The traditional sales funnel everyone is used to seeing is obsolete and a sales journey has replaced it. The customer’s journey is much more complex since they themselves can use search engine research to compare products and form opinions on brands via presence and reviews.
Instagram is currently the fastest growing social network, having gone from 600 million to 800 million active users in the past 12 months. It has had an impact on the way businesses function and Instagram says companies will seek to capitalize on this engagement by using social media to drive direct sales outcomes.
Advantages
- Instagram is hashtag focused, which means custom hashtags can be created for any specific marketing campaign or any product a business wants to promote. Users can follow hashtags as well as accounts, which mean hashtags like #signrestoration are now available in user’s feeds. By using a hashtag on ads such as the business’s location (e.g. city) will allow it to be found when users follow the city.
- Instagram ‘Stories’ is an option that allows users to share photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. When a live story is posted, the business’s followers are notified via an alert. Showing a day in the life of a sign installer or a day at the office can be great ways to humanize a brand and give followers an inside look.
- Instagram has great built-in editing apps to take a video or photo to the next level.
Disadvantages
- Instagram is strictly mobile; a desktop option is not available. A mobile-based browser interface is available, but it lacks editing capabilities such as filters, publishing live, and stories, which are all popular features of the app.
- Like Instagram’s parent company, Facebook, organic posts have taken a huge hit. If smaller businesses want to stay relevant on Instagram they must post frequently, run aggressive ad campaigns, and boost more posts.
- Clickable links cannot be placed in posts unless a business runs an ad or promotes the post. The audience must be directed to a live link in the profile bio.
Tip: Create a contest using a unique #hashtag and then share audience pictures. People love recognition. Whether it is a sign competition, a unique project installation, or simply a design idea, include the Instagram community in the business’s social strategy. Also, ensure the business profile is set to public, not private. If the business account is set to private, it will limit the organic reach. Hashtags used in private accounts are not visible to the general public.
Facebook is the most popular and useful social media platform. A business can share live videos and target its posts so there is a better chance of reaching the intended audience.
YouTube
Video marketing is conquering the world of digital advertising. YouTube provides a cost-effective dissemination strategy and its reach is far more comprehensive than regular television and cable stations.
Advantages
- Google owns YouTube, so video content is ranked according to sophisticated machine-learning algorithms.
- Videos can be categorized to create an informative series, or collection, for viewers to follow.
- YouTube also offers users live video streaming functionality.
Disadvantages
- YouTube does not offer much flexibility in the ability to customize videos prior to posting them.
- Creating video content can be time consuming and there is no guarantee a video will amass viral popularity.
- Users have no control over what related videos are displayed on the right side of the screen when they are being viewed, which means they can be videos posted by the competition.
Tip: When creating a video to post on YouTube, act natural. Avoid reading from a script and do not forget to breathe. Making a video can be intimidating; if someone is not up for being in the spotlight, make sure someone who is represents the business.
