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What Not to Wear: A Guide to Dressing for Success when Filming Marketing Videos

Abby Sorensen · December 15, 2022 ·

What Not to Wear: A Guide to Dressing for Success when Filming Marketing Videos

SN:D Blog_What Not to Wear When Filming Marketing Videos

While it’s easier than ever to shoot marketing videos for businesses and brands, there are many moving parts of a video shoot and with that, many things that can go wrong. Planning is key, and from our extensive video production experience, one simple but important thing to plan for is what you wear. While it’s important to be comfortable in your clothes, it is also essential that your clothing choices do not cause issues in the filming and post-production process of making a video.

Check out the top SN:D Agency tips on what NOT to wear and what TO wear when filming your next marketing video.

6 Tips on What Not to Wear When Filming Marketing Videos

It’s easy to prepare yourself for success with your wardrobe, so let’s ensure your wardrobe is NOT a failure on film day. Here are our tips for what not to wear:

Tip 1: Avoid Distracting Clothing When Filming Marketing Videos

No reflective clothing. The lighting can reflect off your clothes into the camera and cause light flares. These flares can be difficult or impossible to remove post-production, adding post-production costs. Reflective clothing can also distract the viewer.
No frills or distractions, like bows or tassels, especially around the arms area.
No clothing that is overly loose, too tight, or revealing.

Tip 2: Colors & Patterns to Avoid On Camera

No Black. Black can cast shadows on your face and dark circles under your eyes. Black also absorbs light, which takes away detail in the subject’s face and washes you out.
No white. White causes issues with cameras because it reflects, exposing your surroundings and drawing attention to your background rather than the subject.
No bright red or magenta. The camera’s sensors don’t translate these colors very well, and they can cause bleeding of color on the film, making it hard to see details.
No green or blue if you use a green or a blue screen when filming). When the editor is trying to take out the background in post-production, if you are wearing the same color as the background, it is difficult for your green or blue clothing to be removed as well, resulting in a floating head.
No tight patterns such as plaid, stripes, checks, herringbone, houndstooth, etc. The patterns and the camera sensors can cause a moiré pattern inside the camera. It’s only noticeable during playback and cannot be fixed in post-production, which can cause a costly loss.

Tip 3: Fabrics to Avoid When Filming Your Marketing Video

No sparkly, shiny, or shimmery fabric because you risk it reflecting into the camera.
No see-through or thin fabrics unless they are layered over other fabrics. If the fabric you wear is see-through, your body can be silhouetted in the shot when under the lights.
No Linen. It wrinkles quickly and easily, and you don’t want to look sloppy and unprofessional or waste time on shoot day using a steamer or iron.
No “loud” fabrics (such as windbreaker-type material)/ The microphone will pick up the noise and detract from the sound quality of the video’s audio.

Tip 4: Accessories to Avoid When Filming Business Videos

Do not wear multiple jewelry pieces, like stacking metal bangles, that can cause a lot of clanking and that could be picked up in audio.
No big earrings or necklaces that will reflect light and cause flashes on the camera.
No hats. A hat will block the light from your face, casting shadows.
No scarves. The scarf can rub against the mic when wearing a lavalier microphone and cause audio issues.

Tip 5: Avoid Other Company Branding or Shirts with Words When Filming

No outside company logos. Wearing a logo that isn’t for the company you’re promoting in the video can confuse your viewers and provide free marketing to an outside company while distracting from your own.
No graphic t-shirts. It may distract the viewers, and you may not have permission from the artist to display the work in a marketing product due to copyright infringement.

4 Tips on What to Wear When Filming Marketing Videos

Our video production team at SN:D have racked their brains for a top list of what to wear on camera. Read on for our tips.

Tip 1: Best Colors to Wear on Camera

Talk to your videographer and production team before the shoot to get a clear picture of what the background will be, as it will affect what colors you should wear.
If you’re NOT using a blue screen, blue is considered the safest color to wear on camera.
Other colors that work well on camera are pastels, jewel tones, and earth tones because they don’t cast shadows and look more natural.
If you want to wear dark clothing, navy blue is an excellent alternative to black because it is dark and looks professional but doesn’t have the same shadow-casting issues as black.

Tip 2: Choose Comfortable Clothing for Filming Your Marketing Video

Wear clothing that you are comfortable in–no one wants to watch a video of someone who is uncomfortable. You’ll be more able to focus on what you have to say when you aren’t distracted by how uncomfortable you feel.

Tip 3: Dress Appropriately for Your Industry

Ensure your clothing matches your brand and industry. Dressing industry appropriately will help make your video more credible, showing that you are an expert in the industry and know what you are talking about.

Tip 4: Wear Your Company Branding

Represent your business when filming a marketing video!
If you have uniforms or shirts that display your company logo, you should wear them (if they are appropriate for the video focus).

This brings brand awareness to your audience and adds credibility and professionalism to your video.

Filming Marketing Videos: 3 Additional Tips for Dressing on Film Day

Here are our additional wardrobe tips for ensuring your shoot goes smoothly.

Tip 1: Have More Than One Outfit

Have options in case of wardrobe malfunction or unforeseen circumstances.
More than one outfit will also allow you to shoot more footage without it looking like it was filmed on the same day, saving you time and money.
Come prepared with two or three outfit options that all follow all the do’s and don’ts that we’ve covered in this article.

Tip 2: Try Outfits on in Advance

Try your outfits on before your shoot. It’s best practice to do this at least a day before the shoot day to allow yourself time to run the errands or do the load of laundry needed to make sure your outfits are in good condition for the shoot.

Tip 3: Have an Emergency Kit for Wardrobe Malfunctions

Have a wardrobe emergency kit with you on video shoot days. Coming prepared will help you look your best and will help you focus on making a great video.

Here are some items to include in your emergency kit to avoid wardrobe malfunctions:

A-Clamps or clips
Bobby pins
Safety pins
Needle and thread
Portable steamer/iron
Stain remover

A lot can go wrong on a marketing video shoot day, so don’t let your wardrobe be one of those things.

From avoiding distracting colors, fabrics, patterns, and accessories, to tips for expanding your brand awareness and representing your business and industry well on video, to how to prepare for malfunctions, and more, we hope you feel equipped to dress for success on your next filming day! Armed with our expert tips on what NOT to wear, what you SHOULD wear, and a few additional best practices, you’ll be all set for a successful video shoot day – at least regarding your look.

So why stop there? At SN:D Agency, we have extensive experience with video shoots, production, and post-production. Stay tuned here on our blog for our upcoming blog posts covering all things video marketing! In the meantime, we’d love to speak with you about your business’s video production needs. Learn all about us here and contact us here!

The Ultimate Guide for Setting Up TikTok for Your Business Or Brand

Nicki Doffing · October 18, 2022 ·

Pick a song, do a silly dance, throw on some hashtags, and you’ve got a viral video – right? Think again. TikTok is no longer just an app “for kids.” It’s an app for business. Many of its users are not just playing around, and it’s a big player on the social media world stage that your business may no longer afford to ignore. But what do you need to know to set up TikTok for your business or brand successfully?

How does the TikTok algorithm work? Do you know what really goes into shooting great footage or hitting the right message? And we bet you didn’t know there are some serious legal implications if your business or brand’s marketing team chooses the wrong song. So yeah – it’s more than just hopping on a trending hashtag or putting some ad spend behind your best video. With details on how to target your audience for TikTok ads, how to use TikTok analytics in your favor, and all the different ways you can engage and advertise, we’re guessing you’ll need some assistance. Luckily for you, we’ve compiled the top ten need-to-know TikTok tips for businesses to not only launch your brand’s account but to launch it to success.

Are you ready? Let’s dive in.

Top 10 TikTok Tips For Your Business

Tip 1: Understand the Algorithm

You may have heard of people referencing social media algorithms. Even if you don’t know how they work or what they really do, most people have a vague understanding that they are some sort of complex, all-knowing program that predicts what you want to see on your social media feeds. Although social media channels do not like to give away all their secrets, there are some things we do know about the TikTok algorithm.

How Does the TikTok Algorithm Work?

The TikTok algorithm tracks your media consumption and behavior on the app to fill your TikTok feed, called the For You Page or FYP, with content that it thinks you will be likely to watch. But what kinds of data does it use?

Almost any interaction you have on TikTok is used to curate your FYP specifically for you. Did you like a video of a dance trend? Did you click on a funny TikTok on the Discover page? Did you comment on a video of a dog that was just so cute? TikTok monitors every click, scroll, comment, or swipe you make on the app and compiles it all to predict your preferences. All of this information is then used to show you similar content.

In addition to your behavior on the app, TikTok uses your device and account settings to generate content that may be relevant to you. Demographic information such as your gender, age, and language, as well as locational information, are all fed into the algorithm as well. Are you seeing videos about events in your local area? Does your FYP show you a lot of TikToks from people in a similar stage of life, such as high school, recently graduated college, or maybe just married? This is no coincidence. TikTok uses your data to show you videos it thinks you will relate to.

So it sounds like TikTok is very good at knowing what videos to show on your FYP. But does it also know what not to show you?

Generally, TikTok does not show you content you have already seen before. New content is constantly being uploaded to the app, so why waste time showing users the same videos again and again when it has the potential to hook people with something new? In addition to not showing previously-seen content, TikTok avoids showing spam or potentially upsetting content to users. The app is designed to keep users engaged and entertained, so by pushing content that’s enjoyable rather than content likely to make users click away, the platform is more likely to retain users.

It’s also important to note that the TikTok algorithm does not favor creators with higher follower counts or those with high-performing videos in the past. Both large and small accounts are shown on the FYP. This helps give exposure to both new accounts and veteran creators alike. In addition, it encourages users of all kinds to post content. Many creators on TikTok started as small accounts that never expected their content to gain a lot of traction, so the chance that any video could “go viral” is encouraging to many.

Tips for Making the TikTok Algorithm Work for Your Business

So, how can businesses use the TikTok algorithm to their advantage? There are a few ways:
1. Use a Pro Account
2. Create videos specifically for the TikTok platform
3. Use trending sounds and hashtags
4. Optimize your content
5. Determine your audience or niche
6. Post at the right time of day
7. Engage with other users

We’ll go into more detail about all of these below!

Tip 2: Make It Official

If you’re setting up a TikTok account for your business, make sure that the account is set up for a business, not just an individual creator.

How to Set Up a TikTok Business Account

To get set up as a business, you should have a Pro Account. You can either set it up this way from scratch or turn your personal Creator Account into a Pro Account. You may be wondering: what’s the difference between Creator Accounts and Pro Accounts? Simply said, Creator Accounts are to be used by individuals, while Pro Accounts are for brands and businesses.

To get started with setting up a Pro Account, you can visit TikTok’s business site here.

Tips for Setting Up Your Business Profile on TikTok

When setting up your account, you should fill in your basic profile details so your business can be recognized by others on the app.

You’ll want to choose a handle, or username, that is as close to your business name as possible. Some brands add their website domains onto their handles, such as .com or .org. If your business has multiple locations and this account is for a specific one, you should also include the name of your location. It’s also a good idea to keep this name short and readable, so you can shorten your name if it’s long or complex.

Your business account should also have a bio section to tell people who you are. You only have 80 characters, so keep it short and to the point by shortening words or using emojis if you can. But keep in mind that this is also a place for your brand to show its personality, so make it catchy with a good hook and give your profile viewers an incentive to watch your content.

Your profile picture will be shown on all your content and interactions, so businesses should be professional and consistent by using their logo. Ideally, because these don’t take up much screen space, they will just be an icon. Remember, this reflects the professionalism of your brand, so this image should be high-quality.

The last element on your profile is the link in your bio. This is a great way to direct viewers to your other social channels, such as your Instagram or YouTube channel. TikTok is also testing an option for some accounts to be able to link to their website. Whether your business has the ability to link to its website or a different social channel, be sure to include a link here!

Tip 3: Shoot for Success

TikTok is primarily a mobile app platform, which is something you’ll want to keep in mind when creating your content.

Shooting TikTok Videos for Your Business

Because they’re predominantly watched on mobile devices, TikTok videos should be filmed vertically, specifically in a 9:16 aspect ratio. Other ratios can be uploaded, but they will not fit the screen and could be cropped, so for the best look, it’s recommended to shoot your videos in the final 9:16 ratio. Additionally, videos in this format, on average, have a 25% higher 6-second watch rate than horizontal videos, so the ratio matters!

When filming, make sure you also have good lighting and sound quality so that your videos appear professional and representative of your brand. It also helps to shoot videos specifically for TikTok instead of filming them to be used on all platforms. This is because TikTok has its own trends, as well as video format options (such as stitches and duets, which we’ll dive into later), sounds, filters, and many other elements that may not translate well on other platforms. So to take full advantage of a TikTok account, you’ll want to utilize these popular elements that are only available on the app.

Does Equipment Matter When Shooting TikTok Videos For Your Business?

TikTok is a more authentic, down-to-Earth platform than other platforms, so producing videos with very high production quality is not as necessary as it is on other platforms. In fact, it’s recommended to just use a smartphone with a high-quality camera and microphone. To ensure you have proper lighting, you may also want to use a ring light. Besides these items, other production equipment is likely not necessary, especially for a new account.

Tip 4: Face the Music

Part of the popularity of TikTok comes from its ability to integrate popular music and sounds–the app did get its start known as Musical.ly, after all. However, there are limitations on what music and sounds can be used by a business account.

Music Limitations for TikTok Business Accounts

Due to copyright laws, brands on TikTok only have access to use royalty-free sounds on the platform. To use other sounds, brands must obtain licensure to use a sound for commercial use. Available commercial sounds are found in the commercial library. If your account is set up correctly as a brand, these are the songs and sound options that are shown when adding sound to a new video. Simply click the “Add Sound” button at the top of the screen when creating your video, and you’ll be able to look through the many royalty-free options.

You should be careful not to upload videos that already have sounds or songs that are not in the commercial library, as these videos can be flagged for copyright infringement. In addition to having the video removed, it could also create legal trouble for your brand, so it’s best to err on the side of caution. Unfortunately, this does limit what kind of content brands can create, especially when many trends hinge on certain copyrighted songs or sounds. So how can you find acceptable audio to use?

Tips For Finding Music for your TikTok Business Account

A way to find popular sounds that brands can use is to browse through the “TikTok Viral” playlist on the app. This playlist, as well as many others, shows many popular songs and sounds that are available for commercial use for you to choose from. You can also create videos by clicking on a sound on the FYP. However, If you start creating a video this way with a sound that is not in the commercial library, TikTok will notify you that the sound is not available for commercial use. If you choose to use it anyway, the app will ask you to confirm that you have obtained the proper usage permissions.

Here’s a pro tip on TikTok sounds: faster tracks that play at 120+ beats per minute have higher watch rates. So turn up the tunes!

Tip 5: Get With The Trends

TikTok trends are ever-evolving, but staying up to date will show that your brand is relevant!

Using Trending Sounds for Your Tik Tok Business Account

As mentioned, Pro Accounts are limited on which trending songs they can use in their videos, so your business will have to stick to trends that don’t use copyrighted music. Another option: if you do want to make a video to go along with a specific trend, you can try to find music or a sound in the commercial library that is similar to the original but that is available for your brand account. However, as a downside, the TikTok algorithm is more likely to favor videos that do use trending sounds–many of which are not royalty-free.

Hop on the Hashtags with Your Tik Tok Business Account

Especially since a brand’s ability to use trending songs is limited, using hashtags is a great way for your content to be seen! There are many ways to find popular hashtags, such as browsing the Discover page, typing keywords into the search bar and clicking the “hashtags” option, or just searching to see what hashtags are used in your industry. TikTok also has many trending hashtag challenges that are used often, or you could even use small business-related hashtags.

If you’ve scrolled through the app, you’ve probably seen videos that use For You Page hashtags such as #FYP and #ForYouPage. While it has not been confirmed that using these hashtags will cause the algorithm to be more likely to show your videos, many brands and individuals still try it out. In fact, there have even been tests and experiments to see if using these hashtags will really boost your video views. The consensus? Using ‘For You Page’ hashtags doesn’t make your videos gain views or make them more likely to end up on the FYP. For this reason, we recommend using your video description to relay your key message and use hashtags that are more likely to get your video in front of your target audience rather than using these experimental hashtags.

Tip 6: Messaging is a Must

The video quality, trendy sounds, and hashtags you use aren’t the only important aspects of making TikTok videos; the message of the video itself is key!

Tips for Your TikTok Business Account Messaging

Since you are representing your brand on a public platform, you should be thinking about your video’s message and the caption you put on it. Staying in line with your brand voice and values is important–don’t lose your credibility just to be trendy. If your brand voice is professional and informative, keep it that way in your TikToks as well. You don’t want to mix messages or confuse your audience, who may follow you in many places, and there are still ways to have fun while sticking to your brand. On the other hand, if your brand voice is consistently more casual and relatable, use TikTok as a way to show that off!

Keep in mind that people spend time on TikTok for entertainment, not to shop. Because of this, your videos should aim to entertain before they sell. Viewers are much more likely to interact with, follow, and become fans of brands that appear practical, relatable, and authentic rather than just trying to sell their products or services. One form of entertainment that does well on TikTok is storytelling, so find some creative ways to relate your message through a story.

Limitations to Consider When Drafting Messaging for Your TikTok Business Account

When coming up with your best content, there are a few things to keep in mind. TikTok videos do have character limits on posts. However, as of September 2022, the character limit was increased from only 300 characters to 2,200 characters. This allows creators to add a lot more information and hashtags to their videos, which can make them more searchable and better targeted. So, don’t be afraid to write a bit more or include a few more hashtags–it may help you out!

Also, get creative with your calls to action, or CTAs. Having a CTA in a post increases the chances of your audience engaging, clicking, or otherwise just remembering your brand or post. A simple video might spark a chuckle or keep a user watching until the end, but without a CTA, they are likely to simply scroll on. However, by adding a CTA that encourages viewers to take a specific action, you can increase the chance for more engagement, followers, or even conversions, such as sales and leads! Unfortunately, organic TikTok posts cannot have links in the captions, but that doesn’t have to stop you from using some fun CTAs! Drop your Instagram handle, ask viewers to answer a question in the comments, or encourage them to stitch your video with theirs. The options are limitless (well, almost)!

Tip 7: Know Your Audience

TikTok videos would not be popular without the massive number of users on the platform, and knowing who you want to reach is crucial.

Finding and Growing Your Business’s Audience on TikTok

While many people think ‘going viral’ is the end goal of social media, your brand is more likely to garner real, measurable business results by targeting the right people. Your business should have a good idea of who its target audience is. Using demographic information like age and location is a good start, but you should also consider more detailed segmenting options such as interests, education level, and occupation to create a persona.

Once you have your audience defined, utilize it! Make content that is specific to your target audience. Having this niche content will allow you to find followers who are likely to relate to your brand and therefore interact, follow, and even convert. But make sure you don’t get too narrow and only target a small audience. Making more generic content as well for a broader segment can also help expand your audience and grow your platform. Try to find the right mix of specific and general content for your brand!

It’s also important to consider the user demographic of the platform itself. TikTok tends to have a younger audience user base than other channels such as Facebook or even Instagram. Generation Z is much more prevalent on the app, so it may benefit your brand to learn about this demographic to tap into TikTok’s main user base. However, being on TikTok doesn’t mean you have to target Gen Z. 24% of the app’s users in 2022 were age 35 and above, and that number has been steadily increasing.

You can also use TikTok to reach other age ranges that may be in your target audience. Use your brand’s buyer personas to understand their behaviors and interests, and you can find your niche on TikTok. Some tips for reaching older generations include making content that they can relate to, using older on-screen personalities or influencers, or creating content that is more educational.

Finding and Growing Your Business’s Audience on TikTok

Viewing your TikTok analytics will help you find information about your audience. Clicking on the Followers tab of your insights will show: gender, territories, follower activity, videos your followers watched, and sounds your followers listened to. You can use this information to see how well your target audience matches up with who is actually seeing your content or following you. If your target segment is not being reached, you may need to adjust your content strategy. On the other hand, if your brand has a large audience presence from an unexpected segment, it may be worth considering how this can be leveraged. You may want to incorporate them into your strategy as well!

Tip 8: Time It Right

One important factor you may not have considered is this: when is the best time to post your videos?

Use TikTok Analytics to Find the Best Times For Your Business to Post

Overall, TikTok users tend to be the most active from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. However, this is a generalization across all users on the app; your account insights will show you when your specific followers are most active. Use this to your advantage by posting videos regularly when activity is consistently high! TikTok is a fast-paced app with over 1 billion video views daily. To compete in this rapid flow of content, posting at the peak times when your audience is active can lead to you receiving more views and engagement rather than your video being lost in the shuffle.

Tip: For a new account, there may not be much audience activity yet to base your posting times on. For this reason, we recommend testing a posting schedule. Vary the times you post your TikToks throughout the day to see what yields the best results!

Tips for Scheduling Your Business’s TikTok Posts Ahead of Time

The platform itself allows you to schedule videos in advance for publishing later, which is recommended if you’re sharing a lot of content. This will allow you to plan out a schedule ahead of time, create your content in advance, and then spread your posts out over a period of time. However, keep in mind that scheduled posts cannot be edited. This includes editing the scheduled date and time. To make a change, you will have to delete the post and re-upload it, so we recommend doing quality checks on both the content and the posting schedule before uploading to TikTok itself.

In addition to scheduling TikToks on the site itself, there are also third-party scheduling platforms that allow you to schedule posts for TikTok, along with other social channels. Although most of these are paid services, utilizing them allows for an easier way to schedule and manage content on many different sites or platforms. Some of our favorites that we recommend using are Hootsuite and Loomly. However, there are many more out there as well!

Tip 9: Get Engaged

After you create content you’re proud of, it’s easy to post it and then expect to sit back and let the comments and followers roll in. After all, you think your content was great! So why wouldn’t it perform well? But part of what will make your brand appealing to users on the app is interacting with others!

Tips for Engaging on Your Business’s TikTok Account

TikTok users tend to be very active, so be sure to take advantage of this by engaging with them. Responding to comments, thanking people for sharing, and even commenting on other users’ content are all great ideas! Not sure who to interact with? You can use hashtags and sounds to find accounts similar to yours and engage with them or the people liking and commenting on those posts. It’s a great way to be engaged and ultimately build your own following.

TikTok also offers many fun ways to interact besides the standard likes and comments. For example, you can reply to comments within a new video to address a whole new topic or question. Videos can also be stitched, which allows you to use clips of other videos within your content while crediting the original creator. One last fun feature is duetting a video. These are usually used for reaction-based content, where the original video is played beside your video. They are both played at once on a split screen, so you can react, respond, or jump in on a trend yourself while showing the original video.

Tip 10: Add an Ad Budget

Like any other social media platform, TikTok also lets you put some ad spending behind your content. But how does this work?

Brief Overview of Advertising for Your Business on TikTok

Before you are able to run ads on the platform, you will need to create a TikTok Ads Manager Account. This is pretty simple and must be done before you can run ads. The steps to setting up this account are broken down in this short video provided by TikTok’s Business Help Center.

There are several types of ads that can be run:
1. In-feed ads are shown within the feed or FYP among organic videos. These appear the most natural on the page.
2. Brand Takeover ads “take over” the screen and are shown when a user first opens the app.
3. TopView ads are similar, but instead of showing when the app is first opened, they are shown at the top of the FYP.
4. There are also Branded Hashtag Challenges, which take a user to a landing page when they click any video with the branded hashtag.
5. Finally, there are Branded Effects such as filters, stickers, or lenses that are sponsored by brands for creators to use in their content.

Many of the above ads can be in different formats such as images, videos, and carousels, which appear on TikTok’s News Feed Apps (BuzzVideo, TopBuzz, and Babe) or are implemented on the TikTok ad network Pangle.

TikTok ad objectives are split up into three categories: Awareness, Consideration, and Conversion. These also have sub-objectives of reach, traffic, app installs, video views, lead generation, and catalog sales. Choose whichever objective fits your desired outcome! Similar to advertising on other platforms, setting up your ads will bring you through creating a campaign, an ad group, and then the ad itself. You will also be given different options for targeting, setting a budget and schedule, and bidding and optimization.

Pros of Advertising for Your Business on TikTok

TikTok is one of the world’s fastest-growing apps and was the top app downloaded at the beginning of 2022. It is also the social platform with the highest user engagement, so utilizing the app for advertising is a great way to increase your visibility and social engagement. In addition, if you’re looking to increase traffic to your website, TikTok ads can help by including clickable links, which can generate more traffic than just organic videos alone that cannot have links.

Because of the endless scrolling layout of the FYP and the autoplay of videos, it’s often said that ads can feel seamless and less disruptive than they do on other channels. People generally don’t love being shown ads on social media, so this more subtle integration is one reason why TikTok ads can be so successful compared to other platforms. So why not give it a shot?

Challenges of Advertising for Your Business on TikTok

Even with all the benefits of running advertisements, TikTok ads don’t come without their challenges. TikTok ads have minimum budgets for their campaigns and ad groups. Daily and total budgets for campaigns must be at least $50, and ad group daily budgets must exceed $20. So investing in TikTok ad spending may be a larger decision than anticipated, especially if your company is small, if you’re just starting out, or if you have a limited budget for social ads.

TikTok also has very broad targeting options, which, depending on your brand and audience, may not allow you to reach your target segment as easily if it is relatively niche. These factors contribute to the fact that TikTok ads tend to be less lucrative and more expensive than ads on other platforms such as Facebook. However, even with these challenges and limitations, due to the great opportunity for potential with the constantly evolving app, many businesses find success!

Becoming a Pro

After reading all of this, do you feel like a TikTok master yet? Don’t worry–we know it takes time and plenty of trial and error to find social media strategies that will work for any brand. However, by employing some of these tips in your TikTok strategy, you can be one step ahead.

The best place to start is by making a plan, creating content, and seeing what works. So what are you waiting for? Grab your phone, find some fun hashtags, and get started!

For those wanting to know more about navigating the world of digital marketing and branding for your business, did you know that SN:D Agency is a full-scale digital and social media marketing agency? We have experience in marketing our clients’ brands and channels and growing their businesses using the same strategies we shared above, and we have years of expertise behind us. Don’t hesitate to contact us today!

An Overall Guide to Using Videos in Social Media Marketing

SN:D Agency · October 5, 2022 ·

While scrolling through your social media feed, which is more likely to catch your eye: a paragraph of text or a video? Content marketing, especially video content, is quickly becoming the most engaging form of content on social media. There is so much that can be shared in a short video that Facebook or Twitter users may have just scrolled past if it had been presented in a block of text. Studies also show that visual content is 40 times more likely to be shared than content only containing text.

There are an increasingly growing number of social media channels out there, and each one has its own requirements and user trends regarding content. What type of videos should be posted on Facebook? How long should LinkedIn videos be to get the most views? How can your company take advantage of video content to take its social media presence to the next level? In this guide to using videos in social media marketing, let us answer all your questions regarding using video to achieve maximum engagement for your business.

Tips for all Channels

Before getting into the nitty-gritty demands and expectations of individual platforms, there are a few rules of thumb that apply pretty universally across social media video marketing. And they essentially boil down to this: keep it engaging, keep it brief, and keep it accessible.

Create Valuable Content

Even if the goal of your video content is to drive sales and profit, you have to figure out a way to make your videos engaging and entertaining rather than salesy and preachy. What value is the content adding to the consumer? Why should they take the time to watch? 80 percent of people say they prefer when brands lean into storytelling as part of their marketing strategy, so creating a compelling narrative is the best place to start.

Viewers are being constantly bombarded with promotional material and ads, so don’t be the brand that people see as a nuisance or interruption. Focus on video content tells a story or offers something to the viewer rather than just shoving a product down their throats. For example, you can show concrete examples of how your product or service bettered someone’s life or helped solve a problem. See our list below for some ideas for video content that showcase something useful, valuable, or entertaining for the audience, while still working well across a range of social platforms:

Customer Testimonials
Vlogs
Product demos
Tutorials
Expert interviews
Behind the scenes
Explainer animations
Live webinars

Keep It Short

If you want people to engage with your video content, it’s best to keep it short and sweet whenever possible. It’s no secret that viewers’ attention spans are decreasing (the average internet user now has an attention span equal to or less than a goldfish) and you have to be able to keep their interest long enough to get your message across. Keeping your videos under 2 minutes is ideal, and studies show that engagement tends to decrease after just 1 minute, so if you can’t say what you need to say in that time frame, you may need to rethink your content strategy.

Additionally, the opener, or first 10 seconds of the video, are going to be the most crucial in determining whether viewers will stick around. Around 20% of viewers scroll on after ten seconds, so make it worth them sticking around. You can do this by making the video’s purpose clear from the start and answering the audience’s questions of “What’s in it for me?” This will look like a compelling hook that may rely on a startling fact, an enticing but difficult question, a sentence that begins with “what if…” or “imagine,” or the promise of a solution to an important problem.

Add Captions

When posting video, subtitles and closed captions are your friend! Not only does it make
your content more accessible for those with hearing impairments or disabilities, but it’s also in your best interest while reaching all viewers. The mobile social media experience is largely designed for no sound, and 85% on FB users watch video content with the sound off. Adding captions not only explains the context of the video when sound is inaccessible, but it helps viewers retain the information and increases views, engagement, and ROI.

Closed captioning ensures that no one has reason to scroll past your video content, whether it’s someone with hearing loss, a non-English speaker looking to translate captions to their own language, or merely someone without headphones in a public space. You cannot afford to lose any potential viewers for something as small as forgetting to select closed captioning. Additionally, closed captioning also enhances SEO on Google and Youtube, helping you achieve higher rankings and appearing in more searches.

Optimize for SEO

In addition to using closed captioning on your videos, there are plenty of other ways you can optimize your video for SEO on both Google and Youtube, which are the two largest available search engines. This is really all about incorporating text in as many ways as possible–this is because Google can’t watch or understand video content, but it can process text in order to sort and locate your video. Below are some strategies to keep in mind:

Write a comprehensive and in-depth description of your video. When writing this, it’s also helpful to compare your description to the top-performing videos in your category.
Make sure to add all relevant tags.
Choose a relevant title which incorporates important keywords. But don’t just rely on clickbait! Titles should be concise–about 60 characters.
Add a transcript rich in keywords. This will allow Google to find and extract snippets and pull them for searches.
Select a compelling thumbnail image–this is people’s first impression of your video, so you want it to be clear, enticing, and all-around beautiful.

We’ve gone over some general advice for using video, but arguably the most important factor in the success of your video content is where you put it and how it interacts with that specific platform. Read on for what you need to know about using video on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Tips for Facebook

Provide Entertainment and Inspiration

Facebook users resonate well with entertainment, rather than technical videos meant to solve problems or provide in-depth information about a business or their products. Instead, studies show that broad emotional appeal does better on Facebook, so utilize content that highlights narratives and relationships. For example, videos of customers telling stories about their relationship to the brand, employees sharing surprising facts, or colorful and eye-catching imagery of products, facilities, and behind-the-scenes footage.

Upload Content Directly to Facebook

The next thing to keep in mind for Facebook is to make sure you’re uploading videos directly to Facebook. Viewers don’t want to be interrupted from what they’re doing to be taken to another site. Keeping the content on their Facebook feeds means it’s more convenient for scrolling, and people are more likely to stay and view the entire video. Another advantage is that you can track video views this way (instead of just link clicks). This will lead to more accurate metrics analysis and allow you to have a better idea of what content is performing well.

Use a Profile or Cover Video

Another way to incorporate video into your business’s Facebook page is to create a Profile or Cover video. This means instead of including a static profile or cover page picture, you can instead display a fun collage or montage of images or short clips. This can do an even better job of grabbing attention and showcasing what your business is all about.

If you decide to go this route, use something more fun like a slideshow of photos or brief video clips that users can scroll away from at any point to access the technical information on the page. Profile videos can be up to 7 seconds long and are meant to grab attention and very quickly define the brand and brand personality, without going too deeply into detail. Cover Videos, on the other hand, can be 20-90 seconds long. Since the cover image is not the main content of your FB page, it shouldn’t be too long or informational since you shouldn’t expect people to stay at the top of the page for very long. Think of it like a first impression–you want to grab their attention, give a glimpse into your brand’s personality, and ultimately leave them wanting more.

Target Case Study

A fantastic example of a brand using video on Facebook well is Target. This video follows all the guidelines outlined above, from being eye-catching and colorful to appealing to viewers’ emotional appeal. It’s reflective of Target’s brand while still being entertaining over informative, it stays under a minute, and the text makes it easy to follow along.

We especially like this video because it doesn’t feel overly professional or stiff. The images and clips edited in feel authentic and more candid than scripted. It feels like the stuff of real relationships and teamwork, which was what the video was seeking to emphasize. This example shows the value and effectiveness of keeping it real.

Tips For LinkedIn

Stay Informative

LinkedIn users mostly use the platform for professional purposes–to look up information about business or products or services offered, and tend to engage with this type of content more. Flashy, entertaining, inspirational content–such as what you would find on Facebook–doesn’t do as well on LinkedIn. Instead, think about posting the following:

Videos teaching about your brand’s products or services
Content highlighting your business information, including hours, location, and updates
Demonstrations showcasing how to use your brand’s products or services
Interviews with consumers, employees, or team members
Q&A videos

Invest in the Right Tools

On LinkedIn, especially when representing a company or brand, people expect a higher level of professionally than they might on other platforms, and this translates into using the right tools. If you’re recording an interview or demonstration and your lighting or sound is falling short, your video will come off as amateurish. If the audio is poor or the camera is shaky, people aren’t going to stick around to watch the whole video. You want to come across like you know what you’re doing.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be a professional director to get a good quality video. Investing in tools like a tripod to steady your camera or phone, a glow light, or a good microphone can all be game changers, and they don’t have to break the bank to make a big difference. When you invest in your video quality, your viewers will be more willing to invest their time.

Salesforce Case Study

For a study of what works well on LinkedIn, look at this Salesforce video. This particular clip follows the above guidelines of keeping it brief (it clocks in at around 30 seconds) while also being informational. It’s visually interesting while still highlighting Salesforce’s services, and plays with color, graphics, faces, light music, and even humor to pull viewers in. It’s a terrific balance of holding viewers’ attention while still getting the intended professional message across.

Tips For Twitter

Be Authentic

For Twitter, production value matters less than appearing “real.” Viewers want to see authenticity, which could look like a business owner talking directly to viewers, or a more candid behind the scenes of a business’s process or work environment. Try featuring content of people talking directly to camera or phone, and stay away from too many graphics or loud music. However, the content should still be eye catching with a good hook to get you to stop scrolling.

For video content ideas, try:

GIFs
Interview clips
Calls to Action–what do you want your viewers to do after watching?
New product or service introductions

Keep it Even Shorter

Twitter is a fast-paced social media platform, meaning its users are posting multiple times per day. Since accounts tend to tweet more often than they would typically post on other platforms, there is a lot of content on the site that people are scanning through. Users may be following hundreds of accounts, and since there is so much content each day, users won’t commit minutes of their time to one video when there’s so much more to see. It’s best to keep content around 30 seconds or less to get the best engagement and most views.

Glossier Case Study

This video from make-up brand Glossier’s account is a great example of content that’s perfect for Twitter. It’s not overly produced, but still visually pleasing. It features someone speaking directly to the camera, and therefore the viewer, and it doesn’t feel scripted or forced. Instead it’s highlighting the product in a way that feels authentic and natural. Most importantly, it’s brief, only taking up about 15 seconds.

Tips For Instagram

Use Visual Appeal

Instagram is all about aesthetics. The content on Instagram tends to be more eye-catching and visually appealing, with extra attention to color, balance, texture, etc. Posts will appear alongside highly curated photography, design, and art, so if your video is not as visually appealing as the ones next to it in the feed, it will easily get glossed over and be left unnoticed.

For Instagram, there’s an expectation for higher production value compared to Twitter. Ideally, your video content will also feel cohesive and reflective of your other visual content on Instagram. Don’t use electric colors if your brand’s presence typically reflects pastels or neutral tones. For Instagram video content, consider the following:

Showcasing product designs
Tutorials
Displaying products and products in action
Staff introductions
Interviews
Q&As
A day in the life

Video Options for Instagram

Regular Video Uploads

You can post videos between 3 seconds and 10 minutes in length to your Instagram profile, and this video will appear on your followers’ regular feeds. If the video is over 1 minute, then a 60 second preview will appear on feeds, and viewers can click on the video to watch the entire video on your profile. You can also share videos in a carousel feed with other photos or videos. This is a great way to record videos in a more permanent way to your profile.

Reels

Reels are videos that can be set to a huge library of audio sounds. There’s also a larger selection of editing tools available, and they can be up to 1 minute long. Like regular Instagram video uploads, they will appear on users’ feeds and your profile page, but they are also heavily featured on the “explore” tab. This is where a greater audience of people can also find your reels. Reels is a great place to get creative and experiment with backgrounds, filters, transitions, audio, and more.

Stories

Stories are videos or photos that you share to your Instagram profile that disappear after 24 hours. However, you can add stories to your “highlights” where followers can watch them after that 24 hour period. You can edit your stories with background, text, filters, gifs, and more. They appear as 15 second clips, but you can post up to 100 clips in a day. You can also share your videos or reels to your story, but they will appear as previews if they are longer than 15 seconds. From there, followers can click on the video link in your story to watch the full thing. Stories are great for sharing content in a creative but also less permanent way.

Ben & Jerry’s Case Study

For inspiration for producing Instagram video content, look no further than this example from Ben & Jerry’s account. It’s fairly simple, but visually attractive with good lighting, and it’s very reflective of Ben & Jerry’s account as a whole. It also included subtitles and subheading text that appears to have higher production value than it would without. Overall, the bright, light colors, the light, even child-like music, and the playful nature of the cuts and editing all make this a video that makes you stop and crave a Ben & Jerry’s shake right then and there.

In the fight for space and attention across social media channels, harnessing the power of video content is essential. It’s time to get creative and represent your brand, products, and services in a whole new dynamic way. By keeping it visually attractive, making your message accessible, and utilizing text, music, and narrative to tell your brand’s story, we know you’re gonna see results in engagement.

SN Digital Agency is an experienced, results driven full service social media agency! We understand that many businesses need extra help during this time, and we would love to hear from you about partnering with your business to leverage your social media presence for success now and in the future! Contact us today!

10 Steps to a Professional LinkedIn Profile

Emma Kaiser · May 27, 2022 ·

Did you know that 75% of people who changed jobs recently say that LinkedIn informed their decision? Or that prospective clients and new hires are not just looking at your company’s LinkedIn profile, but the profiles of your employees and team members as well? LinkedIn is an incredibly useful social media channel for professional networking, and the way your employees represent themselves in their LinkedIn profiles can have a huge impact on your brand’s public image, reputation, and visibility. Ensuring that everyone associated with your company has a well-developed, professional LinkedIn profile is an important tool that you cannot afford to ignore. So if you’re looking to give your employees a push to update or refresh their profile, make sure to follow these 10 steps to looking polished and professional as a business on LinkedIn.

Step 1: Update the Profile Photo

A profile photo is likely to be someone’s first impression when coming across an account–so your employees should make sure to use a good one! After all, they are a representation of your brand. Use a photo that is polished, well lit, and centered on the face (no selfies or dark shadows!). Make sure to avoid any distracting backgrounds or patterns, and remember that solid-colored, non-busy clothing is best.

If your employees don’t have their own professional headshots, consider hiring a photographer onsite to take photos of all your employees. Not only will this look more consistent, but it will ensure that your desired level of professionalism is represented by everyone associated with your brand. Remember–even if the rest of a profile is great, it can be hard to look past a sloppy-looking or poor-quality photo. It is also sharp for all employees in a company to have the exact same background and branded headshots on their LinkedIn profiles.

See below for an example of a professional profile image:

Looking for an on-site professional photographer to take headshots of your staff? SN:D has you covered. Contact us to schedule your company photoshoot today.

Step 2: Personalize the Background Photo

Does your company have a banner image that you use for your other social media accounts, such as your Facebook page? Consider offering your brand’s banner image to your employees to use for their profile banner photo. This is one more element to provide a consistent, unified brand presentation and also shows great company morale. When people visit your employee’s profile, they are able to create an instant connection between your employee and your brand. Additionally, they can recognize right away where your employee works without the need to scroll down. This is a great way to increase your brand’s reach and market your business at the same time.

See our example below:

Step 3: Get Creative with the Headline

The headline of a LinkedIn profile is another critical part of making a positive impression and showcasing what an employee brings to the table. It’s also one of the most important parts of LinkedIn’s algorithm. The headline is typically the place that displays a person’s current position, but it isn’t limited to that! By incorporating keywords, your employee can portray themselves as credible members of their industry while also appearing higher in searches. Encourage your employees to use their headlines to say a bit about their position, why they do what they do, and what they contribute to your company.

LinkedIn will automatically create a default headline based on a user’s current job title and company, but encourage your employees to not rely on a default headline. LinkedIn gives users 220 characters to work with, so not taking full advantage of this is a mistake! Use the character count available to showcase specialized skill sets and details.

Below is an example of what we might put for a headline on a professional profile:

Step 4: Add an About Section

The About section of LinkedIn is an excellent place for your employees to share their professional stories and lead viewers to want to learn more. It’s important this section is not left blank as it is a chance for your employees to introduce themselves to others and showcase their first-rate talent. Remember, this space does not need to be just about the employees’ skills; it can also include examples of their work, the importance of their skills in their career, and anything else they want to mention.

Employees should include things about why their skills are important, specific examples of their work leveraging the skills, how the employee contributes in their current position, and the positive effects the employee has on the company culture. It’s also great if they mention your company by name. This is the most detailed personal section in a LinkedIn profile, so it’s worth going through a few drafts to make sure it’s detailed, descriptive, and refined. See the example below:

Step 5: Complete the Intro

Encourage your employees to make sure their entire profile is complete with no areas that appear spare or blank. Make sure your employee is taking full advantage of spaces to showcase their skills, education, languages, awards, publications, volunteer experience, certifications, etc. The more fleshed out a profile is, the more qualified and competent your employee appears, which in turn reflects well on your business.

You should also encourage your employees to include their entire work history. Every part of their work experience is valuable in the narrative of their career. This space is also important for networking–don’t underestimate what will catch someone’s attention. We have found it is often the smallest and most seemingly uninteresting details that catch others’ attention.

See below for an example of a profile with additional sections:

Step 6: Keep Experience Up to Date

Even while staying with the same company, people’s positions, titles, and experiences change, so make sure your employees’ current status with your company is reflected in their work experience section. You want their full history and relationship with your company displayed and accurate. This is also relevant if your company has undergone any rebranding or changes during the course of someone’s employment. Everything should be up to date.

See the image below–you can add experience by clicking the + symbol, or edit your existing experience by clicking the pencil symbol.

Step 7: Connect with An Employer

It’s essential that your employees are connected with you on LinkedIn–this will make your connection and relationship public to everyone on the site. This effectively turns your employees into a public team of brand ambassadors, and this makes you stand out from the competition. Younger generations especially value work environments with a social media presence, so seeing existing employees connected with a company on LinkedIn is a big bonus.

Employees can connect their profile to their employers by editing under “Experience,” and then searching and selecting the company name for which they work. They should be able to tell which account is your company’s by whether the logo is correct.

See below:

You can ensure that your employees are connected by seeing whether the company’s name and logo appear in their intro like in the example below:

Step 8: Grow Your Network

Once your employees are connected with your brand, encourage them to dedicate time to their own network. By following and connecting with other professionals in the industry, or synching their address book to their account, you’ll constantly be getting your company name out there and boosting your circle of influence. LinkedIn is, after all, a social networking site, and most of a brand’s engagement on LinkedIn comes through its employees.

Networking on LinkedIn is a terrific way for your employees to gain fresh ideas, new perspectives, and stay up to date on trends in the industry. They can do this by joining relevant groups or keeping an eye out for professional forums where they can connect with others and share professional insights.

Your employees should also make sure they’re checking the “People You May Know” feed of their profile to keep growing and increasing their connections!

Step 9: Ask for and Give Recommendations

Recommendations on LinkedIn are personal testimonials of someone’s work or skills, and they are a great way to boost credibility on a profile. They can also give others a more genuine idea of what your employee is like to work with, what their best skills are, what they’re passionate about, and what they bring to the table of their work environment. An effective recommendation should show and not tell. You want to give specific examples, whether it’s highlighting examples of when your employee showed leadership, when they excelled under pressure, or when they served as a collaborative team member.

You can really showcase your employees’ abilities by writing their recommendations, and they can also request them in the recommendations section of their profile. Ultimately, these endorsements can be the difference between someone contacting your company or someone else’s. It could tip the scales for a future potential employee taking the job on your team or another’s.

See the image below to see where your employee can request a recommendation:

See below:

Step 10: Share Relevant Content

Finally, make sure your employees are staying up to date in the industry by sharing relevant content such as articles, posts, resources, etc. Showing that they are active in industry news communicates professionalism, capability, and expertise. You can also direct employees to publications or accounts that post regularly so they don’t have a shortage of content to share.

Successful organizations know that by encouraging employees to share content, they are then effectively extending their content reach and engagement. This is also a great way for companies to connect more authentically with their audiences. On average, employees have much larger networks and ten times more connections than a company has followers. So if you really want to create a reputation of expertise and get content out there, share it through your employees.

Below is an example of a company blog post that SN:D Agency (and our employees) would share through LinkedIn:

LinkedIn is one of the top places to make professional connections. In fact, there are 61 million senior-level decision makers on LinkedIn right now. People want to know who they are working with–essentially, they want the faces behind a brand–and LinkedIn is a great way for potential clients to decide whether your team seems competent enough to be trusted with their business. Being active on LinkedIn and engaging with connections also offers a more personalized inside look. When your employees are active on LinkedIn and keep their profile up to date and professional, it not only makes your company feel more trustworthy but more human.

It’s also important for the future of your company’s work environment. Employees who come to a company through another employee are far more likely to stay with that company than employees who were recruited in other ways, and employees who are responsible for that recruitment also show more loyalty to that place of work. So use this guide to make sure you and your employees are all on the same page and leaving positive impressions.

What Are You Waiting for? Get Your Team Setup with Branded LinkedIn Profiles Today

Looking for help wrangling your staff’s branded LinkedIn profiles or need help with other digital marketing and branding for your business? Did you know SN Digital Agency is a full-scale digital and social media marketing agency? We have experience in marketing our clients’ brands and channels, and growing their businesses, leveraging many tried and true strategies, and we have over a decade of expertise. Don’t hesitate to contact us today!

A Guide to Creating Long-Term Marketing Plans During COVID-19

SN:D Agency · March 18, 2021 ·

In the time between now and when COVID-19 first entered our lives, consumer social media usage has surged by over 50% across markets. So why do many brands say they are posting LESS on their company social media accounts than they were before the pandemic?

It’s not uncommon for businesses to cut marketing budgets amid an economic downfall. Especially in a rapidly changing situation like a global pandemic, finding a long-term marketing plan that can endure shifts in public focus is difficult. Surveys show that only one in four companies are expected to increase their marketing activities in the coming months, but here’s why you should: cutting marketing costs might have saved you money in the beginning of the pandemic, but COVID-19 is projected to impact us well into 2022 and beyond. Even after the bulk of the population is vaccinated, the lasting effects of it on our culture will prevail.

With the right long-term marketing plan, your business can get back on the path of growth and stability, and continue growing for years to come. Read on to discover how businesses can hone in on core markets, strategies and initiatives, and create effective long-term marketing plans during COVID-19.

Long-Term Marketing Plans During COVID-19: Focus in On Core Business

One mistake many businesses make is trying to be everything to everyone. The best strategy is to focus on the core of your business—this is the foundation that the rest of your business is built upon. This means figuring out what the main selling point is that defines your brand. To determine this, you’ll have to get to the nuts and bolts of your business, including its purpose, consumer-base, and central product.

Re-establish Core Purpose and Objectives

It’s challenging to plan for the long-term without a dependable vision of where you’re going, especially when COVID-19 means that nothing is predictable. Ground your marketing plan by remembering your business’s primary purpose, mission, core values, and key message. Do they still hold as true today as they did before COVID-19? The reality is that the way you think about the future of your brand may look very different now.

Recall some of the questions you and your company had to ask yourselves in the beginning of the pandemic and reassess your answers now. What are your long-term goals for the business? Where do you see the future of the business in 5 years? 10 years? What do you need to do to get it from here to there? Once you’ve re-evaluated your business goals and values and feel confident in them, you can start considering your concrete marketing goals. These should be specific to the times we’re facing during a pandemic, when many places of businesses are still not fully open and face restrictions. More than anything, you should be considering how to reach them digitally. Determine what your digital marketing focus should be, whether its increasing brand awareness, driving traffic to your website, expanding your audience, or otherwise. Remember, it’s not just about boosting sales, it’s about how you intend to boost sales.

For more tips on determining marketing goals for your advertising campaign, read: GUIDE TO CREATING A SUCCESSFUL DIGITAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

Focus on Core Market

Once you have your business and marketing goals, the next step is to hone in on your core market segment. Take an honest look and determine who your main customers still are. This doesn’t mean other markets are neglected, but you should identify your key market segment so you can build your core strategy around them. A good indication is who has still been spending during the past year of the pandemic.

Next, determine their long-term needs and how you can cater to them and retain their loyalty for the long run. Think solid customer service, listening to their needs, creating loyalty programs, and meeting them in the current moment, while embracing flexibility, since the needs of the current moment continue to change.

For more tips on targeting the right customers during COVID-19, read our blog post here: TARGETING THE RIGHT CUSTOMERS DURING COVID-19

Focus on Core Product

Your store may have 200 different products, but typically, people are coming for one or two specific products (or types of products). Instead of investing money into all your different items, pick the one (or two) main things that really define your business, and put your ad spend into selling those.

You might be thinking about how many great products or services you have to offer, and of course they are still valuable. However, customers typically come for one thing, and the important thing is to get them through the door (or to your website) and check out the others products along the way.

Sellers using Shopify, one of the top ecommerce sites in the nation, frequently say that they have the most success when their website’s front page has just one to three featured products. Of course, there’s a link to shop the entire store, but the first thing you see on their page is best-sellers. You can also highlight these products using referral programs and deals, or advertising special offers.

This strategy works because when you settle on a specific product, or type of product, at a time, you can define your core marketing around it and invest your messaging and money into that primary selling proposition. By identifying what your market is returning to over and over again, even during a recession, you’ll have a better chance of succeeding overall.

Long-Term Marketing Plans During COVID-19: Advertise Smarter, Not Less

We recommend that businesses and brands do not attempt to keep all of their marketing initiatives that they used pre-pandemic. However, we are also not suggesting that they reactively slash all budgets towards advertising.

Instead, our advice is to make informed decisions based on analysis of metrics data, and look for areas that are working well that you can invest more into, as well as aspects of your marketing plan that aren’t working well that can either be cut or revamped. How do you determine what parts of your marketing plan are successful or not? We’re glad you asked.

Analyze Channels

Social Media

Which of your social media platforms are driving traffic? This is the first step to determining where to cut spending and where to invest more. To get a better sense of what’s working and what’s not, you should:

Review metrics every week and/or month to see where traffic is coming from, what the conversion rate is, how many conversions come from each source.
Look for channels that consistently generate leads and consider allocating more money into those to continue growing your business during COVID-19.
Identify the channels that don’t tend to drive much traffic and determine whether to try a new strategy, add more budget, or cut those costs and reallocate the money to better-performing channels.

For example, if you run an equal amount of ads on Facebook and Instagram, but Facebook drives 90% of your traffic, analyze why this is (does your market simply not use Instagram, or do you just need a better Instagram marketing strategy?), and act accordingly.

For more tips on best practices for each social media platform read our blog post here: WHICH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS YOUR BUSINESS SHOULD BE USING DURING COVID-19 AND BEYOND

Blogging

The benefit to blogging is that it drives traffic to your website and improves SEO. But in order for your blog posts to be successful, make sure you are using an optimal blog strategy. Here are the main things you should keep in mind:

Choose interesting topics. Blogs drive traffic – but only if they are on topics that people are interested in. Don’t post blogs just for the sake of posting them. Find out what topics people in your market are curious about, and use your blog to meet your audience in the current moment. You can also use Google Analytics to analyze which of your blog posts drive the most traffic. This will help you to get an idea for what’s working well for you, and then invest your time into putting out more content like that.
Choose useful topics. In addition to making sure you are writing posts that intrigue people, write about topics that provide value to your customers (and potential customers). This could be a step-by-step guide, a list of useful tips, or an opinion piece incorporating your knowledge as an industry leader. It should also speak to how your business is responding to COVID-19 and provide evidence of what sets you apart. Show your expertise to your customers and they will be more likely to choose you over a competitor.
Promote blog posts with ads. While the above tips focus on how to organically generate more leads, you may still feel you aren’t getting the exposure you want. If you have great blog posts that aren’t getting seen, try running some ads for them. Google Ads and Facebook Ads are great places to start getting your content noticed.
Promote blog posts with emails. Another tool you can use is the email list. Use your business’s email list to send emails to people who have either bought or looked at your products, and start sending them updates when a new blog post comes out. This is a great tool because this specifically targets people who have shown some interest in your brand already, and would be most likely to take interest in your blog.

For more tips on optimizing a blog post for SEO, read our blog post here: HOW TO OPTIMIZE A BLOG POST FOR SEO

Invest in SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of growing the quality and quantity of website traffic by increasing the visibility of a website or a web page to users of a web search engine. This includes using keyphrases consistently, balancing images with text, using outbound links, and more.

SEO is important during COVID-19 because it provides businesses with the online visibility they need to market to customers digitally. Since people have shifted significantly to online shopping and activities, SEO allows you to position your website high on search engines. When potential customers search related keywords or topics, you can ensure that your website is ranked highly in their results. In the long-term, this can help make up for lost foot traffic and engage some of those casual shoppers who are no longer visiting your store in person.

Long-Term Marketing Plans During COVID-19: Create a PR Plan

Advertising is only half of a great long-term marketing strategy–the other half is public relations. Part of being engaged with consumers during a crisis is sharing how your company is responding to changing needs and feelings of people. It also creates a strong brand image and shows your corporate social responsibility.

Most people believe that businesses have a duty to contribute to important causes, which is why crisis response is such an important part of business strategy.

Show You Care

When and where it’s appropriate throughout the duration of the crisis, share how your business is responding. During COVID-19, there will continue to be new updates, relevant news, and more information arising for many months. Continue to adjust and share your company’s response when this happens. This means releasing new or updated guidelines, safety procedures, services, offers, and more.

One example of a great PR response is Hewlett Packard, a software engineering company. They responded to the crisis by donating supercomputers, as well as their own engineers, to help the U.S. government make software for fighting the virus.

Ford also responded to the crisis in a timely manner. They partnered with other companies to help by contributing the air filtration system from one of their truck models and engineering it to be used in ventilators.

If you can invest in big causes for big changes, great, but it’s also just as important to be involved in your community and contribute to local causes, whether it’s fundraisers, special offers for healthcare workers, or simply meeting and contributing to this moment we’re all in. This will ultimately help show your customers that you care and create long-term trust and loyalty.

Be A Trusted Source

Overall, be a credible source for your customers who they can trust. When talking about the pandemic, keep it relevant to your industry. While contributing to the cause is important, make sure you are focusing, for the most part, on how it relates to and affects your industry, employees and customers. None of us are complete experts on COVID-19, but the key is to be credible. Stick to the facts, follow CDC guidelines, and make choices that are best for the safety of everyone involved.

The right digital marketing strategy in the age of COVID-19 makes a huge difference for businesses of all sizes. As a full-service digital marketing agency, we have seen firsthand these long-term marketing plans make a huge difference for our clients. These strategies allow businesses to continue growing throughout the pandemic and overcome challenges that come their way.

For more tips on how to successfully market during COVID-19, be sure to check out our other blog posts, and remember that SND Agency is an experienced, results-driven digital marketing agency who understands that many businesses need extra help during this time. If that sounds like you, we would love to hear from you about partnering with your business to leverage your social media presence for success now and in the future! Contact us today!