do if you’d targeted your content or ads at the right people from the beginning. 
 
With that in mind, here’s what you need to consider when targeting your audience on social media. 

Platforms 

You need to ask yourself which platform your audience is most likely to be on. This will help you decide which one you should use if you want the best chance of making your social media marketing a success. If you want to target a younger demographic, Instagram and TikTok may be the way to go. If you’re looking for other businesses, use LinkedIn. You may find older audiences on Facebook. Knowing which platform you’re going to use will also help you when it comes to creating content, e.g TikTok is video based, Instagram is image based. 
 
Now, lets look at the different types of targeting. 

Demographic Targeting 

One of the first things you need to think of is your audience demographics. This includes their age, gender, income, education and more, and creates an initial idea of who your ideal customer or audience member is. For example, you may have a luxury, makeup brand that you need to target. Therefore, you may want to select women, earning over £30,000 a year, in full-time employment and between the ages of 25 and 50. With this information, you can the begin to create a content plan that speaks directly to your chosen audience – you wouldn’t use Gen Z or Gen Alpha references or lingo if you’re targeting generations who are older as they won’t resonate with your message. Having a basic understanding of your audience demographics will then help you to form a bigger picture of the people you want to be interacting with and purchasing from your business. 

Geographic Targeting 

Geographical targeting is based on where your audience member lives. You need to think of the area your business is located in, or if you’re solely online where you ship to. This is particularly important if you’re running ads, as it allows you to select the location your audience is based in so your ad can be displayed to the right people. If you live in the UK and ship to the UK, then you’d make your targeting only aimed at those in the United Kingdom. If you also ship to Ireland, then you’d include that in your Geographic targeting. If you are a physical store based in Derby looking for visitors, you may only select Derby or Derbyshire as a location, or branch out a little further and include surrounding areas in the region like Leicester and Nottingham. When it comes to Facebook Ads, you can also change the radius around the area you’ve selected, allowing you to be a bit more specific if you want to target only a certain area of the city or county you’ve initially selected. 

Interest-Based Targeting 

Interest-Based Targeting is exactly what it says it is – targeting users based on their interests, hobbies and activities. As per our example, if your beauty brand is only using natural products, you may target those interested in natural or vegan products. You can also target interests like beauty, makeup or skincare too. Whatever your business is, you should know what your audience could be interested in so that you can define them further and figure out your messaging. Ads can also be delivered to those who interact with content similar to your own. Again, sticking with our example, if you have an audience who often watches beauty content, follows influencers in this field and frequently purchases makeup items, if you are running ad’s, you can target them to be shown to these audience members based off their online activity. 
Targeting is one of the most important aspects of marketing, forming the foundations that you’ll build your marketing plans on. Before you begin creating content, start by discovering who your audience is and decide what aspects you need to target to bring in the most engagement. 
Read more

TikTok vs YouTube: Which Is Better For Your Business?

Posted on 9th January 2025
 
Video Marketing can form an important part of your businesses digital marketing strategy, but with both YouTube and TikTok offering different benefits for marketers it can be difficult to find which platform is the right fit for your business. 
 
In this blog, we’ll look at what TikTok and YouTube have to offer, helping you make an informed decision as to which site will work the best for your marketing efforts. 

YouTube 

YouTube sits just behind Facebook as the 2nd biggest social media platform, with 2.5 billion active users each month. Known for it’s long-form content, YouTube is popular across all generations, allowing creators to easily find their target audience when their content is optimised correctly. YouTube allows for long and short form content, and with the introduction of Shorts, the platform truly gives you the opportunity to find the right strategy for your video marketing plans. 
Whether you want to create a podcast to go alongside your business, you want to upload quick product clips and promotions or you plan to educate your audience in your videos, YouTube allows you to find your niche. You can also share your videos across platforms, by clipping bits out to post on places like Facebook or TikTok whilst linking interested, already existing audiences to your channel and to your full video. 
 
YouTube is owned by Google, who will show videos in search results if they're optimised well. In your channel and video description, use relevant keywords as this will help YouTube with promoting and suggesting your channel to the correct audiences. Make sure these keywords are also included in your video title, which should be eye catching and not too long. Add tags to your video to boost visibility. When it comes to the video itself, pick a thumbnail that grabs the audience’s attention, relates to your content and stands out amongst your competition. You should make sure your content is clear, concise and is edited well, has moments that keep the audience hooked in and displays your industry knowledge perfectly. 

TikTok 

Created in 2017, TikTok has become a huge part of the current make up of social media – it’s popularity boomed during the pandemic, and has become a hub for younger audiences. With nearly 31 million daily users, the average user will open the app up to 20 times a day - giving you ample opportunity to be seen by your audience. 61% of users have discovered a new brand through TikTok, with 92% taking some kind of action after seeing content on the platform (such as likes, comments and shares). 
 
On TikTok, viewers are expecting short form content – and this means you have a limited time to get to the point of your video before people scroll past. If you’re advertising, then TikTok found that ads with an emotional message perform the best, with 63% of ads that convey their message right away being successful. 
 
You also don’t need to worry about the production being high quality – you can easily make a TikTok using your phone, their editing tools or a site like CapCut. This low-cost expense shouldn’t eat too much into your allocated budget, and gives you room to make tweaks and edits for free or for a small cost. 

Which Is Best For Your Business? 

You should choose YouTube if you have a broader target audience in age range, want to create in-depth content, have the equipment or budget available for high—quality and professional content creation and you plan to build long-term visibility using search. 
 
You should choose TikTok if you have a younger target audience, have plans to create short, snappy content that is posted more frequently, have an interest in creating and leveraging viral content and trends and if you have limited resources for video marketing.  
 
Alternatively, you can use both if you feel it’s necessary taking advantage of each platforms strengths to create a winning video marketing strategy. 
Picking a platform for your business takes time and careful planning, but when you have an idea on the best fit for your business start drafting up your video ideas and create content that brings your business success. 
Read more

Top Social Media Trends To Watch In 2025

Posted on 5th December 2024
 
Social Media Marketing is constantly evolving, and with the end of 2024 fast approaching we can now predict some of the trends that we may be seeing in the next year. Staying ahead of the curve, keeping updated and implementing these strategies and tips into your 2025 plan can boost your marketing performance. 
 
Here’s a look at the trends to watch in 2025. 

Short Form Content 

Short Form Content, thanks to TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts, has been on the rise in the last couple of years, and now is the content being pushed more and more across social media. Attention Spans have been decreasing, and with the fast-pace style of social media nowadays if you’re not hooking people in straight away, they’ll just move on to the next thing – which is why you need to ensure your short form content impresses in just a few seconds.  
There are no signs that audiences are shifting away from short form content, so having it as part of your marketing strategy in 2025 can boost your performance and unlock new avenues and new platforms your business may not have considered before. 

AI-Powered Content 

AI has slowly been on the rise the last few years, but saw it’s first big boom in 2024 after social sites, scheduling tools, and search platforms integrated it into their models. Whilst there are ethical concerns around using AI, and many complaining that it removes the personalised feel that users on social media are craving in recent years, it hasn’t stopped the big social platforms from pushing its usage more and more. ChatGPT was the first real significant sign of change after it’s release in 2022, and things have only sped up since. McKinsey research suggests Generative AI usage has increased by 32% in 2024, and whilst you don’t have to use it many marketers are now looking at how they can use AI features to boost their content output, design and ideas. 
 
Don’t just use AI because you can though – really get to grips with what the platforms you are on are offering, learn how to use them best for your business and then discuss with your team before implementing it as part of your business model. As we’ll see later, consumers are actually leaning towards more ethical marketing practices – which could make using AI tricky, especially with concerns about the environmental impact of using sites such as ChatGPT – but it doesn’t seem like there will be an uprising against it any time soon, so if you feel like it’s right for your business, use it responsibly. You could always keep going with the plan you have now to – if AI isn’t something that will enhance your marketing that’s currently performing well for you, don’t just bring it in because everyone else is. It could just become your niche to be the business that doesn’t rely on artificial intelligence! 

Social Commerce 

More and more people are using social media for finding products and services than they are with search – and with Gen Z now becoming the star generation for targeted marketing, social media is the way to go for advertising. Gen Z have now reached a point where they’ll be earning their own money, and as the first generation to grow up with the social media we know today at their fingertips, they are far savvier with what they’ll purchase, and what marketing speaks to them. If they’re your target audience, think about the types of content that is popular with this generation – short form video content, general video marketing and influencer marketing – and what platforms they’re most likely to frequent – TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram. TikTok, Facebook and Instagram all allow you to have your own in-platform digital stores, which will help you sell and advertise products without having to take your audience off these social platforms. Utilising paid advertising is also a great way to sell through social media – though this may lead people off the platform, it will help you to connect with your audience and boost conversions. 

Ethical Marketing 

Ethical Marketing is a technique based on your company’s values and principles, focusing on honesty, transparency, user privacy, responsibility, and sustainability. Now more than ever, audiences are conscious about data protection and the impacts company’s and products are having on the earth, and will often look for businesses that meet their own values, and those who are completely transparent about their products and services. Being honest about your practices, how you’re working to become a more sustainable business and how data is used will all help to build trust whilst also making your commitment to being a more ethically and environmentally conscious clear. 

Niche Influencer Marketing 

Big Influencers are no longer the go-to for audiences, as niche influencers are on the rise. Whilst they may cultivate a smaller audience pool, they allow you to connect with influencers who’s content revolves around the same audience you are looking to reach out to. It’s a highly targeted form of advertising through using influencers to promote your products, which unlike using big names who have potentially irrelevant audiences to your business in their followers, the niche influencers will be talking to people who need a product just like yours. It’s a great way to boost sales, and with many audiences gravitating to these smaller, authentic influencers finding ones that align with your business can be great to use in your strategy for 2025. 
Social Media Marketing is always changing and evolving, and keeping up can be difficult when you’re also trying to run your business. Using these trends, you can prepare in advance and enter 2025 with the experience and knowledge in these growing, popular digital marketing efforts. 
Read more

Archives

Tags