With over 150 million daily users, Instagram stories have gained a lot of popularity since their launch. If you haven’t hopped on the stories train yet, it’s not too late!

Instagram stories are the perfect way to engage your followers without overloading their feed. Each story only lasts for 24 hours (aka Snapchat style), so it’s important to post regularly. We suggest adding a lot of variety to your stories so that you can gauge what your followers respond best to.

Not quite sure of what to post? Here are a few ideas to get you started: 

• Get Artsy: Play around with the pen tool and draw little doodles around your images/ videos. You also scribble a colorful background behind text. 
• Tie in your other social channels: Did you recently upload a new video on YouTube or create a contest on Facebook? Share a snippet in your stories!
• Before & after’s: This is perfect for designers, stylists, or anyone showing of a DIY success.
• Create an ad: At the beginning of this month, Instagram announced that Instagram Stories Ads would be available for businesses worldwide. 30+ brands including Asos, Airbnb, and Netflix tested out the new feature earlier this year with great success.
• Collaborate: Work with other businesses or try out a guest “takeover” to add a different perspective. 
• Be consistent: IG stories only last for a day, so make sure that you post regularly. If every day is too much, try to post a few times a week.
• Have fun: Try not to make your stories too stuffy! Play around with emoji’s, clever captions, color, and fun filters. Adding a bit of candid fun will give your followers something to look forward to. 
• Mix it up: Instagram stories are kind of like a little patchwork quilt of daily events. Keep it interesting by incorporating pictures, music, videos, and Boomerang clips.

Don’t overthink it! At the end of the day, Instagram stories are a fun and temporary extension to your Instagram feed. Sometimes spontaneity is key.

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Marketing & Social Media Services in Greensboro: Hue & Tone Creative

Need a second opinion on your current social media strategy? We've got your back! Our social media management services will help you boost engagement, increase followers, create brand awareness.... and, most importantly, create content your customers will love. 

Like a strong resume, a well written cover letter, and strong recommendations, a well cultivated LinkedIn page can help you land your dream job. But snagging a recruiter's attention with your profile can take a bit of elbow grease -- you'll have to get your profile up to date and stay active. Do that, and LinkedIn may just be the secret weapon your job search needs.

So, let's start turning some heads...

Put your best face forward

Having a professional photo makes your page 14 times more likely to pop up in search results. Fortunately, most people have the common sense to avoid unprofessional selfies and dog face filters. If you really want to step up your profile picture game, we recommend taking a simple headshot against a neutral background.

Keep your profile picture recent: If you’re rocking a Jennifer Anniston hairstyle from Friend’s, it’s time for a new picture. 

Not all industries have the same dress code, so be sure to choose an outfit that reflects the position you’re looking for. Searching for a position as a lawyer or a CPA? Wear a suit! Designers, programmers, and creative job seekers can typically keep it casual.

Not sure about the dress code? Dressier is always better. 

Create an attention grabbing headline

Most recruiters are going to scroll past a boring headline.

Sell yourself and entice people into visiting your page by using creative and descriptive headlines. Simply listing “Freelance Designer” doesn’t tell people what you do or why they should connect with you.

• Before you create your headline ask yourself a few questions:
• What do you do?
• What is your specialty?
• Why should a recruiter hire you?
• What do you bring to the table?
• Do you have any certifications or professional accomplishments?

After considering what you bring to the table, incorporate it into your headline. “Innovative Digital Freelance Artist  |  Specializes in Comprehensive Logo Design and Personalized Branding” is much more descriptive and packs more of a punch than “Freelance Designer."

Quality over Quantity

Before you start looking for new leads and connections, try building up your contacts with friends and coworkers. 

Like most people on LinkedIn, you’ve probably received a random request from someone halfway across the world. Some people are under the impression that a huge LinkedIn network equals networking success.

The reality is, a few genuine and meaningful connections are better than a list of hundreds of random strangers you’ll never meet (or probably even talk to). Don’t worry about the amount of contacts you have. Instead, focus on making genuine connections with past coworkers, managers, and recruiters.

Show Interest

Have a dream company? Follow them! This will keep you up to date on any big news, business successes, and job openings. Having a bank of knowledge about your top companies keeps you in the loop and prepared for interview questions when they arise.

Show off your Skills

Endorsements are an excellent way to be recognized for your strengths. Much like on a resume, list your most relevant and important skills towards the top.

If you’re starting out in a new industry or have recently changed career paths, make sure to keep your skills and endorsements updated regularly. Don’t be afraid to delete old skills that are no longer necessary to the jobs you’re applying for.

For those curious about what skills employers are looking for, take a look at the Top LinkedIn Skills of 2016. 

Customize your URL

Make it easier for employers to find you. LinkedIn automatically assigns a series of numbers to each member’s URL when they sign up.

You can easily edit your existing URL in your Public Profile settings. Just be sure to keep it simple. Linkedin.com/yourname is as complicated as you need to get. This little change can also make it easier for you to add your LinkedIn profile URL to your resume. 

Use LinkedIn Pulse

For more detailed tips on how to use LinkedIn Pulse, be sure to check out this guide from HubSpot. 

In 2014, LinkedIn introduced Pulse and gave its members a way to share custom content instantly.

Posting on LinkedIn Pulse allows other members and recruiters to discover you organically. It gives you a platform to show off your skills, get exposure, and share your perspective on a variety of professional topics.

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Hue & Tone Creative: Your job search partner

Are you a recent graduate, in the middle of a career switch, or just looking for a more fulfilling position? Hue & Tone is here to help you achieve your career goals. From resume design to revamping your LinkedIn, Hue & Tone can help you get noticed and make a lasting impression. Contact us today to learn more about our personal marketing services.

With 467 million members in more than 200 countries, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network. Business leaders, C-level execs, job seekers, and decision makers alike all utilize the platform – and they’re all waiting to hear from your business.

Using LinkedIn for business can help you attract talent, increase your supplier base, generate new leads, and help you show off your brand’s personality. From sales to HR to operations, LinkedIn can benefit every branch of your business.

Ready to step up your LinkedIn posting game? We’ve compiled a list of content ideas to help you get noticed: 

• Milestones: New products, new employees, and work anniversaries are the perfect content for LinkedIn! 
• Job Openings: This one almost goes without saying, but if you have a job opening be sure to spread the word on LinkedIn.
• Original Content: Distribute your blog posts through LinkedIn to help drive traffic to your site.
• Opinions: Does your business have a philosophy that sets you apart? Share it! Just be sure to keep the political opinions for Facebook (or, ideally, off of social media altogether).
• Industry specific tips: How have you gotten ahead? What works or doesn’t work for your business? Forge a connection by sharing your personal experience (this is great for B2B).
• SlideShare: Presenting at a conference? Hosting a round table? Presenting your process to a client? Share your presentations and show people a behind-the-scenes look at what it would be like to work with you.
• Videos: Share promo videos, tutorials of your product, and behind-the-scenes video!  Leveraging video is the way of the future. 
• Events: Talk up events you’ve recently attended or are planning to go to. And, be sure to post pictures from the event! It’s a great way to connect with others attendees you might not have gotten to chat with in person.
• Content from industry sources: See an article that interests you? Go ahead and share it if you can loosely tie it to your work!
• Podcasts: Promote an industry podcast that has given you good insight.
• Make a playlist: Make a Spotify playlist to coincide with the release of a new product.
• Start a LinkedIn Group: Posting on your own page isn’t the only way to get active on LinkedIn – starting a group (or participating in an existing one) is a great way to connect with people one-on-one.

YOU TRY IT:

Push yourself to come up with a set number of posting ideas SPECIFIC TO YOUR BUSIneSS (we suggest at least 50 ideas TO Start). You can look back at this list any time you're stumped for content! And, it's a great jumping off point for creating a content calendar. 

Now that that's out of the way, we suggest creating a list of content tailored to your industry. We've got a few more specific ideas started for you: 

Accountants: Changes in tax code for the upcoming year, downloadable resources (think spending trackers, tip sheets, etc.),  personal saving tips, differences between 401ks + IRAs, steps for setting up your own corporation, important date reminders/deadlines.

Nonprofits: Images from community events and fundraisers, volunteer opportunities, volunteer spotlights, statistics, infographics, donation impact breakdown, recent trends, inspirational quotes, profiles of people your organization has helped.

Hospitality/hotels:  videos of the property, 360 room views, specials, seasonal activities in the area, local festivals, travel tips, nearby restaurants, staff profiles, new property openings, awards/accolades.

Real Estate Agents: Virtual tours, before & after images of homes you sold, housing stock data, neighborhood information/profiles, new home owner checklist, first time buyer financing information, weekly open house schedules, tips for finding the right agent/mortgage broker, moving checklist, property inspection steps, new listings.

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Social Media Services for Greensboro and beyond: Hue & Tone

If you’re struggling to come up with original content ideas perhaps it’s time to bring in a little help. Hue & Tone Creative can help you create visually appealing, original content for every social media platform.  If you’re interested in boosting your web traffic, raising brand awareness, and reaching new customers give us a call today to learn more about our social media management options.

Sometimes it feels like Facebook knows you better than you know yourself. Seriously, how do they know you're dreaming of faux suede ankle boots and organic cold brewed coffee? While Facebook advertisements may feel a little invasive at times, there's no doubt that they're an effective way to market. In fact, 92% of marketers are now advertising on Facebook. 

How it works

Facebook tracks what you do both on and off their site. They know about your online searches, the posts you make, and the pages you like – and they use all that information to decide which ads to show you. For instance, if you were recently browsing for inexpensive winter coats, there’s a good chance you’re going to see similar styles pop up along the side of Facebook.

To ensure that ads are relevant and interesting, Facebook also uses information like your age, gender, location, and device preferences to help target ads. (If you’re interested in learning about this process in more detail, this site has an awesome infographic.)

Ready to get started? 

1. Narrow down your objective

When it comes to deciding on the objective of your social campaign, it’s imperative to think about your ROI first. Facebook ads aren’t free, so you want to make sure you’re making the most of it. We recommend quantifying all your advertising goals. How many people do you want to reach? What are your traffic goals? Set a time frame for each goal to keep yourself on track.

2. Craft your call to action

Think about the last time you saw an ad on Facebook. Like most of the 1.4 billion Facebook users, you probably glanced at it for a second or ignored it entirely. Those quick few seconds of view time are crucial! Make sure your copy or call to action is clear and easy to remember. Are you having a sale? Launching a new service? Providing a free gift to the first visitors? If you don’t grab a users attention right away you’ll likely be ignored for a cute otter video. 

To ensure that you’re getting the most out of your ads, we suggest taking advantage of A/B testing. Also known as split testing, this method allows to you compare the cost, click through rate, number of likes, and conversion rates to determine which factors make your ads successful.

Play around with the look and copy of your ads to determine what’s most effective. But, be sure to tweak only one element at a time -- or how else will you know what's caused the change in effectiveness? 

3. Design a strong graphic

Studies show that 65% of people are more likely to retain information 3 days after viewing if it’s paired with a relevant image. Using things like bright colors, minimal text and high res images can help grab attention. 

4. Target properly

There are several targeting options to consider during this step. Whether you decide on targeting a broad or specific audience should depend on your business and goals. Targeting a specific audience may lead to a smaller audience – but they may be more engaged than a large audience would’ve been. If you decide to target a broad audience you’re essentially relying on Facebook’s ad delivery system. This isn’t a bad approach because it means you might end up discovering customers you would never have known about! It's also a good place to start if you're not sure who you want to target.

Some demographics you can target on Facebook:

• Age- Include or exclude specific age ranges
• Location- Breakdown your targeting options to zip code, city, country, etc.
• Languages
• Connections
• Gender
• Detailed Targeting- You can break your targeting options down even further by looking at interests, behaviors, and even interests.   
• Custom Audience
   

5. Analyze the Results

Now that you've run your first campaign it's time to sit down and analyze the results. Who engaged with your ad? Which images worked best? Did you hit your goals?

Take a look at what worked and what didn't, then edit the plan for your next set of ads accordingly. There's no way to improve your campaigns if you're not analyzing the results! 

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Greensboro Social Media Company: Hue & Tone Creative

Ready to start seeing results? From design to delivery, Hue & Tone can help you create a truly unique social campaign. If you’re ready to start seeing a return on your social media dollars then it’s time to invest in a creative agency that can give you more. If you’re interested in social media management, a new campaign, or another creative service, give us a call today for a free social media audit.

Posting selfies, connecting with friends, and sharing your latest Buzzfeed quiz results are just a few of the many uses of Facebook. But for business owners, having a Facebook page is a great way to build trust, engage with customers, and promote your brand’s offerings.

If your business is in the minority not utilizing Facebook, you’re missing out on engagement opportunities! 80% of consumers prefer to connect with brands through this platform to get updates, access to discounts, and to share their experiences. Facebook has also become increasingly popular with older adults and is used equally by both men and women, making this platform ideal for virtually every business.

If you’re new to Facebook, or if you just want some inspiration about what to share, we’ve gathered a list of post ideas:

• Stories: People enjoy reading content they can relate to. Share a funny anecdote, or even a #throwback story about your company’s beginnings.
• Seasonal content
• Blog excerpts: Link your latest blog entries- this also gives you an opportunity to direct followers to your business’s website and portfolio.
• Company updates: Some of the best posts are the easiest to pull together! Use Facebook to people updated on your company. Anything from highlighting promotions to new products is fair game!
• Tutorials
• Promos: Share coupons, discount codes, and any promotions your business is offering. 
• Testimonials: Repost positive customer experiences or any press/blog mentions.
• Contests
• Fill in the blank: Give your followers an opportunity to share their opinions by answering lighthearted questions. “My favorite way to spend a Saturday is _________.” “I can’t get through a Monday without _________”.
• Infographics
• Product page links: This is another great way to direct potential customers to your website. Highlight new products of promotions on older items.
• Picture Quotes
• Statistics: Post a statistic accompanied by an image-photos receive 39% more engagement than links.
• Trending Topics
• Fun pictures: Most people browse Facebook for fun. Keep it from getting too serious with a funny behind the scenes picture or maybe a viral video/ picture (depending on your target customer).
• Videos: Share a how-to video, GIF, or a live event video.   

Depending on your business, here are a few industry-specific posting ideas:

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QUICK TAKES/TIPS:

- Preplan and schedule your posts with services like Hootsuite or Buffer. It’ll save you time and help prevent those annoying “I need to think up something to post in 5 minute” moments.

- Choose engaging and clear profile pictures and cover photos

- Link your other business social media accounts to your Facebook page.

- Make sure to post at the right time: Saturdays and Sundays (12pm-1pm), Wednesdays (3pm-4pm), Thursdays & Fridays: 1pm-4pm

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Hospitality: Photos of the property, past events/ weddings, travel/ vacation planning tips, best cocktails in town, top restaurant picks for Valentine’s Day, local restaurants/ things to do, best local restaurants, favorite weddings from past guests, must see places around town, top rated tours, best luggage brands for your next trip, how to become a better packer, 10 things to pack on your next vacation, seasonal offerings from the on-sight restaurant

Manufacturing: Sneak peak of new products, business partnerships, productivity tips, industry news, product flat lays, weekly roundup of inspiration: design, technology, etc., publication features, latest industry trends, infographics, top products of the year, contests/competitions, employee spotlight, behind-the-scenes

Retail: Promotions/ sales, picture quotes, styling tips, photoshoot sneak peaks, employee favorites, budget friendly gift ideas, seasonal must haves, coupons/ Discount codes, style inspiration, street style inspiration, fashion flat lays, gift ideas for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, grads, etc., top 10 favorites for spring, fall, etc., outfit of the day inspiration (use #OOTD), customer style inspirations, key wardrobe pieces, holiday outfit ideas

Restaurants/ Coffee Shops: New additions to the menu, game day snacks, daily specials, employee menu recommendations, latte art tutorial video, "What’s your favorite menu item? Comment for a chance to win a gift card.", special lunch discounts during the week, behind-the-scenes, "Like us on Facebook and share this post for a muffin with your next coffee purchase", holiday recipes, tag a friend for a buy one get one coffee promo, video recipe tutorials, events/promotions 

We’ve shared our recommendations, but don’t hesitate to try something new. Just make sure that whatever you share is interesting and helps reflect your brand’s personality. Most people respond better to something that feels genuine and relatable, so don’t try too hard. Have fun and start posting!

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Need more posting ideas for your business? Check out our entire "What to Post" series here:

Twitter  |  Pinterest  |  Instagram

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With over 500 million people (300 million of which are daily users) Instagram is the perfect place to leverage pictures of your everyday life to build a big following.

Brands on Instagram benefit from 58% more customer engagement than Facebook and 120% more engagement than Twitter… that means a great potential ROI for you! Instagram has a broad consumer base of both men and woman under the age of 45, and is suitable for almost any organization with great visual content.  

Instagram is rapidly gaining users and is expected to double its number of users by 2020.

If you really want to see engagement from your Insta followers, it’s important to go beyond the obvious (like product shots) with your posts.  Surprising, engaging, and relevant content is where it’s at. If you’re stumped for ideas, we’ve got a few beyond-the-basics suggestions for you:

• Flat Lays: This streamlined photography technique is a big moment on social media. A flat lay is exactly what it sounds like -- an overhead shot of your products laying flat. It's a great way to showcase your goods, partner company's products, and your values. This style is perfect for fashion, beauty brands, or on-trend restaurants.
• Press mentions: Sharing “as seen in” images can help give your products credibility and keep your consumers up-to-date with all your latest brand happenings.
• Reposts: Been hearing rave reviews from a customers lately? Or maybe a not-so-rave review? Regram their testimonials or post a video of their feedback. There’s no better way to earn credibility with consumers than posting organic, unfiltered reviews. Letting a few negatives slip into your content builds trust with customers and lets them know you’re not hiding anything!
• Daily happenings: Post behind-the-scene images of a regular day at the office, of an employee event, or an in-progress project.
• Events: Have an upcoming event? Start sharing the details on Instagram a few weeks out.   If it’s a big event, consider creating a clever hashtag so that your guests can get social with their support for your cause. 
• Hashtags: 70% of the most popular hashtags are brand related. Create one for your brand so that more users can find you.  BUT, don’t overload the hashtags. Social media users are a savvy crowd, and they’ll be able to easily identify people who are just looking for likes. To avoid your content being considered SPAM stick to only a handful of the most relevant hashtags.

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Creating a hashtag for an annual event?

Leave the year off so that people can see all the fun had in preview years. Your feed will already be populated when it comes time for next years event and you won’t have to worry about people not utilizing your hashtag.

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• Promotions: Advertise upcoming sales, discount codes, or weekend only flash sales. Consider creating a promotion exclusively for your Instagram followers – you can PM them a special code, have them prove that they follow you at checkout, or run an Instagram contest.
• Get tagging: Engage your followers by asking them to tag a friend who might like a product.
• Go live: Whether you’re giving a tour, running through a product tutorial or just sharing something fun, video is what’s hot right now. The only thing better than video? Live video. Figure out which of your usual posts could translate to video and then take Instagram Moments for a whirl!
  Want to make those gif-like videos that look like they’re on a loop? Use Boomerang.
• Throwback Thursday: Show how much your brand has grown! Throwback Thursday is a great chance to highlight something that happened a while ago. Whether it was last week or a few years ago your customers will love to see how you’ve progressed.

Before linking to employee Instagrams make sure their profile is something you would want associated with your business. If not, it might be time to go over the companies social media policy again. 

• Job Openings: You already know that your followers love your brand – so what better place to find your next employee? Alert your followers when a new position opens up and you might just find the perfect candidate!
• Employee reposts: Put a face to the name for your customers by regramming employee posts about their day at work!
• Holidays + Celebrations: Celebrate the big holidays on social… and the little ones! If you can find a way to tie National Coffee Day, National Best Friend Day or National Donut Day into your feed go for it! Hopping on a trending holiday hashtag is a great way to get new reach.
• Hand your account over: Have a trusted employee, customer, or brand advocate? Let them manage your account for a day or week to give people a first hand account of what it’s like to work for your brand, live on one of your properties, or shop in your store! 
• Experiencing a lull? It might be time to break out quotes or entertainment content to keep your feed fresh. Fridays and Mondays are the best days for a little light-hearted content.  

If you’re a little confused about how these ideas might apply to your industry, no need to worry -- just check out these more tailored suggestions:

Fitness: Healthy food, exercise demonstrations, B+A shots, motivational quotes, workout tips, inspirational athletes, customer success stories, outdoor inspiration.

Artists + Galleries: Mosaics, color palette inspiration, video of work progression, creativity quotes, gallery installation sneak peek, behind-the-scenes look at a collectors home, tutorials, sneak peak of new exhibits.

Restaurants: Daily specials, fresh ingredients, customers in the restaurant, behind-the-scenes videos, recipes, user submitted pictures, seasonal food pictures, tutorials, food & drink parings.

Car Dealership: New inventory, dealer profiles, tips for choosing a new car, negotiation tips, how to select a used car, car features, proper maintenance tips, custom features + upgrades, safety ratings information, test drive videos.

Non-profits: Event updates, sponsor and donor features, mission related content, community impact facts, office tour video, staff profiles, features on people served by your organization, must know facts related to your mission. Have a product like Wine to Water or Goodwill? Use social media to broadcast it!

No matter what your industry, the possibilities for leveraging Instagram are endless.

And, as always, the cardinal rule of social media is engagement. Class A content is useless if people don’t feel like there’s a relatable individual behind the posts!

Need more personalized ideas to help promote your brand on Instagram? We can do that. Shoot us an email at hannah@hueandtonecreative.com.

We are living in the Golden Age of social media. Today, you can post a picture of your artisan avocado toast on Instagram, pin your imaginary dream wedding, or simply tweet about whatever random thing your cat just did. Although these things can seem silly, social media is incredibly powerful if used the right way. Utilizing social media is especially fantastic for brands -- you can reach audiences around the world or just expand your reach locally.
 

1.     Who are you?

Before you start posting, it is crucial to have a clear sense of your brand. Is your look sleek, modern, and polished? Are you bold, artistic, and experimental? Taking the time to research and understand who you are as a brand allows you create a look that is entirely your own.

If you’re feeling a little stumped a mood board is a great way to start your research. Use Pinterest, Photoshop, or even a paper collage to gather whatever images speak to your brand. Anytime you feel lost for inspiration, go back to your mood board as a reminder of what your brand represents.
 

2.     Color & Fonts

In addition to color, your brands choice of fonts and lettering are also important. Anthropologie often uses fonts that look handwritten to capture the whimsy of their merchandise. Alternatively, Target uses clean minimalistic lettering that pairs well with the brand’s simple and crisp aesthetic.
 

3.     Filters & Photo Editing

Along with ready to use filters, adjusting your brightness and saturation can make your images more eye catching. Bright clean images with bold pops of color are perfect for brands with a youthful and playful aesthetic.

Muted colors with strong saturated hues work well for brands with a modern sophisticated style.

Although filters are fun to use, you don’t want your social media accounts to look like a confused medley of styles. Pick a look and stick to it.

One last tip,

It’s easy to obsess about achieving perfection, but it’s ok to mess up. You might discover a filter you like better or find some unexpected inspiration. Growing, learning, and evolving is much more valuable than staying predictable and stagnant. Have fun and don’t be afraid! 

The average tweet only has about a three hours shelf life. For business owners, that translates to needing to tweet often -- without sacrificing quality. You need to be on the top of your game to maximize your available 140 characters and capitalize on the few instants of attention you’ll get from followers. If you’re thinking that retweets will get you what you want… think again.

If you’re stumped on where to start -- or you’re just running low on ideas -- here’s a few things to test out:

• Keep it industry related: No matter what you want to post, you can’t go wrong by keeping your content focused on your industry. This is one of the best ways to attract quality followers who have the same interests or profession as you.
• How-to’s/tips/tricks: If you own your own business, you’ve got specialized knowledge of some kind. Think about what you know and boil your knowledge down to shareable tricks and tips that your clients can implement on their own. There’s no better source for original content than yourself!
• FAQ: Think about what questions you hear most often from your clients and customers. If they want to know, chances are, other people will too. So, save everyone some time and tweet the answer! Play your cards right, and this will leave everyone following you wanting more...
• Bold + high quality images: Whether you’re posting a photo from around the office or a sample of client work, an eye catching photo is key. An iPhone photo will definitely suffice, but make sure to use an app like Snapseed or Afterlight to clean up your photos.
• Useful stats: People hear so much information every day it’s hard to know what to believe. Make yourself stand out as a reliable, industry source by sharing up-to-date, reliable stats on your industry… just be sure to double check your information and cite your sources.
• A behind-the-scenes photo: Help people put a face to your company by sharing behind-the-scenes photos of what’s happening at your office. You’ll have to use your best judgment to decide if things like taking the team out to lunch fits with your image -- but no matter what message you’re trying to send there’s definitely something from behind-the-scenes that you can share.
• Capitalize on local: If you’re a local business there’s no better way to connect with new clients than to focus on other local businesses, community events, and the general goings on in your area. Not only does this show you’re in the loop, it allows you to keep up with competitors, and can help you forge valuable connections.
• Stay on top of trends (and help keep your followers up to date): Showcase your knowledge by staying plugged in to industry publications and key Twitter users in your field. This will help you stay on the cutting edge! For example, when a social platform rolls out a new feature we try to be one of the first to alert our followers.
• Take a survey: Ask customers/clients what they prefer or are interested in, what they want to learn more about, which of your products is their favorite, etc. You’ll be creating great content… all while getting insight into your customer’s wants and needs!
• Incorporate relevant hashtags: With limited characters it’s important to pick and choose the right hashtags to use. Content that isn’t related to the hashtag will annoy other users -- and won’t gain you any high quality interest. If you’re looking to reach a new audience (who isn’t?) then jump on to trending hashtags and try out some other new tags.

Do: have fun, have personality, be yourself, credit others when you share information, and respond promptly

Don’t: get political, don’t push too hard, or be too salesy

Keep in mind all of these posting ideas are for your business account. If you find it’s hard to keep your Twitter from getting too personal, start a separate account for yourself. This will allow people to get to know you...without tarnishing the professional reputation of your brand.

Need more tailored suggestions? We can do that. Leave a comment telling us a little about your business -- we’ll respond with more specific suggestions!

Think your business needs to be on Pinterest, but not sure what you should be pinning?

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Having a profile on every platform is guaranteed to turn people off if your profiles are weak or inactive. Focus your energy on 2 or 3 platforms to avoid your social presence declining over time.

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We’ll start by saying not every business should be on Pinterest. One of our top tips for clients (especially small business clients) is to start out by putting your energy into the 2 or 3 social media platforms that make the most sense for your business. This will help keep you focused on connecting with potential clients -- instead of scrambling on a daily basis to develop content. Plus, once you’ve mastered 2 or 3 platforms, you can always branch out!

Pinterest is the platform for you if you’re looking to reach women -- specifically those with disposable income. If you’re a luxury brand, designer, clothing retailer, or restaurant Pinterest is a smart platform to test out. It’s also great for those in the wedding industry, or those whose business will appeal to moms.

No matter what your business, there’s a few board ideas every business Pinner should consider. Use these topics to come up with creative board themes tailored to your business:

Show your products off on Pinterest!

• Your products: Display the products you make or sell on different product boards. If you have an overwhelming amount of merchandise, consider creating separate boards for different product lines or collections.
• How-to's: How to style an outfit, make your own bouquets, swaddle a baby, or make a craft! The options are endless!
• Industry resources: Compile useful videos and articles -- as well as content from your own website.
• Your work/portfolio: Show off your best work or developing projects on a dedicated Pinterest board.
• Behind-the-scenes: Give clients and customers a glimpse into a regular day at your store or office.
• User + customers pics: Pull together photos users have submitted via social media in one place! It’s a great way to show off real people using your product.
• Press coverage: Aggregate all of your press mentions in one place.
• Testimonials
• Quotes (Industry related)
• Your blog: Pin images from your blog to get maximum referrer traffic!
• Examples of great work: Show off your style by pinning aspirational examples.
• Mission/values: Don’t just tell us what your company stands for -- show us. Show us the non-profits your organization supports, pin results-driven case studies, and create custom graphics focused around your guiding principles.  
• Guest Pinners: Have an industry leader craft a board for you -- they’ll send traffic your way and increase your credibility.
• Meet the team: Snap a few pictures of your team members and help people get to know them with a few informal facts.
• Customer Favorites: Have a product that’s selling like crazy? Highlight it on Pinterest for even more sales!

Looking for even more? We’ve got a few industry-focused suggestions.

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Not sure what theme to go with? Don't over think it! Consider organizing boards by things like color, style, or room type! For example: “Reds, Midcentury Modern, Kitchens, Stripes.”

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Coffee Shop: Espresso drink recipes, frozen drinks, tea recipes, your merchandise, fancy coffee photography, coffee/tea branding, food recipes, holiday drinks, brunch ideas, fall inspiration, coffee quotes

Weddings: Event venues, honeymoon destinations, flower arrangements/types, creative table settings, creative reuse/repurposing, dress/hair inspiration, plated meals, dessert ideas, creative Hors d’oeuvres, catering inspiration, menu display ideas, table numbers, seating charts, party drinks, centerpiece ideas

Marketing: Words in the wild, photo editing tips, brand identity inspiration, content marketing stats, podcast marketing, blogging for business, fonts/type, video marketing, templates, clever advertising, the best of the web, infographics, flat lays, photography tips, different holiday graphics boards, tutorials

Kids/Babies: Nursery ideas, cute kid photography, Fathers/Mothers day, baby proofing, holiday activities, free/cheap summer activities, recommended reading, pregnancy, prenatal/birth photography, prepping for baby, back to school, maternity style, kid style/outfits, gifts for kids

Lifestyle: Summer entertaining ideas, gifts for him/her/a specific holiday, urban backyards,  staycation ideas, pantry + kitchen organization, small space hacks, playlists, Etsy finds

The ideas are endless! But, no matter what you want to focus on, the important thing is to get out there and start pinning quality content.

Looking for ideas tailored specifically to your business? We can help with that! Contact us about our social media services today.

If you’re looking to network, you have a great tool right at your fingertips. LinkedIn is a powerful social media tool for anyone looking to give their professional persona a boost. With access to thousands of connections around the world, you can form new relationships, increase your sales leads, and gain invaluable professional insight.

A little skeptical about the power of LinkedIn? These five links will have you sprucing up your profile in no time.  

One | If you don’t have a LinkedIn page for your business, it might be time to rethink. LinkedIn is great for B2B marketing, and might just be the most effective platform for lead generation -- but those are only two of many reasons why having a business profile is important.

Two | If you already have a page for your business, here are a few tips to help you get started promoting it.

Three | Looking for the numbers on who and how people use LinkedIn? This breaks down everything from who LinkedIn’s 347 million users are to some fast facts on how people in other countries use the social platform.

Four | Before you get networking, you need a sleek and informative profile to turn heads. Things like a professional photo, custom URL, and exciting bio are just a few things that will have a big impact.

Five | Most importantly? When and what to post.

A little update never hurt nobody -- take a moment this weekend to make your brand a LinkedIn business page or spruce up your profile. Next week, we’ll be honing in on how to create an effective email marketing campaign -- you won’t want to miss it!

Social media can be an overwhelming thing to do well -- between Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and niche sites (like Untappd or Houzz), it can be a lot to juggle. Managing multiple sites can turn into a full time job, so it’s important to pick and choose the sites that will work best for you.

Always remember that the main goal of social media is to connect with potential customers -- and to do this you have to be strategic in the sites that you choose to use. While social media is an important part of almost any digital marketing plan, spreading yourself too thin by trying to manage every site available won’t get you anywhere. We recommend selecting two or three sites that will give you the best return on the time you invest.

Each platform has a unique identity based on the people who view it and how they are engaged. It’s important to know where different demographics spend their time online, what kind of content will catch their eye, and what platform will best showcase your products or services.

When thinking about your target demographic, you should ask yourself two things:

1- Who are your current clients?
2- And who do you want your clients to be?

Social media isn’t a quick fix to getting you the types of customers that you want -- but, done consistently and done well, social will develop into one of the most valuable tools in your marketing arsenal.

So, without further adieu let’s jump into some quick facts about each platform.

FACEBOOK: Let’s start with the most obvious site -- Facebook. With 1.44 billion monthly active users, Facebook is arguably the most well-known and widely used social site there is. Because of its wide reach and varied user base, Facebook is a must for business. 63% of people 50-64 and 56% of people 65+ use Facebook -- this makes it the best platform if you’re aiming to reach older people. The leading demographic of Facebook users are also college educated. And 74% and 72% of adults who make $50,000-$74,999 and $75k+ (respectively) use Facebook -- making it a good place to market luxury brands.

Post ideas: Announcing limited edition products or daily specials, sharing customer reviews, or the details about an upcoming events.

TWITTER: If you’re looking for the challenge of whittling your message down to 140 characters or less, then Twitter is for you. Twitter is best described as an ongoing conversation… kind of like texting back and forth with someone. Connecting with clients has never been easier. By retweeting, utilizing trending hashtags, and following others, you can quickly gain a lot of reach. Like most social sites, Twitter skews towards the younger crowd, with 37% of 18-29 using Twitter. Because of it’s fast paced nature, Twitter is great for quick feedback and breaking news. One of the best ways to gain some fast reach on Twitter is to hop onto a trending hashtag!

Post ideas: Your take on trending topics, polls, quick tips and tricks.

INSTAGRAM: Where are you? What are you doing now? Who are you with? Instagram is one of the best places to answer these questions for your potential customers. Perfect for behind-the-scenes updates, Instagram can help your customers get to know the “real” you. With the capability to upload snippets of video, an arsenal of filters, and handy editing tools, you can take a picture from blah to drool-worthy. If you take great photos and invest time in finding the right hashtags, you can make Instagram work for you. Instagram is one of the trendiest platforms right now, and is perfect if you’re looking to capture 18–29 year olds. With over 53% of 18-28 year olds using Instagram, it has overtaken Facebook and Twitter as the most popular site with younger audiences. It also has a predominately female user base.

Our top tip? Take the time to stage photos properly. For more on that go here and here.

Post ideas: Feature customer reviews, behind-the-scenes shots of your office, or show off a collection of your products.

PINTEREST:  A mecca for designers, interior decorators, and brides-to-be, Pinterest is the place for all things girly. On a site built for browsing, you have to be able to catch a potential customer's eye -- this means carefully curating the look of each board, and keeping your boards organized by category (such as food, travel, design, etc) so that people can follow just the board they're interested in. Pinterest has a predominantly female audience with 42% of online women pinning on the regular. These women also tend to have more disposable income -- make it a good place to sell expensive products or optional services.

Post ideas: Organize boards focused around your products, or inspiration that relates to the services you sell.

SNAPCHAT: With 79% of its users under the age of 25, Snapchat is definitely a younger man’s game. Use Snapchat to share real-life action -- it allows your clients to see exactly what you’re doing, and if you are selling products it’s perfect for taking your audience behind-the-scenes. We don’t know alot about the average Snapchat user -- but we do know that 71% of everyone who uses the platform is under 25, and around 70% are female. With the exception of business like boutiques, Snapchat probably isn’t the best platform for a small business to utilize.

Post ideas: Employee takeovers, behind the scenes, and day-to-day life.

PERISCOPE: Periscope is a video streaming app that allows real time interaction with your followers. By “going live” with Periscope you stream and connect with your followers at any time, from any location. The best part about Periscope is that it integrates with Twitter -- allowing you to utilize your existing audience and reach a larger audience.

Post ideas: live Q & A, tutorial on how to use a new product, or live event updates.  

LINKEDIN: LinkedIn is like a virtual resume -- it’s all about making connections with other professionals. You can upload your resume, link to your portfolio website, share your professional insight, apply to jobs, and connect with employers all in one place. LinkedIn is great for people who need to market business-to-business or business owners who are looking to use their personal profile to make direct connections with potential customers. Specifically, LinkedIn Pulse is a great place to stay in the know about industry information, and show off your own expertise. A news feed within LinkedIn, Pulse is designed for members to share self-published content. You can also follow major brands or industry leaders!

Post ideas: Business insights, new job postings, and industry updates.

Each network has it’s own benefits and drawbacks, and there are tons of sites we weren’t even able to cover! The key to success is picking 2-3 sites that work well with your services/products, sticking with them, and posting regularly. Seeing a return on social media can take months of diligence -- but in a digital world, it’s an inevitable investment.

Thinking social media still might be a little much for you to handle? Need full time help? Give us a call at 336-365-8559 and we can set you up with all the help you need to get your social media up and running smoothly!

Staying up to date with your social media can be a full time job! Posting content every day can seem a little overwhelming, but there are plenty of resources available to help streamline the process.

One  |  Getting started is one of the hardest parts about social media. Using these tips starting your pages will be easy.

Two | Social Media is how you connect with your audience. Your posts should be strategically planned out in order to see the kind of interaction that you want. Here are 5 habits successful social media experts use to get the most from their efforts.

Three  |  Making the time for social media can be exhausting, but with the right strategy you can fit it into an hour a day! Use this step-by-step plan to get in the habit of devoting each day to a different task.

Four  |  When planning out your posts for the week, you want to make sure you’re posting at the right times. This isn’t the same for everyone or every account -- but there are a few times when users are most active online. Don’t hesitate to play around and see what works best for you!

Five  |  Using tools is a great way to help you stay organized with your posts. These 10 tools will make your managing all your accounts (and your life) a little easier!

Need full time help? We can do that! Social media is a crucial part of any digital marketing plan -- let us reduce your stress and ensure that a good job is being done.

After almost a month offline, we're back -- and our site is better than ever. We've added a few fresh graphics, updated our portfolio, and created a more informative homepage. 

Best of all, we have a bright new set of quote templates to share with you. Optimized for social media, this set of three templates features pop art inspired colors. The high contrast between the colorful accents and dark grey background makes for a can't miss graphic that will stand out on any social media feed.

While we're always a fan of clean and simple, we have a soft spot for this playful diamond pattern (perfect for fashion bloggers)!

Download the Adobe Illustrator file here to start customizing! 

Have a request for a freebie? Tell us in the comments section! 

Reclaimed Lumber and Beams is a fun client to work with because, quite frankly, I want to personally purchase almost everything they sell. Partnering with this business on social & design projects means looking through photo after photo of gorgeous, hand-crafted wooden furniture and home installations. 

Today's Client Spotlight is a look at the warm, visual social presence we've created for RLB. 

Who They Are: A North Carolina-based business with a big national footprint, integrating reclaimed wood/antique lumber from the Appalachian mountains into residential and commercial construction (think: everything from rustic mantles, doors and tables to barnwood siding and flooring). 

What They Needed: RLB draws clients from all over the U.S., so they needed social that could reach wide and convert to sales, while still maintaining a personal, small-business feel.

What We Delivered: The Reclaimed Lumber and Beams Facebook page  is warm, conversational, and heavy on photography -- giving potential customers a glimpse of the wide variety of projects RLB could create for their home, office, or venue. Q&As and behind-the-scenes content keep followers engaged, and links drive them back to the RLB website. This is retail, but it's not big-box -- projects are personalized and driven by the customer. Glimpses of previous projects get those ideas moving for soon-to-be clients.

The takeaway? Every business has a personality, and its social presence should match up with it. A cool, detached tone works for some businesses, but that's not the personality RLB needed to project online. 

What personality are you cultivating for your business or organization on social media? If you have questions, I'd love to talk.

Note: Today’s installment of the branding series is a guest post from Meghan Frick

You probably don’t need to be told that social media’s a powerful tool for your business – whatever your business is. And social media is important for your business for the same reasons it’s such a force in your personal life – it’s a way to build real friendships and networks, based around pretty much anything.

At its core and at its best, social media is about relationships. You are in the best position to strengthen your business when you are building genuine relationships with potential clients, customers, and partners.

That’s easier to do when your social media accounts are tied together with a consistent visual and editorial brand. When you post and when you interact with other users, people should know – seamlessly, easily – who they’re interacting with. Here are a few easy ways to strengthen your social branding.

1. Brand your images

Watermarking the photos you post to social media is a simple way to include a visual reminder of your business and what it stands for in nearly every post. Here’s how we do this at my day job. There are a ton of different options for branding your photos, but we accomplished this effect by converting our logo into a Photoshop brush preset.

Tip: Unless you’re a photography business – meaning your images are the product you sell – don’t make your watermark so obtrusive that it would deter other users from sharing your images. In most industries, you want people sharing your images on social! The brand is more of a visual cue than a banner proclaiming “this is mine!” 

2. Take advantage of valuable real estate

Any social media account you create comes with some built-in real estate that allows you to communicate your visual brand. Think cover photos, profile images, “about” sections, etc. Don’t let these go to waste. For your cover images, create collages or sharp, appealing graphics. Use sections like your Twitter bio to point to other content, like your most recent blog post or your business’s other social-media accounts. Never leave a profile picture or a bio blank – be strategic in your use of these “built-in” sections.

3. Pay careful attention to consistency of quality

Put another way: if you’re going to put it out there, make it good. Shoot and select sharp photos. Carefully proof your writing – and, if you’re prone to mistakes, let someone else comb through it too. Develop a consistent editorial style (for example, refer to yourself and your business in the same way; no fluctuating between I and we). Develop a reasonable consistency of written tone – many accounts do well with a decidedly untraditional tone, but you don’t want to switch between that and super-seriousness.

I’ll end with a warning, though.

I approach social media – even for business purposes – with an attitude of “inspiration, not rules.” If I’m tweeting live and don’t have time to brand a photo, I post the photo anyway. If a slightly blurry image reflects an exceptional moment, I sharpen it up as much as I can in Photoshop…and then I post it anyway. You don’t want to seem canned, and you don’t want your branding efforts to detract from real communication and opportunities to share what you and your organization are all about.

How do you brand your social media accounts? How has social media been valuable to you as a professional? Let us know in the comments!

Meghan Frick is a communications and social media specialist for the Georgia Department of Education by day, and a blogger and freelancer by night. Connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, or her blog.