Happy 4th Anniversary, SMS!
July 28, 2015
Social Marketing Solutions celebrated it's 4th anniversary this month and we couldn't be more excited! It's been an amazing 4 years, full of exceptional clients. We couldn't have done it without you guys! So THANK YOU. Our clients are simply the BEST. We wanted to share a bit about how SMS has changed over the past few years so read on!
When we first opened up, our services were limited to Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin daily updates. Now we do not only that, but blogging and newsletter maintenance, as well as working with Instagram and Pinterest. That's not the only way we've grown though! SMS started out with only ONE employee but now we're so busy, we have three! And while we started out with 20 clients, within 2 years we had already reached over 100. All thanks to you guys!
We have worked with a ton of different clients including – authors, online magazines, health/wellness professionals, payroll companies, moving/hauling companies, IT businesses, food services, therapists, recycling companies and many more. We work with everything from service based companies to online business to product based businesses. We have various ways of meeting our clients…We do most of our marketing online – through our website, social media sites and newsletters in addition to the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. We also utilize word of mouth and referrals from past and current clients. The #1 thing we hear when people come talk to us is, "I don't have time to manage my online presence, but I know I have to." That's literally the #1 reason why people hire us, because they don't have time to update themselves, but they know the importance of an active online presence. And our #1 marketing tip that we tell everyone? Online marketing isn't a one time fix; your marketing presence on and offline must be maintained, revisited and an accurate representation of your company. In this day and age, people go online to research a company and their legitimacy and without continued updates on your website and social media, you're not accurately representing yourself and utilizing imperative marketing tools.
We've had some exciting times and milestones during our 4 years as well. Our most exciting project was when owner Kelly Jones assisted Shawn Edgington in the launch of her "No Bull Challenge". She helped with the online launch party which was very successful – Shawn's book hit the NY Times best seller list! Also exciting was when SMS gained its first out of state client…and then went international, with it's first client in Canada. We have had some great times the past 4 years.
So what does the future look like? Well, as the social media world changes, we'll be changing with it. We'll be adding even more social networking sites in the near future along with new services offered and we'll keep growing our team. Our company has continuously grown the past 4 years and we don't see it slowing down anytime soon – and we couldn't be happier!
It’s Time for That Mid-Year Review!
June 23, 2015
Summer's here and the living is easy. Life is laid-back; customers abound; what more could a business want? Knowing that your 2015 marketing plan is going to, well, plan is always a good place to start. Summer is the perfect time to review your marketing plan and strategies to decide what's working and what isn't. So what's the best way to do so?
First things first, dust off your 2015 marketing plan. Take a look at the plan you put together back in January with ideas on how to grow your business in 2015. Did you ever start that blog or newsletter, test a pay-per-click campaign, or launch a referral program? What’s working best, and what still requires some more attention? How happy are you with what's been accomplished the past 6 months? You may not have much to change! But if not…
Go over each of the points and compare where you are now with where you were projecting you'd be. Are you on track? Have you accomplished what you planned? Consider where you are now and decide what you want to achieve by the end of the year. While you're at it, do some spring cleaning. Cut your least-performing marketing activities. Marketing can be hit or miss – don't keep something that isn't working for you just because it's what everybody else is doing at the moment.
Think about how you can change and improve things. A fabulous mid-year change is updating your website. Add some new content based on your 2015 experiences thus far – like success stories, client testimonials, or best practices.
You can't let the year pass you by without making a few changes. The review will take less time than you think and you'll reap the benefits. We're also including this 100 Point Mid-Year Marketing Checklist as a quick in-depth guide. And when you've gone through and decided on what changes, if any, you'd like to make, remember that Social Marketing Solutions is here at all times to help your company have the best marketing campaign possible.
Interview with Owner Kelly Jones
March 18, 2015
We've got a special blog for you guys today – an interview with the founder and owner of Social Marketing Solutions, Kelly Jones! Here you'll learn about Kelly's history in social marketing, find out what makes her tick and so much more. Let's get started!
1. What led you into social marketing? One of my previous employers had the idea to manage business's social media for those who didn't have the time and expertise to do so. He was looking for a college aged student with social media knowledge who had interest in working and growing with a variety of companies. At the time it was a great opportunity for me to learn how to work with various businesses, understand their needs and expectations, and then deliver while doing something I loved. After working with the company, Working Your Network, for almost two years I decided to venture off and go on my own.
2. Why did you decide to start your own company? I started my own company after realizing how much I grew Working York Network on my own. I wanted to expand and grow, and I felt like owning my own company gave me the ability to do so. I was still young and in school, but I had the knowledge and background of the industry and I knew with hard work and dedication the business would thrive.
3. Since you were so young when you started Social Marketing Solutions (SMS), how do you think being younger worked to your advantage in this field? Being young was an advantage in this field as I grew up on social media. I personally have used, purchased, researched, and reviewed a company based on their social media pages. I know what others are searching for and this knowledge has helped me understand how businesses target audiences in order to achieve success through social media. It is important to know what the consumer is looking for and growing up in the generation of social networking definitely gave me a better understanding of what works and what doesn't.
4. And on the flip side, what have you learned through the years and from people who are older and wiser? Throughout the years I have learned A TON from working with over 100 different clients and 10+ different employees. I have learned that every company is different – including their target audience, goals and expectations. I have learned it's important to be in constant communication with your clients, in addition to addressing client concerns on what works and what doesn't. I have gained an appreciation for every business with which I have worked. As we are all trying to grow and develop and every company is dealing with different scenarios, I also have learned to listen and value my clients and employees because they're the reason why we are successful. As the owner I have become more humble and grateful for my staff as I couldn't do what I do without them.
5. What's your favorite aspect of social media marketing? My favorite aspect of social media marketing is seeing and hearing about the success stories. Hearing that clients are getting attention or that their pages are getting noticed is the most rewarding part of our job. It's so tough to judge ROI in our industry, so hearing positive feedback from my clients is the most rewarding.
6. How have you seen trends change and grow? There have been so many changes in the trends of social media worlds. I learned quickly social media marketing is ever changing, and it is up to us to stay ahead of the curb. I learned that some sites are better than others for our clients, and not everything works for everyone. It is important to learn about the company we are working with and find what is going to be best for that specific organization.
7. If companies are going to have only ONE thing they do online, what should it be? If a company is going to do one thing online, it should be to have a powerful and well maintained website that you can direct people to through your other marketing channels.
8. What else should people know about you? What do you like to do? Where did you go to school? Anything else like that you'd like to share? I graduated from High Point University with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Communications with a specific focus in social media. I also work full time for College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving, one of our first clients when the business started in 2011. I enjoy staying busy through work and traveling, and in my "free time" I enjoy heading to the Jersey Shore where I have a summer beach house in Long Beach Island.
Check out the video below to find out who inspires Kelly and more!
Interview by Misty Layne
Instagram – It’s a Snap!
February 14, 2015
It's a whole new world out there in social media, and believe it or not Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn aren't the only main players anymore. From Snapchat to Google+, there are a host of social media platforms that your company should be taking advantage of this year. Recently, we've been discussing Instagram on social media, so we decided to delve in a little further.
What exactly is Instagram? Instagram is a mobile photo-sharing and video-sharing social network. It enables its users to take pictures and videos and share them, not just on Instagram itself, but also on a variety of other platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. One distinctive feature is that it confines photos to a square shape, similar to a Polaroid image. Users can also apply digital filters to their images. As for videos, the main feature is that the maximum duration is only 15 seconds. Similar to other social networks, users on Instagram can follow other users as well as leave comments on photos and videos.
How can Instagram be used for marketing? Audiences today prefer to be reached via visuals and short messages. They also want personal experiences with brands – experiences that are both engaging and accessible. Instagram allows brands to do this in real time while giving users a different experience than customers using other platforms. Also consider that much like Twitter, Instagram relies upon hashtags as a way for users to find the things they love. Tagging your brand's photos with the right categories will have you reaching a wider audience than you could just via Facebook and your website. And if you're interested in the numbers behind Instagram, take a look at this:
CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE
Welcome to Snapchat
January 10, 2015
It's a whole new world out there in social media, and believe it or not Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn aren't the only main players anymore. From Pinterest to Google+, there are a host of social media platforms that your company should be taking advantage of this year. This week, we're going to highlight the mobile app, Snapchat.
What exactly is Snapchat? If you're not already familiar with it, Snapchat is a photo messaging app. How does it work? With the application, users can take photos, record videos, add text and drawings, and send them to a controlled list of recipients. These sent photographs and videos are known as "Snaps". Users set a time limit for how long recipients can view their Snaps, up to 10 seconds, and after they will be hidden from the recipient's device and deleted from Snapchat's servers forever. Doesn't exactly sound mobile marketing friendly though, does it?
Surprisingly, however, it is marketing friendly. As long as you can be creative you can send Snaps directly to the group of people you want. Plus, Snapchat now has new features such as, chat and advertisements, and considering it's estimated 10 billion dollar value, it's not going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, it has quickly become one of the most popular social media apps among young adults, even beating out Facebook!
Social media reaches far and wide and comes in all different shapes and sizes. Make sure your online marketing plan isn't stagnant with just the use of the "Top 3" – branch out to target different demographics, and if you need help maintaining your online presence, we're just a call away! We're skilled in using a variety of social media sites and can help make your company's presence pop. Till next time!
Social Marketing Solutions Podcasts with Fractal Recording!
December 31, 2014
The day after Christmas, Social Marketing Solutions, LLC founder and owner, Kelly Jones, had the pleasure of sitting down and recording her first podcast with Chris Curran of Fractal Recording, located in Parsippany, New Jersey! Chris and Kelly had an awesome time discussing social media trends and focuses for the new year. This experience allowed SMS employees to understand the importance of podcasts and the benefit of podcasts in regard to online marketing efforts. We are so pleased to share the end result with you all, so take a look by clicking the links below.
You can listen to the podcast at FractalRecording.com, also available on ITunes and Stitcher! Or just click the player below! Feel free to let us know what you think by commenting below. Thanks again for your constant support and interest in Social Marketing Solutions. As we enter into the new year we are so appreciative of you all, and we wish you all the absolute best in 2015!
Wrapping up 2014 and Preparing Your Social Media for the New Year!
December 24, 2014
How influential was your online presence in 2014? As the year comes to a close, it is a good time to reflect on and review your social media presence, evaluate what has and hasn’t worked, and begin planning your social networking strategies for 2015. Here are a few tips to remember while planning your social media marketing efforts for the new year:
- Remember the importance of visuals- The importance of visual content is on the rise, as photos and video clips become increasingly popular online. Studies have shown that postings on social media that include a visual get many, many more views than postings that consist of only text. As you plan out your 2015 online marketing, find where visuals can factor into your postings. You can do such things as posting photos of your employees, to making short videos that highlight your services. Also consider using such social media platforms as Pinterest and Instagram to highlight products and broaden your online presence. The possibilities are endless!
- Communication goes both ways- This has been stressed many times, but people aren't online just to see you consistently throw traditional marketing (such as constant talk of how wonderful your company is, advertising and business statistics) in their faces. People want to relate to businesses, and bringing personalization and conversation to the table is key to social media success. Ask your customers what they want and need from you. Respond to any criticisms with offers to fix the problem. It is crucial to think like the consumer and respond while remembering the consumers position. You want your audience to engage in conversation with you.
- What to expect in the New Year- The “larger” social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter will remain important to connect with others, but there will continue to be new sites, and edits to our current social media sites that expand our social media reach. There will be new apps, tools, and updates that increase the social networking possibilities. There will be an increase in the demand of mobile platforms as more people continue to rely on smartphones. The importance of staying ahead of the curve in regards to mobile marking will be important for success in 2015.
Reviewing and revising your current marketing plan for the new year is a must. You can only achieve success if you consistently monitor and evaluate your current and future strategies, as social media is constantly evolving . Make sure you're getting the most out of your social media efforts. If you need help evaluating your current efforts or putting them into place for the New Year don’t hesitate to give us a call! Social Marketing Solutions is happy to help enhance your online identity, and get you seen throughout the new year.
‘Tis the Season! Holiday Website Promotions
December 13, 2014
As a business, you know there are many ways to promote yourself during the holidays. These range from email blasts to circulars to television ads to social media and more. But what are you doing with your website to promote your business during holiday season? By now you also know the importance of keeping your website constantly updated with fresh and relevant information, both to entice fans and to keep yourself high in the SEO rankings. That means that updating your website during this season is one of the most important things you can do! Here are some great things to remember during this busy time.
Timing is everything. It's not just Christmas that's currently going on – there's Hanukkah and other holidays too. And each holiday starts on a different date. Make sure that any sales or promotions you might be offering for a particular holiday are timed to coincide at least a couple of weeks in advance of said holiday (if not earlier, depending on how early you like to spread your holiday cheer!). Make people aware in advance that a particular item is going to be discounted on a particular day, on your website, by sending out email blasts and sharing the news on social media.
Keep your customers up to date. Keep your customers up to date on your website by creating new web pages specifically for certain sales and promotions. For example, if you're a toy store that will be hugely discounting Barbies on December 20th, why not make a new web page listing all the Barbie deals so people don't have to search through your site to find them? This makes things easier on your customers, which could result in more sales for you!
Consider video. Nothing says “holiday” like nostalgia. If you have a restaurant, for example, capitalize on guests’ holiday memories at your restaurant through videos on your web site. Encourage guests to submit their own videos to your Facebook or YouTube page, then post them to your site. Also think about doing a holiday video card – you can do anything from filming a simple holiday greeting from your team members to something more elaborate like a holiday sketch and post it to the front page of your website.
Give thanks. 'Tis the season to be grateful, so thank your clients for their years of loyalty! This can be anything from a simple and elegant "Thank you" message on your front page to a page dedicated to listing your most loyal clients' names and/or businesses. Not only will you make people feel appreciated but this makes your brand more approachable, more open and more down to earth.
Do a giveaway to gather more clients. Want a way to reach more clientele? Run a giveaway on your website that has the option for people to opt-in to your newsletters. This promotion is one of the most simple and effective!
There are so many wonderful ways to use your website to promote your business this holiday and these ways can often be overlooked in favor of ways like social media. Don't get us wrong, social media is essential! But your website is your home, your storefront. It's where people get to really know you. So don't forget about it this holiday season! And while we've got you here, sign up over there on the right for our mailing list that's full of the latest social media and online marketing tips and news!
Why You Should Send Newsletters and Tips to Get You Started
December 3, 2014
Newsletters are a very cost effective way to market your business. Sending out a newsletter creates awareness of your business and all that you offer. It also keeps you in the mind of your current clientele.
Newsletters give you the opportunity to promote products as well as your business. If you are introducing a great new product, it is important that you also send out a newsletter about it for people who may not regularly check your website or other social media forums. Make sure that your newsletter is worth reading by adding in special deals or discounts for loyal clients. When you add value to your newsletter it makes people want to keep reading it!
More content ideas for newsletters include:
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A message from the CEO or President of the Business (Owner)
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Human interest stories (ex. a feature on a special client of yours)
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New products
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Employees (employee of the month and a little about them or achievements )
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News relating to your business (local and National)
Make sure you pick a timeline and stick to it. Whether you choose to do weekly, monthly or bi monthly newsletters make sure you stay with your schedule. Your customers will be expecting an update, so make sure you are prompt and on time with it.
These are just a few reasons why email marketing is definitely one of the best ways to market! Need more help? Call or email us today! We can help you get started with your newsletter campaign or if you find email marketing is taking up too much of your time, we can do the hard work for you while you sit back and reap the benefits!
Why Blog?
November 27, 2014
Blogging is a great way to direct people to your website, gain their trust and attention, problem solve any client complaints and so much more! How so? Think about it this way – you cannot explain your self fully or always post everything you want on sites like Twitter, Instagram or Facebook all the time, but by blogging you can connect with your audience on a deeper and more personal level.
Blogging is a way for you to explain a certain topic, specifically one related to your industry. This enables you to be viewed as an expert in your field. And people trust the companies they believe are knowledgeable. Another great reason to start blogging is SEO (or search engine optimization). By blogging, you are regularly updating your website which makes you more relevant to searches. Adding in important key words will also have the effect of your blog and site coming up closer to first place when it comes to Google searches and the such. And the higher up you are, the closer you are to expanding your business and clientele. Finally, blogging can be very cost effective. These days it's easy to start a blog – everyone and their grandma has one! There are a variety of blogging platforms (which we will discuss at a later date) available at your disposal with prices starting at FREE. You can't beat that!
Blogging can be a great tool for any company to use and doesn’t take too much work! Make sure you are keeping up with your blogs and if you don't already have one, set one up today. And if you need help setting up your blog, reach out to us as we are always happy to help and have expertise in the blogging field. Happy blogging!
Author
- Kelly Jones
Social Media Manager
