Social Media Marketing for Dummies - Part 2: Facebook

Well, this is overdue!

Back on June 6th, I started talking about how to use Social Media as an efficient marketing tool.

Today, I'm going into specifics. We're talking Facebook!
I know this is a "basics" class for some, but you'll have to look elsewhere on how to make a fanpage.

Facebook Promoted Posts

Option 1

Once your page is created, you can use "Facebook Promoted Pages" to get a boost in awareness. It's easy to use, and it's great to target a specific audience.

You can choose location (always good to segment geographically!).

You can choose interests (you know when Facebook asks you to click "like" on certain books, or hobbies? Well, you can use this information to target someone specific. If I'm selling hockey sticks, I can choose to only show my ad to someone who "likes" hockey, therefore limiting "wasted" targeting and getting a better ROI for your pay-per-like fee).

It will also show you a daily budget option, along with estimated number of new likes per day.

Option 2

You can also promote a single post from your page, instead of promoting your page in general. Doing a "Post Boost" lets you control what you want the population to see. Instead of seeing "Pierre's Hockey Sticks", they can see a specific photo of a product, or a post detailing a testimonial from a brand ambassador, etc. You decide what you want to boost!

Same as option 1, you can segment geographically and by interests, have daily budgets and estimated traffic.

Option 3

However, as we talked about before, everything depends on WHAT is your GOAL!

If it's raising awareness and getting more likes on Facebook so you can get the word out, then option 1 mentioned above is a good starting point.

If you want to raise online sales, because you're too cool for Facebook and don't care about likes and just want to go straight to the money, then you can use "Facebook Promoted Website".

Here, you link an "ad" that redirects the traffic to a specific web page on your site instead of by-passing on your Facebook page. By doing so, all of your clicks are already converted into website traffic, increasing online sales potential.

Same as options 1 and 2, you can segment geographically and by interests, have daily budgets and estimated traffic.

These are my 3 favorite integrated promotion tools from Facebook. Did I miss something you find important? Please comment below!

Facebook Insights

Now that you're putting effort into your Facebook presence, what should you do next?

Make sure you become familiar with Facebook Insights. It offers SO MUCH valuable information for free!

Such information includes best day of the week and best time of day to post (when you have the most active users), what type of posts are getting more engagement (text VS photo VS etc.),

It also gives you plenty of statistics, such as segmentation details (audience info), overall reach, visits, and geographical information on your followers. 

For now, I won't go into further details. I will eventually post about evaluating your overall Online marketing using Google Analytics, and will cover Facebook Insights in this post-to-come.

Any questions before then, just give me a shout!

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Pierre Babineau is an MBA graduate from Laval University. Currently working as an Industrial Marketing Advisor at FPInnovations, he has worked in Canada, USA, South Africa and India in numerous positions such as International Development Agent, Head of Trade Mission, Director of Internet Marketing and an Independent Consultant for various companies.

You can reach Pierre Babineau on Twitter, LinkedIn or on his personal website.

Follow @pierrebab

Make Sales With Twitter in #MONCTON!

Tweet

I started talking about different social media tools last blog, and this time I'm just gonna discuss Twitter. I remember seeing a similar post on Twirp Communication's website a few weeks back, and I thought I could use the same idea for Moncton instead of Halifax.

I have too many clients who think that being on Twitter is irrelevant. I'm going to show you multiple examples of why being on Twitter can land you some $$ in Moncton. And hey, if it works in the small town of Moncton, it'll work virtually everywhere! ;)

Here are a few examples of searches and the results you can get [Of course, every search has "Moncton" + the following words]. I have some from random dates, just went through them quickly to give examples:

Search for "Recommend"

Anyone out there a photographer? Looking at Tina Robichaud, I'd say there are opportunities to get some work in the area! Go out there, look at what's going on, and reach out to potential clients! You can look at the conversation to see where it leads. You need to be on Twitter so people can recommend you!

Anyone has a good wedding videographer to recommend in #PEI or the #Moncton region?
— Tina Robichaud (@TinaRobichaud) June 17, 2014

Search for "Where can I"

Now, this is another simple one! Someone's looking for rubber boots ...you sell some? Tell her! I'm sure the Service Shoe Store on Mechanic street sells some!

And on a related note, where can I find rainboots?! I don't even care if they're cute at this point I just really need a pair #moncton
— B Spence (@BekkaLeygh) June 17, 2014

Here, I saw this post from Michelle looking for a cooler. I KNOW Home Hardware sells them, so our local franchisee should be on top of that!

Anyone know if I can get/buy one of those wooden coolers in the #moncton area? If so, where? (Pis attached) pic.twitter.com/K0CHboq6UJ
— Michelle (@m_sleblanc) September 11, 2013

Now, nothing against Olivia, but I guess there are still people in this world who want to buy Crocs?? ...No idea who actually sells them, but somebody could make a sale!

Serious question where can I buy crocks in the city of moncton ?????????
— Olivia Chamberland (@livlivv14) September 9, 2014

With all these MIA Tweeters, it's nice to see someone using it properly. Susie is looking for a new phone ...observe:

@susieairheart Not sure about Rogers, but we can help you at 1633 Mountain Road :) http://t.co/C4MGXnuW8Z
— GBS Mobility (@GBSMobility) June 16, 2014

Damage Control

Twitter can be useful on many fronts: you can also manage "crises'" through social media. Look at the following tweet of our friend Chase Wallace:

I recommend everyone try the new burrito place "guacamole" in Moncton! http://t.co/Y1pmncnwJF
— Chase Wallace (@Air_Bizzle) May 21, 2014

What the restaurant might see as good publicity turned bad. Look at what Chase's friend had to say about the restaurant:

@Air_Bizzle my sister got food poisoning from there the other day
— Whitney Beers (@WhitBeers) May 22, 2014

Talk about a double-edged knife! Make sure you're on top of that, to reassure everyone of your food quality and the control and efforts made to sell nothing but the freshest ingredients in town :)

And, for the record, I've been to Guacamole Mexican Street Food restaurant many times and I can say it's delicious, and I'd have no worries about food safety - just someone crying wolf ...

You hear of great success through Twitter and great fails as well, but it's nice to be brought back to Earth and acknowledge that, even in the small town of Moncton, you can achieve marketing through social media!

Ad of the week

I must admit, it's simple but I like it. I guess when you have an unlimited budget for advertising, it's easier to try different things...

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Pierre Babineau is an MBA graduate from Laval University. Currently working as an Industrial Marketing Advisor at FPInnovations, he has worked in Canada, USA, South Africa and India in numerous positions such as International Development Agent, Head of Trade Mission, Director of Internet Marketing and an Independent Consultant for various companies.

You can reach Pierre Babineau on Twitter, LinkedIn or on his personal website.

Follow @pierrebab

Social Media Marketing for Dummies - Part 1

Tweet According to Statistic Brain's research that was published in January 2014, the total percentage of 18-24 year olds who use social media is 98%. Overall, 11% of the world's population are active members on social media.

However, numerous companies are ignoring this marketing platform. You have to wonder why they are avoiding such a enormous accessible population, especially when the monetary investment is so limited!

I've only been in my current marketing consulting job for 8 months, but I'm starting to realize there's still important barriers for most companies to invest time in their social media presence. Here are a few aspects to consider when planning out your social media marketing campaign:

What is your goal?

Just like any other marketing campaign, you need to know WHAT you want to achieve.

Many companies join Facebook, post a few pictures, and then disappear for 4 months. And then, when I ask them "Have you ever considered social media marketing?", they'll answer "Ah yeah, I've tried it ...useless, never got anything out of it!"

Guess what - if you buy a time slot on TV, film a random video and send it out, do you really think you'll get an interesting ROI?

Listen, I know it's new technology, but STOP BEING AN IDIOT (is what I'd want to say but don't...).

If you're going to put some effort into your marketing, do it right! First thing's first, WHAT IS YOUR GOAL? Raise awareness? Get more likes on Facebook or more followers on Twitter? Drive more traffic on your website? Get more sales on your online store? Everything can be achieved, but they all take a different route to reach the desired outcome.

Oh yeah, and a little kicker on the side: social media presence will boost your search ranking within search engines, increase your reach and influence, help your overall branding, and plenty of other yummy stuff.

Great, I know what I want. What now?

Well, let's get one thing straight. Even if Facebook dominates the social media world with over 1.2 billion users, a company needs to do their research before starting a social media marketing campaign.

Time for a guessing game - which country has the most engaged population on social media (how many hours per month are spent per person, in average, in the country). USA? Canada? Maybe in the UK?

I had a client who wanted to sell in Israel. He told me there was no way social media would work - they're not in North America so they probably don't use it a lot like us.

Guess what - comScore's report has Israel #1 with an average of 11.1 hours per month back in 2011. Where was the USA? Not even in the top 10!


Now that we agree that social media is everywhere, let's get another thing straight: going on Facebook isn't always the answer!

Depending what your goal and your target audience is, there are a multitude of options. Whether it be Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+, Tumblr, Instagram, or even foreign sites such as Sina Weibo, Vkontakte, Renren or Odnoklassniki, the possibilities are numerous.

For instance, if you want to export to Russia: being a very populous country with engaged users, is Facebook the right choice? NO. Russia's #1 social media website is V Kontakte. Do your research people!

Once you know who your target audience is and which social media platform offers the greatest reach, you're on your way to create a whopper of a marketing campaign (speaking of whoppers, how great was the "sacrifice 10 friends, get a free whopper" Facebook promotion? ...yeah, Google it you millennium caveman!)

OK, sooo what now?

I usually tend to discuss this with the CEOs from the start - if you want to do a quick marketing campaign, just snoop around on your competitors' social media websites. You'll get a good idea of what to do to keep up.

If I'd finish my prep talk there, I'd be a pretty shitty marketing consultant eh?

The real good stuff is in thinking outside the box (I hate overused expressions...) which means you snoop on your competition to know what NOT to do. Unless you're selling blenders - better start blending some iPhones and golf balls to try and catch up with Blendtec!

You need to think of:
1. What is your goal?
2. What is your target audience?
3. How will you create something engaging to create interest?
4. How will you know if it's working?

This and much more coming next week!

Until then, here's the "Ad of the Week [that's not an actual ad but should be]..." - Enjoy! :)



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Pierre Babineau is an MBA graduate from Laval University. Currently working as an Industrial Marketing Advisor at FPInnovations, he has worked in Canada, USA, South Africa and India in numerous positions such as International Development Agent, Head of Trade Mission, Director of Internet Marketing and an Independent Consultant for various companies.

You can reach Pierre Babineau on Twitter, LinkedIn or on his personal website.

Follow @pierrebab

The Art of Viral Marketing

With April Fool's comes all of the hype for which company will win the marketing race. What company will create a buzz and raise awareness for their company?

Viral marketing is the best way to create awareness for your company. Reaching millions of people at the fraction of the cost of any other channel (TV, Radio or others).

Who can forget last year's "Introducing Google Nose" video, where Google employees discussed their newest Beta Launch of the "Search by Smell" feature (watch it by clicking this Link).

This morning, I woke up to this beautiful rendition of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (click HERE to listen) by Billy Joel and Jimmy Fallon.

Without talking about Jimmy's beautiful tie or Billy Joel's amazing voice, I am always astonished by the absurd amount of views a video can get in a small period of time. Then I got to thinking: what does it take to make a viral video?

Obviously, if you're somewhat famous and do something stupid (cue Rob Ford's 23 viral videos ...), it's easy to get noticed. However, how does an "average" company get a boost of awareness through viral marketing?

Before starting, here are some my favorites (and the links, in case you don't know them):
1) Volkswagen's The Fun Theory. Never heard of it? Check out The World's Deepest Bin (Link), The Piano Stairs (Link) and The Speed Camera Lottery (Link)
2) Dove Real Beauty Sketches...has anyone not seen it? (Link)
3) What about this awesome ad to promote the movie Carrie (Link)? 
4) WestJet's Christmas Miracle (Link) ...I remember everyone talking about this, both at family events or when spending time with friends. [Side note: Did you know they "kinda" stole the idea from KLM's "Surprise" ad from 2010 (Link)?]
5) Molson Canadian's Beer Fridge ... it just keeps getting better and better, started with the Canada Day ad (Link) and ran into the Olympics ad (Link). Why change a winning strategy?
List goes on and on, from "Will it Blend", Honda's "Pintermission", Old Spice's "Smell Like a Man, Man", etc. etc. 

So all of those videos are from big companies, and you're thinking it's impossible for an SME to create such a buzz. Check out Dollar Shave Club's video - BRILLIANT! (Link)

What makes a viral video?

Now, to important stuff.

If you looked at my "Top 5", you realize that there are some common areas as well as completely different approaches.

You have to follow the trends of the present time. When you look at Volkswagen's ads, they are about being more responsible, either by encouraging safer driving, exercise or reducing pollution. People can easily relate, and it creates a sense of engagement.

When you look at Dove's advertisement, it's all about true beauty, and making children feel good about themselves and limit the effect of advertising on their self-confidence. Honestly, who wouldn't want to create a buzz about that (other than Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jefferies ..) [For those who have never seen the video, watch it HERE]

Don't sell something - just create awareness!

This is something I tell all of my clients. If you're on social media, or any Internet platform outside of your website, DON'T TRY TO SELL SOMETHING! Your website is to sell your product or service. That's it!

People are on the Internet to have fun. They're on social media to be with friends. Nobody wants to hear sales pitches. So, where does that leave you?

First of all, become "part of the gang". Exchange ideas, discuss current events, explain new technologies ...pretty much do anything except advertise your products that are for sale! If the consumer likes what you have to say, they'll go check out your website which will sell your products for you.

Social media and everything involved, including viral marketing, should not be used in a "sales" tool. Look at Volkswagen's ads - do you see anything related to selling a car? 

Understand how viral marketing works

Yes, the idea behind viral marketing is that you reach a larger audience than usual by "loosing control" on the ad itself and letting it loose on the Internet.

However, you need to understand how to tap into all of the right channels to give it a good push to start it off.

Use social media. Every single one of them! Reddit, StumbleUpon, UpWorthy as well as FaceBook, Twitter and all of the rest. 

At the end of the day, you want some bloggers to pick up on the video and then they'll write about it which will reach a huge audience. Feel free to email the bloggers to get their attention. Tweet them too. Anything to catch their attention!

When should you post it?

Something else to consider is what day you post your video.

"People watch YouTube videos when they're at work. They read the news at work. Release your video on Monday or Tuesday to give it the whole week to gain momentum. Weekends are speed bumps" says Karen X Cheng on her blog, after her experience with her viral video Girl Learns to Dance in a Year.

Statistics will show that both active users and the amount of posts are higher at the start and at the end of the workday, which coincides with the arrival to the office and the last minutes before leaving the office. Weekends are dead weight, so make sure you time it right!

Product placement

Get other parties involved in creating a buzz and pushing the video.

What brand of clothing are you wearing in your video? Are you using a certain camera? Find reasons for companies to relate to your videos, and contact them. Some might share your video through their social media platforms, raving about how good the young gentleman looks in the video. Other may not want to be part of it. Try everything and everyone!

Make it short and sweet

Remember the KISS rule - Keep It Simple Stupid!

Don't over-do it. In this day in age, people have a short attention span. Get it done, and make it worth their time!

Get the most out of YouTube

The best way to become viral is to make it to YouTube's top page. 

This means that, within one of YouTube's categories, you want to be the most watched. When you post your video, consider this wisely - your video may fit in different categories, pick the one with the least competition!

The most important thing to remember out of all of this is the following:

Making a great video won't make it viral. You need to push it out and continue putting effort until the snowball effect takes over and helps carry the momentum!

With all this said and done, what is your favorite viral ad / your favorite April Fool's ad? 

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Pierre Babineau is an MBA graduate from Laval University. Currently working as an Industrial Marketing Advisor at FPInnovations, he has worked in Canada, USA, South Africa and India in numerous positions such as International Development Agent, Head of Trade Mission, Director of Internet Marketing and an Independent Consultant for various companies.

You can reach Pierre Babineau on Twitter, LinkedIn or on his personal website.

Follow @pierrebab