You’re probably a little tired of the hype by now: social media is the art of making your audience love you. But what about the other way around–do you love your user base? As Valentines Day rolls around this 2012, it’s important to remember that marketing romance is a two way street. So, to return to our original point: how’s your Facbook these days?

The key for the any-size business looking to build an online following is to target the appropriate demographic. Most interestingly, per the Facebook developers, the typical person who “likes” organizations has over twice the number of friends than the average Facebook user. These are the folks who utilize Facebook as a hobby, and not simply as a networking tool. They willingly spend their free time on Facebook, which means that to earn their interest, you need to pay out in terms of entertainment value. Provide links and talk about your business, but do so in a way that’s interesting, engaging, and for goodness sakes, write about things people want to actually read! There’s no captive audience when it comes to social media.

Another key demographic you’ll want to court is the to 25-39 age range. Why? The average Facebook “liker” is aged 34. That means no matter what your typical customer base is comprised of, spend some time preparing content that’s of value people who fit in this range. Above all else, be proactive about your social media strategy, and entertain while illustrating your services.

Until next time,
www.buyeradvertising.com

You’re a small business. You work hard, but you don’t have thousands to invest in a multiamedia, cross-channel campaign to buff up your social media standing. You need practical advice you can easily translate into more “likes” on Facebook, more followers on Twitter. Here are a few tips for your to get the lead out–without breaking the bank.

1. Share useful articles, videos, and links to resources that can directly benefit your customer.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or for fresh ideas—it keeps your fan base interested and interactive.

3. Post at least once a week. Activity keeps you relevant in the mighty eyes of Google.

4. List ways to connect with other parts of your business. For example, a link where your fans can sign up for your newsletter.

5. Post recent work or ongoing collaborations. Even if you’re a resource for your fans, they still don’t mind hearing (occasionally) about what’s going on in that office of yours.

6. Actively network. Find similar companies and message them. Identify client bases, and do what you can to tap into them.

7. Offer discounts. Better yet, offer discounts only available to your Facebook fans.

‘Til next time,

Buyer Advertising
www.buyerads.com

Congratulations. You’ve set out to build a social media audience, and you’ve met your goal. Whether you’ve gone the route of Twitter or Facebook–or both–you’ve enticed the crowds and proved yourself a social media success. So now what?

The power of many is the opportunity that your audience provides. Consider this: tapping into a large group of people at once, through the power of the Internet, to help with a question or challenge you’re facing. Companies like Mountain Dew have, in the past, used their social media network to let fans vote on the new look of their brand. Meanwhile, businesses like Kickstarter tap their audiences to raise funds for good causes. Companies have also been known to call on their fans directly for creative talent or to find leads.

At the same time, you want to be smart when it comes to tapping your audiences. Don’t give away more information than you’d like about your current strategy, and don’t reveal clients that would prefer to stay anonymous. And remember—this goes for double if you’re a publically-traded company—never admit you’re in dire need of help. Keep it positive, remain excited for new opportunities that your own personal crowd can bring you, and await (and hopefully receive!) some powerful results.

Until next time,
Buyer Advertising

New Year Brings New ways to Save

Mobile technology has evolved rapidly in the last few years, and 2012 is promising new innovations for smart phone and associated technology. Swiping your phone is already a very accessible way to pay at many major restaurants. Mobile technology is also pushing in a new direction: coupons. Designed for touch-enabled smartphones like the Droid and iPhone, mobile coupons work work at the app level by displaying a coupon with a specific code that can be either scanned or entered into an online ordering system. And if the coupon out of date or expired? Too bad—it won’t display anymore.

Mobile coupons seem like a cute idea, but they make a lot of sense, too. It brings chronic coupon clippers up to date with new technology, and leads the bargain-savvy into logging on daily for the latest deals—meaning you’ve got an audience just itching to learn about your products. Mobile coupons are green, too. No paper needed.

Of course, there’s a ways to go before you can shelf your zip-lock bag full of Shaw’s coupons. You won’t find many storefronts (especially in mom and pop operations) that are happy to accept a coupon in the form of a picture on your phone. But the technology is both catchy and catching on: two ingredients needed for future growth. Keep an ear to the rails (and your hand on your smartphone).

Signing off for now,

Buyer Advertising
www.buyerads.com

As adherents to the venue that is advertising, you’re no shrinking violet when it comes to online initiates. You may even have heard of heat mapping, a technique that tracks users’ eyes when they view a website for the first time. It’s a useful tool when evaluating your website, but what’s more interesting is how it stacks up against Facebook pages—giving us insight into the way consumers take in your profile information.

EyeTrackShop, an organization that develops and institutes eye tracking software, recently came out with a study demonstrating the way surfers scan your Facebook.

Stated simply, people pay the most attention to the following sections of your site:

– Profile picture
– “Fan” list
– Content, based on scanning from top to bottom.

What does this mean when setting up your own Facebook page to maximize attention? Don’t skip steps. Place in a meaningful profile picture. Make sure you have a fan base that can be scanned. And, importantly, make sure your content is fresh and relevant.

Signing off for now,

Buyer Advertising
www.buyerads.com

When faced with a blank slate and the seemingly insurmountable task of creating a community for your business, many marketers grow leery. It can be a difficult proposition, starting from scratch. Here are a few tips to set you down the path to online fame and fortune.

Make friends. Social media is a whole different species from traditional channels. When you’re deciding what to write in the omni-present “update” box, steer clear of anything that promotes your business. “Friends” are not customers, and they can smell a pitch a mile away. Stick to content that benefits them, not yourself.

Gain a little momentum. First rule of social media: empty fan lists tend to empty unless acted upon by an outside force. Ask friends and employees help “seed” your fan list to get you started. If your new fans like what they read, they just may invite friends of their own.

Keep it fun. All work and no play makes Jack… well, you know the saying. Facebook and its ilk are mediums of leisure—therefore, part of your posting strategy should be to entertain your fanbase. Try a few techniques and see what works best.

Until next time,

Buyer Advertising
www.buyerads.com

If you’re in the business of–well, business, and how you’re representing yourself to future employees is a large part of your preparations for overall engagement. How you represent yourselves to employees-to-be is very relevant to the success of your business. That’s because as you recruit talented people, your overall expertise and capabilities grow along with your employee pool. Your brands–your company and employer brands–don’t exist in a vacuum. There is always cross-contamination—for the better or worse. One example is Google—a fun, ultra-modern, Internet-savvy brand has since paved the way to an exceptional employee brand.

Even still, building an effective employee brand takes special attention. When it comes to your employer brand, take the time to get to know yourself. Conduct polls both inside your organization and outside to accurately gauge where you stand. From there, you can build a campaign that’s specific to hiring top talent—maximizing your advertising dollars spent. At Buyer Advertising, we recognize the critical importance of an employer brand, and in many cases, work specifically towards redefining that aspect of your company.

Signing off for now,

Buyer Advertising
www.buyerads.com

Once upon a time, apps for mobile phones were code for fun–small games you could play to kill time while waiting for the bathroom. Short for application, these third-party developed software programs live on Droid, iPhones, and BlackBerry devices, tucked away inside pockets across the world. But it’s not all fun and games–applications today are providing real value. In particular, specialty programs are connecting job seekers with open positions.

Job hunting is an unemployed worker’s game. On-the-go types with current positions looking to further their careers may find themselves with less time to spend on the job hunt. Yet, they remain an important demographic for job recruiters. Mobile applications help HR staff link up with qualified candidates by reaching out through their phones–and on a job seeker’s own schedule.

Such search apps include CareerBuilder’s program and Job Compass, and are already providing value to seekers and recruiters alike. Functionality includes detailed job descriptions with searchable criteria, the ability to view vacancies on a map, and to forward details to a computer for further inspection. As the nation’s workforce migrates away from the desk and becomes increasingly mobile, consider mobile recruiting as an effective, long-term goal for your hiring strategy.

Until next time,

Buyer Advertising
www.buyerads.com

Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, LinkedIn–concepts that give way to thoughts about real-time interaction and a healthy dose of anxiety if you haven’t been keeping up with the trend. With an astronomical growth in popularity of Facebook and Twitter-—not to mention a user base who is spending more and more of their leisure time online—social media remains a premier way to tackle your recruitment initiatives. Recruitment trends in education have a distinct flavor. Read on and discover what strategies schools and universities are using to pull in top talent.

Feedback in real-time. Nothing is more discouraging to potential job applicants than submitting their letter of interest or resume and then waiting… and waiting… and waiting. Posting their interest as a Facebook entry or blog comment allows an administrator to acknowledge them as a person and give feedback.

Multi-pronged attack vectors. Facebook, Twitter, blogging: educational institutions have been using a comprehensive strategy to reach out to students and talent alike. As large educational institutions create spaces for sports and students activities, it’s a no-brainer for them to use separate Facebook and Twitter pages specially designed to advertise jobs opportunities.

A learning experience. Just as candidates can click through and explore the culture and information on an institution of a higher ed., so too can a school explore the personality of a person. The tables have turned, and some hiring decisions are being made without ever meeting a candidate in person.

Signing off for now,
Buyer Advertising
www.buyerads.com