Is Facebook Still Cool? The 101 for Industry Leaders

A New Year means out with the old and in with the new, so where exactly does that put Facebook? Facebook has over 1 billion users, so it’s definitely here to stay. Yet, the social media mogul certainly is changing.

Facebook is no longer for the hip and the young. It’s simply transforming how we connect and communicate with all ages. This year the average age of a Facebook user has officially bumped up to 30.

Facebook’s revolution means that it is even MORE powerful than ever. Facebook still has twice the user base of Twitter; plus, 60% of Facebook users check into the site daily.

Even in 2013, Facebook is still rocking it, which means you and your business need to rock it too! To help you get Facebook Fabulous, adapt some of the tips below ,and watch the users and interactions fly in.

Pop a Photo

In our text-heavy world, we just want a pretty picture. Isn’t that why Instagram is gaining more and more followers every day? Translate that visual beauty to your Facebook page. A post with a photo gets 39% more interaction. Try uploading an image that will make your fans smile or laugh, even if it has nothing to do with your business-- as long as it's consistent with your brand!

Make sure the photos are unique to your green, garden brand. Flaunt your individuality with an image that captures your company’s vibe. Maybe the prettiest bloom in the office?

Show Your Digital Teeth : D

Humans want to connect to each other with nonverbal cues, but in the digital world of Facebook, we need to make due. Enter the emoticon. Let the world know what you’re feeling not with a lengthy poem, but with a click of your keyboard. 57% higher likability happens when you include any emoticon. Wondering what’s the most popular? Just look up : D ! Second in line, : P

Short is Oh So Sweet

Facebook doesn’t have a character limit, but there have been times when I wish it did! Posts should be short and simple. Cut to it already! A long post every now and then is alright, but let’s be frank: if you have a lengthy soliloquy, take it the company blog. 80 characters or less is the optimal length.

Be Direct

If you want your fans to like/share/comment on a post, just say so! Fans want to help you out; they love your brand—that’s why they’re there! Lay all your cards on the table, and speak your mind. Plus, when you write the direction out, your results will improve significantly.

Craving even more Facebook tips? Satisfy your hunger with our page-turning e-book below.

Marketing Agency Review for Lawn and Garden Businesses

In the business of marketing, there are countless theories as to how best to promote and brand a business, product, or services. Some say advertising. We of course say, “PR’s the best!” Others say SEO, search engine optimization.

Each of them works in some way, but the most effective way is actually the combination of everything. But rarely does a budget allow for a huge marketing spend, so rarely do they work hand in hand. So if we had to choose, we would suggest using public relations to build your brand and then incorporating SEO services to create a killer team. It’s time that PR and SEO got together to hit a home run for your garden business.

The reason that both SEO and PR techniques should be used together is due to the fact that they are both designed to help a business grow. Sure, they both focus on different techniques, SEO focuses on building a business’ online visibility on search engines and PR strives for building your real life brand person by using media attention to grow a business, but used collectively you can get more bang for your marketing buck.

Here’s how:
Optimize press releases for SEO
Press releases are still the bee’s knees in the PR world. But before writing your next release, make a list of keywords that would bring relevant search traffic to your website. When writing the release, use keywords throughout the entire story, especially in the title and the opening paragraph. This will allow your information to be released to the media and still be found on a search engine.

Press Release for Each Target
For the same story, alter the press release for who you are targeting. Newspaper columnists, bloggers, and social media news outlets/individuals digest information differently. Catering to each subgroup allows multiple ways for the story to be found as well as improves SEO opportunities.

Selective Pitching
Of course you want media and bloggers to pick up your story and ANY pickup is great for exposure. But when pitching your story, go after the high traffic producers. A story in a small community newspaper is nice but an article in a major publication will be found easier in search engines, as will your business.

Quality Content
Company blogs are a fantastic way to drive traffic to your website and for SEO purposes. Creating new and relevant information sends new attention to search engines and provides the opportunity for more links back to your website. Blogs also provide the chance to be found and promote interaction with your audience.

Social Media Tie In
Need something to put on your social media sites? Post your press releases and media hits on your websites and share a link to all of your social sites. This gives a chance for fans or followers to remember why they “liked” your page in the first place, your products and services. It also allows for brand exposure to more people and the opportunity to go viral. For an even bigger impact, find a way to connect to the day’s or week’s “hot” social conversations by including those keywords into the description of your posted story.

In the end, it’s a blend of both public relations services and the content that is created and targeted SEO keyword research that will take your brand to the next level.

Want to get build your reputation?  Call us.

Christmas Wishlist for Businesses in the Lawn and Garden Industry

Content marketing in the form of emailings, branded websites, and editorial content was trusted by 50% or more of respondents to Nielsen's Global Trust in Advertising survey from Q3 2011.

Christmas is almost upon us and this year there is one thing that business in the lawn and garden industry should have at the top of their marketing wishlist: Content marketing.
 
What is content marketing you ask? It's valuable content that delivers high-quality, relevant information yielding measurable results without promotional push. It provides useful information to aid purchase decisions, improve product usage, and entertain consumers. And, it's more credible than advertising.

In today’s advertising rich environment, fresh, engaging content has never been as important for businesses as it is today. People use the internet to research, compare and review products, and this information impacts buying decisions both online and in stores. You need content marketing regardless of whether your organization is a B2B or B2C. The one big reason is trust!  Businesses must use content marketing because consumers don’t trust advertising.

Providing valuable, relevant content that tells a story, highlights your product or services, and establishes you as an industry expert is a powerful way to get found online, attract new business and build long-term relationships with customers. Content marketing is essential to help your company build an online presence in this digital age.

Here are five tips to get your content marketing’s trustworthiness on track.

1. Treat customers and employees with respect. Be open where appropriate about your firm’s business practices. Good manners go a long way. Remember customers observe how you treat your employees and others in their organization.
2. Be transparent in your dealings. Keep confidential information private but where appropriate let employees and customers see how you do business.
3. Show your organization is ethical in its practices. In a social media environment, it’s critical to act in good faith.
4. Seek strong company representatives to create content and represent your organization. Use academics, technical experts within your organization, other consumers and regular employees to create and present your content. When using visual media such as video and photographs, make sure they reflect company positions in their dress, language and settings.
5. Deal with a PR crisis quickly. Don’t let it fester. Act quickly and decisively before it controls you.

Of course, this doesn't happen overnight.  Creating a lasting relationship takes months, even years of proving yourself and your company.  But don't give up!  And, consider hiring Garden Media to help you maximize and create fresh and engaging content.