The Found Gen

Marketing That Works.

marketing strategy

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2018 Social Media and Content Trends to Know

SEO is so 2017. Today, our attention is being pulled in a million directions, and no amount of brilliant blog writing can fight for attention with video, micro influencers…and personalized content.

Want to stay ahead of the curve so your content gets the attention it deserves? Then we should really look at the trends coming fast at us in 2018.

  • Brand engagement. How many times do you see brands mentioned on social media in unsponsored posts? A lot, right? That’s because customers are craving relationships, authentic conversations, and ways to send their thanks. It’s more essential than ever to create a network where customers can reach you, and you can reach them.
  • Okay, maybe you’re not ready to incorporate chatbots into your marketing strategy. (If you are, we can help you get started. The amount of workload it decreases for your social media team is kind of staggering.) But understanding that instant engagement, 24-7 is an expectation should bolster your commitment to connectivity.
  • Use Instagram. The ephemeralness of Instagram stories has amped up direct messaging between consumer and brand, and it’s not going anywhere. It’s far more intimate – and visual – than Twitter, and more professional yet creative than Facebook.
  • Be accountable. Social media has increased accountability for businesses. In today’s instant gratification world, it’s difficult for even your most loyal followers to stay silent if your message sours. Some brands think it’s too risky to address major issues – politics, discrimination, and other social topics – but just a bit more than 10% of consumers turn on brands for being too political.

Content marketing still remains on top of all activities that will make the largest commercial impact for brands and their clients, ahead of Big Data and far surpassing SEO. It remains the engagement fuel that powers all communications from search to social to email marketing to creating websites experiences that convert.

Times are changing on the hour, and it’s crucial for your social media to keep up. If you sign on with us, you might find yourself far ahead of the pack. At The Found Gen, we like being ahead of the pack.

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Why Content Marketing is a Worthy Investment: The ROI is Unbeatable

Running a business can be costly, and too often, business owners don’t set aside a marketing budget. But, really, marketing is the only way you can grow your business.

Specifically, content marketing—creating content for your website or social media channels—is a powerful strategy for attracting new traffic and building your brand’s reputation. If done incorrectly or carelessly, it can cost your business many potential customers. When it comes to content marketing, it’s important to work with a professional team that has experience creating valuable content.

So, what can a good content marketing team do for your business?

Every investment in your business should focus on its future growth. Content creation can be time consuming, and not all businesses have the time to devote to doing it well. Investing in content marketing and hiring someone to help you can offer major returns:

Brand visibility and reputation

A social media presence exposes more people to your brand than the nice sign outside of your office ever will. Once people continue to see your content, they’ll start to turn to your business first, recognizing you as an authority in your industry. Brand recognition can help you acquire more loyal customers by increasing the amount of trust customers have in your business.

Attract inbound traffic

 If you don’t have a web presence in today’s digital world, you’re going to quickly fall behind your competitors. SEO, inbound links, social media, and email marketing are all great ways to attract new traffic and keep your web presence up. Most people check the web for information on companies before looking anywhere else. If customers can find helpful content on your website, they’ll be more likely to invest in your product.

Customer retention

If your customers like the content you post, they’ll stay on your site longer and visit more frequently. It’s cheaper to keep the interest of your current customers than it is to acquire new customers, and content marketing is a great way to make sure your customers stick around.

Quality content

You’ve most likely heard the expression, “quality over quantity.” Well, it’s extremely true in content marketing. Invaluable content acts as a filler and won’t give you the results you were hoping for. But, valuable content that your clients see as helpful and smart will create a good reputation for your brand.

Content marketing takes time, but if you stay with it and offer good quality content to your readers, you’ll eventually see the payoff. Need some help with your content? Let’s talk.

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Instagram Hacks: Do You Even Understand That Darn Algorithm?

Lately, Instagram’s algorithm is a total Rubik’s cube. And just when we think we’ve solved it, there’s a new change and our posts are once again buried and unseen.

Is that why only seven people liked my snap of my puppy in his turtleneck sweater?! Ugh.

That darn algorithm is frustrating to all of us – from those who are capturing fire pics of our pets and babies, to those of us who relies on the medium for much of our branding.

So how do we master it?

Well, the first thing to know about Instagram is that the app is in the business of maximizing our attention spans, which is exactly what’s being sold to advertisers.

So, when you upload your latest awesome post, Instagram shows it to a small percentage of your followers. It then measures how quickly your audiences likes, shares, and comments, instantly comparing that stat with your previously posted pics. If this new post is garnering less attention than usual, it’s pushed farther down on your followers’ home pages. If, however, it’s blazing with hearts and comments and re-postings, your post will jump to the top and maybe even on other Explorer Pages, introducing you to more potential followers.

If you’re relying on Instagram to get your brand’s message to your audience, here are a few tips to outsmart that darn algorithm:

  • The new algorithm seems to limit your post’s exposure based on your quick responses to comments. (At The Found Gen, we always promote the idea of conversations over simply broadcasting, so we’re totally into this tip.)
  • Be verbose. Bot-esque comments apparently don’t count as true engagement, so make sure you use at least four words – not emojis – to alert the algorithm that you’re a genuine engager.
  • Story it. Instagram stories from accounts you engage with the most show up first, so polish up on your video – and selfie – skills.
  • Choose your hashtags wisely. Use tags that have high search results, but not so many that your post will be buried in the slew of other posts uploaded at the same time.
  • Test your content and measure engagement. Which posts draw the most attention? Do more of that.

Probably the greatest piece of advice we can give to those starting out in the Instagram branding game is to cultivate loyalty. True followers will find you, no matter the darn algorithm craziness.

Need some help with your Instagram marketing campaign? Our team at The Found Gen has mastered it, and we’re happy to guide you. Also, we’re here if you need help with your Rubik’s cube.

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Is Your Website Content Customer-Centric? Hint: It Probably Isn’t

Today’s customers begin every search for products or services online. So, when they search for what you offer, what will they find? Think about this as you create content for your website.

If your content is focused too heavily on you and your business, you could be making a mistake. The angle you take with your content should focus on your customers and what they want and need, instead of what your business wants and needs.

You only have a short window to grab your reader’s attention. So, if you’re not using language that pulls your reader in, you’re losing potential customers.

Customer-centric language feels valuable to customers. So, here are some tips for using it in your content.

Write for and about current and potential customers

Instead of rambling on and on about your great new product, try speaking directly to your customers. Potential customers most likely know little to nothing about you yet. And, the truth is, they don’t care that much about you yet, so don’t bombard them with talk that’s all about you. Instead, focus on what your business can do for your customers. Put yourself in their shoes, and write about how your product can benefit them.

Customer-centric language is more persuasive

You should be writing content to persuade potential customers to buy your product. It may seem that business-centric language is more persuasive, but the opposite is actually true. Customer-centric language is more persuasive because it speaks to the customer directly and considers their emotional connection to issues that matter the most to them when considering your product.

Customer-centric language makes a better first impression  

Your first impression is so important, especially on the web. If all of the content on your website is focused on you and what you can do, you’re not making a very good first impression. On the other hand, content that inspires and enlightens people lets you make an impactful impression.

Use customer-centric language everywhere in your business

Content is a great way to lure potential customers and keep returning customers. Align your actions with your words and always deliver a customer-centric service as well as content. Customers will remember the positive experience and be more likely to recommend you to others.

Creating content that speaks directly to your customers isn’t easy, but it will definitely pay off. If you’re having trouble creating top-notch content for your website, we can help.

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Social Media is Transforming the Hotel Industry: Is Yours Fully Booked?

“Yes, we’re on social media. We monitor our Yelp reviews…”

There’s more to social media than customer reviews, especially when it comes to increasing customer engagement. Our hotel clients understand that their best strategy inspires and moves their base to book. Their goal? No reservations. In more ways than one.

If you’re a hotelier wondering how to craft the most intriguing, effective social channel presence, we’ve got a few ideas:

  • Bring your hotel to life. By focusing on events happening in real time, followers are always aware of what’s going on. Not only does this tactic inspire interest and excitement from future guests, it also helps create a visual and interactive cache of accessible and influential content.
  • Start a conversation. Rather than broadcasting your hotel’s content, why not chat with your customer base in an any-place, any-time manner, from pre-booking to post-checkout? Are you there to answer the questions that make customers comfortable enough to book with you? You should be.
  • Embrace video. Your hotel should cultivate an interesting short-lived presence on Instagram Stories and Snapchat. So engaging, in fact, that your followers will experience a heavy case of FOMO.
  • Appreciate user-generated content. Never underestimate the power of location check-ins, selfie photos, and status updates from your client base. Work with those who complement your brand, and encourage them to use an addictive hashtag to highlight your hotel’s brand, and reward its use with reposting.
  • Take good care of your customer service requests and issues. Complaints can go viral in an instant, but maintaining a helpful, there-for-you vibe goes a long way in erasing a misstep or two.
  • Retain your customers’ loyalty. As stiff competition for price-conscious customers increases, customer loyalty becomes more of a challenge. Award bonus points to those follows referring your hotel to their family and friends, while you collect valuable insights from your most engaged users.
  • Don’t just sell your hotel rooms; sell your lifestyle. Partner with your nearby-network of restaurants, local artists, and other like-minded brands, building your own horizontal reach.

Social media trends are moving faster than ever, and users quickly become exhausted by the same-old methods of managing a social media campaign. If you’re ready to reignite your followers and turn them into guests, give us a call. We can promise you’ll have no reservations after hearing our plans for your property.

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Build a Following: How Content Leads to Loyal Customers

It’s more cost effective to hold on to existing customers

It’s easy to get caught up in the thrill of making new sales and adding new customers, but in the long run, long-lasting relationships are much more beneficial.

Hanging on to repeat customers is actually less costly for your business that constantly trying to acquire new ones. Believe it or not, loyal customers will end up bringing in those new customers for you. Word of mouth and good online reviews from customers that love your brand go a long way when it comes growing your business.

Valuable and intelligent content can really help drive this effort. But, how does it work?

Exclusive updates

Good content starts with making your customers feel like they’re getting something secretive and exclusive. Let your returning customers be the first ones to know about a product or service they loved that’s back on offer or a brand-new product or service you’re launching. Adding personal touches to these messages and emails is also a great way to make your customers really feel appreciated.

Build a strong sense of community around your brand

 Brands that create a sense of community are able to create long-lasting relationships with customers. This is a lot easier to pull off nowadays with Facebook and other social media platforms that can provide real-time data. Great content allows your customers to feel involved in your business and brand.

Personalize your customers’ messages by geo-targeting info 

Content that lacks personalization can be pointless. Customers don’t want to receive information that’s not specifically tailored to them. When you send customers irrelevant information, it can seem careless. Show your customers that you’re paying attention to where they’re located and what each time you send out content.

Pay attention to their purchases

By sending customers content that’s based on their recent purchases, you show them that you’re aware of the information they need. This kind of content comes across as more informational and less promotional. By helping customers use your products and services after they’ve already made the purchase, you can build loyalty and show off your expertise.

We know the importance of sharing valuable and intelligent content. If you need help creating content that builds a following around your brand, give us a call.