Tips & Tricks

5 Tips for Moderating a Livestream Panel

Abby Sorensen · November 15, 2022 ·

Are you moderating a livestream panel discussion for the first time? Congratulations! Or maybe you’ve done it before and realized you need a little extra help. While it may seem simple to facilitate a livestream conversation, there is more that goes into it than you might think. From writing a script to planning your transitions and timing to prepping your guests to avoiding technical difficulties, there is a lot to do to be fully prepared for success when live.

Here at SN:D Agency, we’ve produced many livestreams and gained ample experience and want to share our top 6 most important tips to help you moderate a successful livestream panel.

Tip 1: The Necessity of a Script and Run-Of-Show

We cannot stress this enough: preparation is key to a successful livestream panel discussion. Once you’ve got your guests, topic(s), and livestreaming situation nailed down, the main things to prepare are the script and run-of-show.

Our use of the word “script” here is a little loose. As a live panel moderator, you will need an outline of your introduction, questions, and conclusions to act as a script. It may seem redundant to write everything out, but even seasoned panel moderators work off notes, and as a beginner, you will likely be reading off your script. For the questions, plan out exactly which questions you plan to ask each guest. Include a few auxiliary questions that are optional to ask at the end if time allows.

In addition to a script, we recommend that you prepare a run-of-show document, which contains the script but also provides an outline of the show, the timing, the order, and instructions for the producer, the host, and the guests. You will want to provide your script and run of the show to everyone involved with the livestream at least 48 hours in advance to ensure everyone is prepared.

Tip 2: Plan Your Transitions

Transitions between questions will help you appear professional and on point at all times. Our trick for smooth transitions is to plan an exact phrase to use each time you metaphorically “call a guest the stage” to answer a question. Your guest should know what your transition phrase is, so they are alerted as you are moving from one question to the next. The phrase is not only essential for guests to be ready to speak, but it is also essential for your producer to manage title screens and graphics and all the magic that makes your livestream professional-looking.

Tip 3: Timing is EVERYTHING

As you plan and facilitate your livestream panel discussion, the timing of the event is one of the most important things to pay attention to. It is the moderator’s job to keep the livestream on track and ensure the livestream delivers the promised content in the allotted time. It is essential that you start and end on time.

This is a huge job to keep a panel on track, give each guest equal time to speak, and cover the planned topics. Here are tips to help you manage the timing of your livestream:

Write the time frame of each section of the panel in the run-of-show document.
Look at how many questions you are asking and how many guests are answering, and plan out how much time will be given to each guest to answer – and then cut it down by about 30 seconds to allow yourself more cushion time.
Expect that each question will take longer than planned and plan a cushion in your timing.
Rehearse your introduction, conclusion, and transitions.

Tip 4: Prep Your Guests For Their Success (and Yours)

Prepare your guests for the livestream panel discussion by sending them the run-of-show and script ahead of time. Make sure they know what questions they will be asked, in what order they’ll be speaking, how much time they will be given to answer each question, and what information you will use to introduce them. This will allow them to prepare their answers, so they are able to be eloquent, knowledgeable, and comfortable on-screen. It will also allow them to give feedback if there is a question they’d rather not answer or information you planned to share about them that they’d rather remove from the script.

In addition to preparing your guests for the conversation, make sure they are prepared for the technical aspects of the online panel discussion. Provide your guests with a time that they need to be online and in the broadcast studio of whatever streaming platform you are using, instructions for joining the broadcast, instructions for their camera and microphone, and any other specifics for the technical and logistical aspects.

Tip 5: Test All Participants’ Technology

We highly recommend conducting a technology test with all the guests present at least 24 hours before the livestream panel event. This will allow you to work through any technical problems before you are live. Make sure to instruct your guest that they should come to the test call using the exact same device(s) and internet connection they will be using for the livestream.

There are a lot of moving parts involved in successfully producing and moderating a livestream panel. Hiring an agency like SN:D Agency, which has access to better technology and streaming platforms and experience running online livestreams will reduce your stress and ensure your brand has a professional livestream event.

At SN:D we offer a 360-degree white-glove professional livestreaming production service that can help take your brand to the next level in livestreaming. To learn more about how we can help you with your next livestream, contact us today!

HTTP/2, what is it and how does it benefit my website?

Abby Sorensen · November 23, 2020 ·

In 2015, HTTP/2 became publicly available, nearly 20 years after the initial version of HTTP. Today (in 2020) about 33% of all websites are making use of it, compared to 22% last year. Find out what the buzz is about and why we have decided to implement it in our hosting network, free to use for our clients. Hint: IT’S FAST!!!

HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

Let’s dive right in by looking at a modern URL (‘Universal Resource Locator’, or the ‘address’), taking a recent post from our blog:

https://socialnicole.com/targeting-the-right-customers-during-covid-19/

It’s clear that ‘socialnicole.com’ refers to the website domain and ‘targeting-the-right-customers-during-covid-19’ to the exact location of the information, in this case, an article.

https:// stands for ‘HyperText Transfer Protocol’, and the ‘S’ indicates that the communication over the network is secured. HTTP is the underlying protocol for the world wide web: the rules of the functioning of the internet. When you enter a URL in your browser it sends an HTTP command to the web server and it will direct to load the requested web page. It also controls HTML which covers how web pages are formatted and displayed, as well as how way web pages are loaded.

The internet depends heavily on the use of hyperlinks (links), for example, in the form of an address or a button. To realize this function became possible after the implementation of HTTP in 1996 provides some perspective on the vast influence of it!

The Big Difference Between HTTP and HTTP/2

Short answer: HTTP/2 can handle more things at once and is therefore much faster. This does not only mean a better user experience for your visitors but also a boost for your site’s SEO, as loading speed has been a ranking factor for years. While HTTP needs a single connection to be opened and closed for every file to build the site, HTTP/2 is able to multitask.

Silent Internet Revolution

We depend on the internet for information, shopping, communication with daily services, to express ourselves as individuals and to maintain our social contacts; and indeed, to represent our businesses and generate income. Loading speed is a huge factor, and a protocol that enhances loading speed this radically is truly invaluable, especially when you realize that the use of mobile devices–a medium obviously challenged by it’s size–already accounts for more than 50% of web traffic worldwide.

HTTP/2: Some Context

We’ll have to agree that since the internet officially became available for public on August 6 of 1991, it has slowly but surely started to change daily life at its very core. To think that the first image was not uploaded until a year later in 1992, and to compare this to the way we are using the internet nowadays, I’d say that’s pretty radical.

A huge step towards expanding the use of the internet to what it is now was the roll out of HTTP version 1.0 in 1996. This allowed (among other things) the use of hyperlinks–a wildly used function across all segments of the web. In short, HTTP provided the foundation of data communication over the internet. After the update to version 1.1 in 1997, it was not until 2015 that it released its second update: HTTP/2.

Following the release of HTTP/2 in 2015. its safe to say the world has caught up to its possibilities. The growing adaption across the WWW over the last several years definitely supports this. Good hosting providers and Content Management Systems (like WordPress) have made its use widely available: are you ready to take advantage of it?

You’ll find more information on our our hosting network and WordPress development services on this page, or feel free to contact us by phone or form.

First uploaded image to the internet: Les Horribles Cernettes 1992 — The very first image uploaded to the internet: Les Horribles Cernettes 1992

5 Tips for Using Hashtags During COVID-19

SN:D Agency · July 17, 2020 ·

Don’t get us wrong–we love a good #ThrowbackThursday or #MotivationMonday, but COVID-19 means that we’re all approaching and using hashtags a little differently these days.

As you probably know by now, a hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by a pound sign (#) and is used within social media posts to draw attention or engagement to certain trends and topics. Hashtags allow brands to engage certain audiences, gain new followers, join relevant conversations, and get their posts indexed by the social media network. By using hashtags, brands can expand their reach beyond those who already follow them to potentially millions of more people. But since COVID-19, we’ve seen dramatic shifts in what topics the public is focusing on.

As our cultural norms continue to change, much of the discourse and hashtags that were popular a few months ago are irrelevant now. These shifts in conversation and attention are happening daily and have altered consumer norms across industries, which means we have to shift our marketing strategies in order to keep up. Despite rapid changes, hashtags remain a great tool for engagement, leveraging conversation, and growing your digital presence to boost your brand–if you know how to use them.

In this post we’ll break down the different types of hashtags you should use, how to choose the right ones, and show how to utilize them depending on each social media platform–so read on for everything you need to know about using hashtags during COVID-19.

Using Hashtags During COVID-19: Use Top Trending Hashtags

When it comes to using hashtags during COVID-19, the first thing to ask yourself is, “which trends can I piggyback on?” A big reason people use social media is to follow trending topics and find out what people and brands are talking about. You can use an analytics tool like Hashtagify or Tweet Reach to find top trending hashtags related to your business, and see widely-used hashtags during COVID-19 in your industry that are both relevant and far-reaching.

We aren’t suggesting you use hashtags during COVID-19 just for the sake of using them. Wide reach does not necessarily equal high engagement. Make sure you are posting meaningful content and using the hashtag to add to the conversation. This means using the information on what’s trending to create an effective and relevant social media and digital marketing strategy, drafting high-quality social media messages, and then applying the trending hashtags that will bring attention to those messages.

For example, some great hashtags for healthcare brands to use are #HealthcareHeroes, #InMyScrubs, and #WeApplaud. You can, and should, use these if your brand is in the healthcare industry, and use them with posts that spotlight your nurses, or show the hard work your team is doing on the frontlines, or in some other way express gratitude for your employees. These are great ways to use trending yet industry-specific hashtags during COVID-19.

As you probably know, there are plenty of general and non-specific coronavirus hashtags, such as #COVID19, #StayHome, #SocialDistancing, etc. These are okay to use if you’re talking about your business’s new policies and guidelines related to the pandemic. Plus, they are great for getting your messages categorized on the platforms. However, because they are so general and highly saturated, there is a higher likelihood they will get drowned out quickly. Therefore, they are typically most effective when used combined with other, equally important types of hashtags during COVID-19.

Using Hashtags During COVID-19: Use Content Hashtags

Another type of hashtag you can use is a content hashtag:one that uses specific words directly related to a certain industry, product or service. These are typically keywords that your audience might be searching for when looking for information related to the industry.

Content hashtags are great for getting your messages noticed by a niche market. They are an effective tool for targeting specific audiences, as people often hashtags related to their interests. For example, when we make a social media post about marketing, we typically use popular yet industry-specific content hashtags such as #SEO, #MarketingTips, or #branding, as these are widely used buzz words. During COVID-19, however, as more and more businesses turn to online marketing, we find that hashtags such as #DigitalMarketing and #SocialMediaMarketing are even more effective than before. You can look for trends like these that have started during COVID-19 too and apply them to your own brand.

One great tool for finding effective content hashtags is Best-Hashtags.com. Here, you can type in a keyword and it will come up with a list of the most relevant content hashtags related to that topic. It is a constantly changing list, and it’s important to keep watching which content hashtags are most popular at any given time. During COVID-19, many hashtags have remained effective and widely used, but others have changed or been replaced by more relevant ones. Since it can change on a regular basis, make sure to stay up to date with what is trending in your industry. Usage of hashtags during COVID-19 may differ, but their dynamic nature is consistent.

Using Hashtags During COVID-19: Find Upcoming Cause Awareness Days

Another effective type of hashtag is one that is tied to a national observance or awareness day that is relevant to your business. This is a great opportunity not just for using effective hashtags during COVID-19, but for creating excellent content as well. Holidays like #NationalBestFriendsDay or #NationalDonutDay are great ways to get your audience to engage with posts, as well as to offer some lighthearted content during this difficult time. It can also encourage people take action and post their own content in response to your message. After all, how do you not post an Instagram story with your Chipotle meal on #NationalBurritoDay?

There are holidays for almost everything you can think of, and we guarantee you can find at least a few that relate to your brand. Does your business sell pet-related products? Make a post about #LoveYourPetDay in February, #K9VeteransDay in March, #NationalPetDay in April, and many more. Is your business a liquor store or bar? Celebrate #WorldCocktailDay in May, #WorldRumDay in July, and #InternationalBeerDay in August. The list goes on and on! You can go to nationaltoday.com to find a list for every month of the year.

The great thing about holiday hashtags, similar to trending and content hashtags, is that since these hashtags are often established and well known, they help to increase visibility. However, using pre-made hashtags isn’t your only option. If you’re looking for something more original, you might be considering a more unique kind of hashtag that distinguishes your brand from others. Consider making your own hashtags during COVID-19.

Using Hashtags During COVID-19: Make Your Own

Sometimes, even if you have the most creative content and relevant hashtags, your post might still get lost in all the others. Although they are great for many kinds of posts, there are some campaigns that are too unique to your brand to fit into any pre-made hashtag. That’s when you might consider making your own unique hashtags during COVID-19 for your brand or campaign.

Brand-specific hashtags can be used for a specific marketing campaign or for general branding. They are great for promoting upcoming events, product releases, or even social media contests. If you have a new and innovative idea, making a new brand hashtag might be just the push your brand needs to propel its campaign forward.

The benefit of using unique brand hashtags during COVID-19 is that they feel more personal for people, and help make your brand stand out among its competitors. A general rule of thumb for making your own brand hashtag is keep it simple. Make it short, easy to say, and easy for others to join on in.

One great example is Purina’s #PetsAtWork campaign. The company made an announcement on Instagram that people tend to feel less stressed when working near their pets, which is why working from home can be so beneficial. They started posting regular pictures of their employees working either from home or in the office with their dogs and cats. This hashtag caught on because many people who work from home could easily join in by posting pictures of their own pet (and because everyone loves seeing cute animal pictures).

Creating hashtag campaigns that are fun, clever, and easy to join in are great ways to get your brand noticed. If you’re worried it won’t catch on right away, try combining it with other trending or content hashtags during COVID-19 so that it can gain attention.

Using Hashtags During COVID-19: Tweak Usage for Each Platform

Finally, keep in mind that every social media platform is different in how they index and show posts with hashtags to its users. Here are some general tips for the main social media platforms:

Twitter

Tweets with just one or two hashtags typically get the best engagement. Using too many trending hashtags during COVID-19 can make the post appear to have no focus and thus reduce its engagement. For Twitter, we find great results from using one unique brand hashtag and one content or trending hashtag.

Instagram

There are differing opinions on how many hashtags are best for an Instagram post. Instagram recommends to use at least 9, but no more than 30. Avoid using more hashtags than you need because irrelevant or off-topic hashtags might make your post lose engagement and then get drowned out by more popular posts. We find that posts with anywhere from 9 to 12 hashtags perform great.

Facebook and LinkedIn

These two platforms work similarly when it comes to hashtags, which aren’t as useful as they are on Twitter and Instagram. However, when they are specific and highly relevant, they can help boost your post’s reach. Using too many hashtags during COVID-19 on these platforms will lower engagement. Posts with one or two tend to get the best engagement. For Facebook and LinkedIn, it’s most effective to use content hashtags that are industry-specific and tagged onto the end of your post in order to get noticed by your audience.

YouTube

YouTube is more picky about hashtags than other platforms. We suggest using between three and six hashtags in your description. If you use more than 15, YouTube will ignore all hashtags. So pick a couple of main points of your video and hashtag the keywords that you think your audience will be searching for. Unique brand hashtags during COVID-19 also work well on this platform, so pairing a few hashtags with your own created one is a highly effective strategy.

Using hashtags during COVID-19 on your various social media platforms is a great way to help improve your business’s reach. As the pandemic unfolds, remember to keep an eye on relevant topics, especially related to your industry, so that you can add something meaningful to the conversation. Hashtags, when used correctly, do a great job of getting your message noticed, but they can only go so far if your content isn’t engaging. For tips on creating great social media and digital marketing content during COVID-19, click here.

In the meantime, remember that 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!

Best Social Media Campaigns of 2019

SN:D Agency · January 15, 2020 ·

What makes a good social media campaign? If you aren’t aware of the industry lingo, an advertising campaign is a collection of ads, often across a variety of mediums, that revolve around a singular message intended to promote the brand. There are several ways to determine the success of an ad campaign, but typically it is measured by how much buzz it produces, how positively the message is received by the intended market, and whether it generates brand awareness and sales.

In this blog post, we are going to wrap up the year by sharing the most successful social media campaigns of 2019. For each campaign, we will share about the strategies that were implemented, and what made them successful. If you’re looking for inspiration to create an ad campaign for your brand or business, read on to see how these brands killed it this year and how you can use some of their strategies for your own brand in 2020.

Best Social Media Campaigns: Gillette – “The Best Men Can Be”

Gillette released a video spot in early 2019, which showed men in a variety of scenarios standing up against toxic masculinity. They used a strategy that is often implemented by big name brands, in which they made themselves relevant by entering the conversation of the current cultural issues. We’ve seen this tactic used hundreds of times, both successfully (think the “Like a Girl” campaign by Always) and unsuccessfully (think the Kendall Jenner/Pepsi commercial). So what makes this one so effective?

Check out the video here:

In this case, Gillette is responding directly to the growing #MeToo movement, a huge point of controversy and conversation in the social media realm, and offering their endorsement. Many argue it was a risky move for a male-targeted product. But was it? Let’s look at the results.

Gillette’s Twitter feed was flooded with responses, with 1.4 million mentions within the first week alone. The feedback was both positive and negative. It got flak from a portion of its audience, primarily those of the single, middle-aged male demographic who accused the ad of being offensive, degrading to men, and marginalizing of the people who make up its primary consumer base.

However, it received a mainly positive reaction from women and younger men. While many consumers were off-put, research shows women are often the ones who actually buy the grooming products in the household, making this ad extremely effective for that portion of their target audience.

Gillette reported later on that they felt the campaign was successful in achieving their marketing goal. According to the CEO, it was a part of a larger effort to connect with younger consumers and become their trusted brand for grooming. They plan to continue advocating for the values that are important to the younger generation, and gradually take on young adults as their primary consumer base. So although their sales did not budge after this campaign, they were satisfied with the results. This ad was highly effective in increasing brand awareness and brand loyalty among their target audience.

Best Social Media Campaigns: Moon Pie – “#MoonPieToTheMoon2024”

July of 2019 marked 50 years since NASA’s Apollo 11 moon landing. To celebrate this huge anniversary, NASA launched a campaign using the hashtag #Apollo50th, posting historical content across social media and digital platforms. The campaign was received well by the public, and out of the millions of responses, 93% were positive.

Shortly afterwards, Vice President Mike Pence met with Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong’s family, and made a speech promoting the trip to the moon coming up in the next 5 years. This publicity led to another hashtag going viral: #Moon2024, which trended on social media for months. Following this, dozens of brands jumped on the opportunity, launching their own social media campaigns related to the upcoming moon trip.

The most successful of these was a campaign created by Moon Pie, a brand of snack cakes of the same name, who took their own spin on the event. They launched #MoonPieToTheMoon2024, a campaign invoking humor, to petition for NASA to take this delicious snack along for the trip. The campaign received overwhelming support, with several Influencers posting their support for NASA bringing a Moon Pie to the moon.

See the video below:

.@NASA let’s put a MoonPie on the dang moon pic.twitter.com/qOjejhaPvZ

— MoonPie (@MoonPie) July 3, 2019

The objective here was to raise brand awareness among their Gen. Z target audience, and the effort was highly successful. This was a great way for the brand to humorously insert themselves in a hot topic of conversation to grow their own brand salience. They capitalized on current events and grew their support.

Well done, Moon Pie!

Best Social Media Campaigns: Dove – “Project #ShowUs”

Dove, a long-time advocate for female empowerment, launched a social media campaign called “Project #ShowUs” across social media platforms. The company partnered with the largest international stock photo distributor, Getty Images, as well as Girlgaze – a collective of female-identifying and non-binary photographers, to create a large photo library of women and non-binary individuals to combat beauty standards and stereotypes.

If you’ve ever used stock images for marketing or blogging (or really anything) before, then you know that the featured models, especially those of women, are almost exclusively white and are always conventionally attractive. The mission of this campaign was to change that.

The initiative was undeniably successful. They got the exact results they had petitioned for: a large database of stock photos on Getty Images representing a diverse, inclusive, and authentic depiction of female beauty. Furthermore, the women and non-binary people depicted in the images were able to choose their own search descriptions and tags for their pictures, effectively allowing them to define their own beauty.

Check out the video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0fj2cDtvis&feature=emb_logo

According to Dove’s Global Vice President Sophie Galvani, the marketing goal was “to create a global movement, redefining how women are represented and setting a new standard for the authentic and diverse representation of women across the world.”

This campaign was effective in creating a tangible way for advertisers and media professionals to promote more inclusivity. Dove received thousands of user-generated photos from women around the world, indicating their success in connecting with their target consumer base and raising brand loyalty.

Best Social Media Campaigns: Adidas – “She Breaks Barriers”

It’s not new information that women are not featured in sports media to the same extent that men are. The media promotes men’s sports, while women’s sports repeatedly and consistently fall under the radar. In fact, did you know that only 4% of sports media covered in the U.S. is dedicated to women’s teams? According to Adidas, that’s why this campaign is so important.

Check out the video here:

The initiative began from a social media post, where Adidas asked athletes to use the hashtag #CreatorsUnite and share about the challenges and barriers that they face. Using these responses, they developed the She Breaks Barriers campaign, with one unifying goal: To provide access, remove stereotypes, and address inequality for female athletes at all levels and ages.

The campaign advocates for equal media representation for women. To help jumpstart this initiative, Adidas teamed up with Intersport and Twitter to livestream women’s high school sports on the social media platform for the first time ever.

According to Adidas, the objective of their campaign is to give women in sports more visibility in the media so that young girls would not only stay in sports, but believe that they belong in them just as much as boys do. They were effective in getting women’s sports to be showcased on Twitter, and they received thousands of mentions with a 96% positive reaction. Famous athletes such as Hima Das gave them shoutouts, and the YouTube video became one of the most mentioned on social media.

Way to go, Adidas!

Best Social Media Campaigns: Nike – “Dream Crazier”

That’s right, we saved the best for last. Nike’s “Dream Crazier” campaign took the world by storm in early 2019.

Gender stereotypes in sports have been a problem for, well, as long as sports have existed. Our society frequently idolizes male athletes for being strong, competitive, and determined. On the other hand, when women are “too” competitive, loud, or passionate about their sport, they are often portrayed as “crazy” or “overly emotional” by the media. This is the basis for Nike’s campaign. Female athletes are not given the media credibility that they deserve.

Watch the video spot here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whpJ19RJ4JY

Narrated by Serena Williams, the ad addresses double standards for women in sports and speaks out against sexist stereotypes. Rather than allowing it to belittle them, it suggests that women embrace the stereotype of being “crazy,” to reject the trope by receiving it as a synonym for being motivated and passionate.

Some of the dialogue reads:

“When we show emotion, we’re called ‘dramatic’ . . . When we stand for something, we’re ‘unhinged’. . . And if we get angry, we’re ‘hysterical,’ ‘irrational,’ or ‘just being crazy’ . . . So if they want to call you crazy, fine. . . Show them what crazy can do.”

This monologue is played on top of a series of clips of females in sports performing incredible athletic feats. The production of the ad was immaculate. As a result, it was incredibly effective in reaching its intended audience and generating conversation. The video received 11 million views on YouTube, over 20 million on Instagram, and over 32 million on Twitter. After launching the campaign, the stock price of Nike grew by a third, and the spot received $43 million worth of media exposure. Celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres even made their own versions of the ad, widening the reach of its audience even further.

It is hard to measure whether this ad will prove effective in transforming the narrative around female athletes, but it was certainly a great start in encouraging young women and girls to stay in sports and to not shy away from their own inner determination and strength. The campaign lays a great foundation for a revolutionary shift in our cultural perspective and the eradication of these gender stereotypes.

Best Social Media Campaigns: Common Themes

So what can you take from all of this to help guide your own advertising strategy? One common theme among all the campaigns is that they used a multi-platform distribution strategy. When you have a great ad or campaign, it is important to post it across all of your platforms, not just one. These brands all shared their campaigns on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube. This is imperative because it ensures maximum reach for all of their audiences.

Furthermore, each campaign was built upon a relevant cultural context that evoked powerful feelings in their audience. Not only did they all address current societal issues, they each added something unique and meaningful to the cultural conversation, either with humor, imagery or insight. When creating your campaigns, make sure you are staying aware of the current social issues, whether you use them directly in your campaign or not. Know the culture or sub-culture to which your ad is directed. Often we find that cultural context can be used advantageously to connect with our desired audience.

All of the campaigns here leveraged the power of strong social media influencers and themes to generate buzz. Gillette used the #MeToo movement to propel its message, Moon Pie utilized the re-popularization of NASA, Adidas included the famous and sometimes criticized Serena Williams, and so on. That being said, most of us don’t have a lineup of A-List celebrities at our disposal. But even small, local influencers can greatly enhance the power of a campaign. Research some influencers in your market and reach out to them. These people are usually more than happy to work with brands to further their own values and brand messaging.

Finally, the campaigns all had a strong single-minded proposition. Adidas and Nike, for example, didn’t vaguely address gender inequality in sports; instead, they each had a very specific issue with a clear objective in mind (Adidas addressed lack of female representation, while Nike highlighted sexist gender stereotypes). It is very important that your mission is clear. This doesn’t mean you need to directly state your marketing goal word-for-word (Nike never said in their ad “sexist stereotypes are bad”; instead they showed it with imagery). It means that you should know what exactly your goal is, so that every aspect of your campaign aligns with the singular purpose.

Remember that you may not appeal to everyone. In fact, like Gillette, you may offend people with your proposition, and that’s okay. Copyblogger said it best when they wrote: “You need the courage to alienate the wrong people in order to resonate with the right people . . . The fact is, if no one hates you, you’re doing something wrong.”

Still daunted by the idea of advertising on social media? Let us take it off your hands and do it for you! Contact us today – we are a full-scale social media agency which specializes in social media advertising, and we would love to share our expertise with you.

6 Tips for Growing Your Instagram Account

SN:D Agency · November 20, 2019 ·

Instagram is one of the best platforms to get your business noticed and encourage users to directly engage with your brand. We’ve all seen the brands on Instagram who seem to so eloquently connect with their audience and activate high levels of engagement on their posts. They seem to post all the right content at all the right times, and catch the attention of all the right viewers. But just how do you go about doing this, and where do you start?

Growing your Instagram following can directly translate into higher brand recognition, a wider consumer base and significantly more sales for your business. In this guide, we answer all of your questions, including how to gain followers, activate and engage with your consumer base, and grow your Instagram account.

1. Growing Your Instagram: Posting Creative Content

Before you can start marketing your Instagram page, there has to be something there worth marketing. Every post should be something you’re be proud to show the world, and this means being creative in the development and publication of your content. Your creativity should be displayed by having great images, as well as having a strategy for displaying them.

Quality Images

The images you use depend on your brand, but no matter what, it is important that you choose high-quality, professional photos. Each image should be representative of your brand identity. Unlike Facebook or Twitter, where information is primarily offered through text, Instagram is image-centric. A viewer may never stop to read your caption, but they will always see your image. This means that the argument you are trying to make must be visually demonstrated in one small square canvas.

If at all possible, take your own professional photos. But if you don’t have access to resources for this, you can use free, high-quality stock images from sites like Unsplash or Pixabay. You can edit the photos on Instagram to adjust certain features such as tone, saturation, highlights, and contrast.

Profile Layout

That being said, while the individual posts themselves are important, equally important is a well-designed profile. What’s the first thing people see when they click on your profile? The page layout of course. Your brand’s Instagram profile should represent the brand’s personality artistically. There are several ways to do this.

One way to do this to maintain a consistent theme. Check out @Toyota, for example, who uses a theme of coordinated rows, where every row contains 3 pictures of the same vehicle in different positions or angles. It takes a second to notice it, but once you do, you are almost compelled to keep scrolling. This is a great tactic for engaging users!

Another option is to use a consistent type of picture. As another example, @Expedia uses a variety of distinct views of different worldly wonders.

There are plenty of other ideas for themes you can find on popular Instagram accounts. Whether you use a coordinated color scheme, a repeating content method, or any other kind of theme, the content on your profile should look like it belongs together. Ultimately, it should all be in adherence to the same single brand identity.

2. Growing Your Instagram: Writing Good Captions

If your images are good they will get likes, but if the captions are good they will get likes, comments and shares. In other words, captions can make or break engagement.

Furthermore, the words you put attach to your post represent your brand’s voice. One example of a brand that knows their identity and writes great, on-strategy copy is @Chipotle. They use their caption as a space to connect and relate to their audience in a way that is authentic, witty, and often downright hilarious.

Below are some examples of their content:

When I see memes like these, I can’t help but feel like the brand sort of “gets” me. This is because they are directly responding to a common pop culture theme in their posts and even using customer-created content. What better way to make your audience feel heard and to drive engagement?

Humor is great for a fast food company like Chipotle, but figure out what strategy is best for your particular market. Look at what others in your niche are doing for some ideas. And then decide how you want to portray your brand voice, whether that’s with a tone that is witty, sentimental, passionate or educational. No matter what it is, it should always be on-strategy with your overall brand messaging.

Another effective way to get engagement through your caption is to directly initiate conversations. This brings us to our next point.

3. Growing Your Instagram: Using a Call to Action

Every post should be an invitation to do something, whether it’s stated directly or indirectly. The indirect way to state something is demonstrated in the above examples. Chipotle never says “come to Chipotle,” but we know it’s what they mean.The direct way is by using a Call to Action.

There are different kinds of calls to action that encourage different types of engagement. A call to action can be as simple as asking viewers to click a link in your bio, shop your sale, or follow you on other social media channels.

As we mentioned above, one effective kind of call to action is a conversation starter. This typically means including a question at the end of your caption asking viewers to share their answer in the comments. It can be open-ended, such as “How was your weekend? Share in the comments below.” Or, it can be more directly brand-related, such as “Which of these [products] is your favorite? Share what you’d pick in the comments!”

Below is an example of a conversation starter by a gardening brand, @gardenista_sourcebook. As you can see from the comments, this was extremely effective in garnering user interaction.

Another effective strategy is telling users to tag a friend in the comments. You will see this strategy used often by clothing brands. They will post pictures of their apparel with the caption “tag a friend who would look amazing in this.” This is a great way to get your followers to indirectly recommend your brand to more potential consumers. Each person who comments brings one more potential follower to the post, who might then tag another potential follower, who will tag another, and so on.

4. Growing Your Instagram: Interacting with Followers

This is arguably the most effective way to gain followers. It is also the most labor intensive.

It is important, especially if you are a small business just getting your name out there, to engage directly with your active followers. Businesses with a strong social media presence are the ones who make an effort to respond to as many comments as they can. This is the most authentic representation of your brand. When you reply to your viewers, they feel heard. This leaves a positive impression of your business with your audience. It demonstrates that you are dedicated to customer service and care about your consumers.

One account that does a great job of this is @Headspace. They reply to each comment, even if it’s as simple as a few words or an emoji. As you can see below, it is effective in promoting their brand image as a self-care advocate, and they have 6 times more followers than their main competitor, Insight Timer. It pays off!

And if that’s not incentive enough, know that every comment you add makes Instagram register your post as more active. And the more active you are on Instagram, the more the app rewards you with a higher placement on your followers’ feeds.

Speaking of staying at the top of the feed, let’s talk about hashtags.

5. Growing Your Instagram: Using Hashtags Strategically

Hashtags are a wonderful tool for growing your Instagram account. They are arguably the best way to gain new followers. They help categorize posts, draw in users to a specific niche, and reach a specific target audience

Begin by researching other Instagram pages in your niche. Find out which hashtags are being used by your competition, by both influencers and by personal profiles. There are several apps for Instagram that can help you find the most popular tags, but once you’ve figured out the ones that draw in the most engagement, keep a list of these on file so you can use them in future posts.

Once you’ve figured out what the most effective hashtags are, there are a few ways you can incorporate them. One way is to use them directly in your caption. You can do this by picking some key words and tagging them. Here is an example of a post by @Nintendo using this method:

However, be careful with this, as you want your text to remain easy to read and uncrowded. You don’t want a clump of hashtags to be too visible because it can appear tacky. To avoid this, many accounts use the strategy of tacking them on at the end of the caption, often after several paragraph breaks, or placing them all in the first comment. This way, they won’t be visible until the viewer clicks the “see all” button. Here’s an example by @beautifulsmoothies:

It sounds tedious, but keeping your post clean and simple helps with the overall image that your brand portrays.

6. Growing Your Instagram: Interacting with Other Brands

Interacting with others in your market is a great way to demonstrate credibility. You are becoming a major player in your market, so show it. Don’t expect that consumers will automatically come to you. Find other brands in your industry, both big and small, and interact with them publicly on the platform. Like and comment on their posts. Encourage them to check out your page. This will begin to get your name out there in the community.

If you are featuring a certain vendor or another brand in your post, make sure to mention them in your caption. Sometimes, the business will share your post with their own followers. This is a great way to start gaining a wider online audience.

Overall, building an Instagram following, like anything else, takes hard work and persistence. It is much more than just having good images and setting ads. It takes a certain level of dedication to creating the highest quality content, as well as a consistent engagement with your community and your audience on a regular basis. It also requires you to be flexible, to evolve with your audience as they evolve, and to understand the ever-changing and transforming platform that is Instagram.

Did you know that Instagram marketing is a big part of our work here at SocialNicole? To learn more about our social media marketing services and the ways we leverage Instagram to grow your business, contact us today!

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