Business -- 9 months ago
5 Social Media Trends that Every Entrepreneur Should Know About
Words: Violet
It will come as no surprise to you that social media is becoming more and more integrated and companies are at a point where they simply cannot not ignore them if they are to succeed. For the up and coming entrepreneur, staying on top of social media trends is crucial so we have brought you our top 5 for 2014.
1. GOOGLE +, For the last few years, everyone has been waiting for this platform to hit the big time. In 2014, I think it is safe to say that Google is very close to ruling the world. As in times of yore, the best way to impress the king was to spend time in his court, which is exactly what you should do when it comes to social media. As an entrepreneur, you must utilise your Google+ Business page as it will improve your SEO, and the more you post and share, the more your number will grow. Just be sure to consistently use keywords and post creative content that provide shareable links. You can also create a Local Google+ page which is a great way to promote your business location and creates yet another platform which Google will love to show the world.
2. VISUAL CONTENT, Stats have shown that 63% of social media consists of imagery. A picture paints a thousand words and the rise of Instagram and Pinterest, plus the limitation of words on Twitter, makes this more true every day. You should be looking to produce creative content with snapshots that promote your own personal brand and will be shared over and over again. Memes and GIFs are everywhere and any entrepreneur who can pull a viral out of his sleeve will be have a huge advantage over the competition. Don’t forget video. Did we mention Google owns YouTube as well? Linking your business with a YouTube video and then sharing on Google+, Facebook and Twitter will all go to gaining brownie points with the big man upstairs (and by that we mean Google).
3. BLOG AWAY, People love to see the personality behind the business and what better way to give yourself a voice than blogging? You are the face of your business, and people want to know your thoughts. Blog readers are essentially super fans, and creating a blog not only brands you as an expert and keeps fresh content on your website, it will also bring people to your website. Knowledge is power, and if your customers feel you have given them both, it will only benefit you.
4. HAVE AN ACTUAL VOICE – PRODUCE PODCASTS!, Speaking of giving yourself a voice, the podcast is a developing trend that needs to be fully explored. The main benefit? Podcasts can reach people when other social media can’t, such as in the car. Hands free social media, it’s genius. With an immediate person-to-person connection, podcasts are blogs for the ears and reaches just that little bit further to your customer on the go.
5. HASHTAG CENTRAL, In keeping with promoting a lifestyle rather than just a product, hashtags are a wonderful way to get people talking about your company. Hashtags can now be used across all social media platforms and will be integrated in to Google searches, so it really is the way to create a buzz. Twitter has the advantage of being an ever flowing stream and with people checking their phones allegedly 110 times a day, you really can’t miss out by not hopping on the hashtag train. It doesn’t have to be product related, it just brings people to your site. A particular example is the innovative #MusicMondays from Urban Outfitters. Make your hashtag personal to you and share the love.
By Rio West
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