Crack the Social Media Code: Data-Driven Strategies to Boost Engagement

Do you ever feel like you’re shouting into the social media void? You spend countless hours crafting engaging content only to wonder if it’s making any difference at all. We understand!

Developing an effective social media strategy—one that fosters genuine engagement with your audience—can be a frustrating challenge for businesses of all sizes. We believe the key is in a two-pronged approach: identifying the right platforms for your brand and constantly refining your social media strategy based on data-driven insights.

The good news? Data can be your social media superpower. Understanding how your audience interacts with different platforms allows you to tailor your content and tactics for maximum engagement. In this blog post, we’ll delve into some of our favorite data-driven best practices for conquering the major social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.

Facebook: Where Conversation Reigns Supreme

While Facebook might not be the shiny new toy anymore, it remains a powerful platform for connecting with your audience. Here’s how to maximize engagement:

  • Know Your Audience and Tailor Content: Ever feel like you’re talking to a brick wall? Understanding your follower demographics and interests is crucial. Utilize Meta Audience Insights to tailor your content to resonate with their specific needs and preferences. Think of it like attending a party—you wouldn’t talk stocks with someone clearly there for dancing, right? You’d get out on the floor and dance alongside them!
  • Focus on Video Content: Attention spans are shorter than ever, and Facebook users are hungry for engaging visuals. Wyzowl reports that video content on Facebook generates five times more engagement than image-based content. Experiment with live videos to answer real-time audience questions, use explainer videos to showcase your product or service, and feature user-generated content of your brand in action. People love seeing themselves reflected in the brands they follow!
  • Respond to Comments and Messages: Social media is a two-way street. Maintain an active presence by responding to comments and messages promptly. Sprout Social found that 69% of customers expect brands to respond to their social media messages within 24 hours. It’s a small gesture that goes a long way in building trust and fostering loyalty.

Instagram: All About the Visual Story

Instagram is a visual playground, perfect for showcasing your brand personality and connecting with your audience on a more personal level. Here are some data-driven tips to take your Instagram game to the next level:

  • Optimize Post Timing: When it comes to Instagram, timing is everything! Sprout Social found that the best times to post on Instagram vary by industry but generally fall between Tuesday and Thursday, with peak engagement times between 10 AM and 2 PM CST. Don’t have time to manually post during these peak hours? Utilize social media scheduling tools to ensure consistent posting and maximize your reach.

  • Embrace Reels and Stories: Short-form video content reigns supreme! Instagram reports that Reels generate significantly more engagement than feed posts. Think bite-sized tutorials, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or even humorous skits showcasing your brand’s personality. And don’t forget about Stories! These disappearing snapshots allow for real-time interaction with your audience. Leverage features like polls, quizzes, and questions in Stories to boost audience interaction and start a conversation.

  • Use Hashtags Strategically: Hashtags are a powerful tool for discovery, but using too many or irrelevant ones can hurt your reach. Aim for a mix of popular, niche, and branded hashtags to reach a wider audience while staying relevant to your content. Research and select hashtags that are relevant to your content and target audience. Simply Measured reports that posts with at least one hashtag average 12.6% more engagement than those without.

LinkedIn: Building Your Thought Leader Status

LinkedIn is the professional network where you can establish yourself as an industry thought leader and connect with potential clients and partners. Here are some tips to leverage data and drive engagement on LinkedIn:

Turning Up the Volume on TikTok

TikTok, the short-form video platform, has exploded in popularity, especially among a younger demographic. If you’re wondering how to use TikTok for marketing, here are a few ways to leverage the most recent data and create engaging content for the TikTok audience:

  • Authenticity is King: If you want to make the most of TikTok, ditch the overly produced videos and showcase your brand’s personality with a human touch. Statista reports that 90% of TikTok users prefer more authentic content. Let your brand voice shine through, embrace humor, and don’t be afraid to show the real people behind your business.

  • Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC): A recent article from Klaviyo highlights that 40% of TikTok users consider UGC “extremely” or “very” important when making purchasing decisions. One way to unleash the power of user-generated content is to encourage your audience to create and share content featuring your brand. This could be anything from product reviews or tutorials to funny dance challenges related to your brand. 

  • Focus on Short-Form Video Content: Keep it short and sweet! Studies by HubSpot suggest keeping videos under 1 minute for optimal performance. TikTok is all about quick, engaging clips that capture attention fast and leave viewers wanting more.

Let Us Craft Your Social Media Symphony

Social media is a dynamic landscape, and the key to success lies in understanding your audience, adapting your strategy, and consistently delivering valuable content. By implementing these data-driven tips and staying true to your brand story, you can crack the social media code and cultivate meaningful engagement across all platforms.

If you feel overwhelmed by the complexities of social media marketing, don’t despair! Here at Green Apple Strategy, we have a team who can help you develop a winning strategy, create captivating content, and manage your social media presence across all platforms. Reach out to us today to learn how we can help you create a social media symphony that resonates with your audience and drives significant results for your business.

How To Hone Your Social Media Strategy

Social media is a powerful marketing tool, but it can be challenging to plan and execute successfully. Because there are so many different platforms with changing algorithms, it can be a challenge to make content choices that resonate with your audience. Although it may seem complex, the best practices of content creation also apply to social media. In this blog, we wanted to get back to basics, reminding you of the simple but effective way you can cut through the noise and consistently engage your audience. 

 

Define Your Target Audience

If your content doesn’t resonate with your audience, it’s missing the mark. But the best way to determine what might increase follows, clicks, and shares is to have a solid concept of who your audience is. Your target audience is the group of people most likely to be interested in your product or service. Take a moment to clarify who that is. If you’re working with a marketing agency, they should be able to tell you who is most interested in your brand, including demographic features like geographic location, income bracket, and interests. With this information in hand, you can tailor your content more accurately to address the needs of your potential customers. 

 

Figure Out Where Your Audience Is 

Defining your target audience will also help you to know which social media platforms to focus on. If your audience is on TikTok, posting on LinkedIn won’t reach them. Determine the platforms your clients and customers prefer before creating content for them. Defining your target audience will also help you to know which social media platforms to focus on. If you’re feeling a little confused about how to determine this, our recent blog can help you identify which platforms are right for your business.

 

Create Engaging Content 

When it comes to creating engaging content, let your target audience, brand goals, messaging, and brand voice help guide you. Varying content to include infographics, photos, and videos is essential. It can be easy to get carried away, investing in content or formats that don’t resonate with your audience. Remember to engage in self-reflection to accurately assess your approach. What might grab someone’s attention? Don’t be afraid to conduct research on competitors or other accounts your audience is following. Other brands and influencers can give you creative ideas about how to effectively present your content. There are dozens of social media marketing tools that can help you organize ideas, strategize, create images, post content, and measure results. Take a look at this blog to read about the five tools we’ve come to rely on over the years.

 

Identify Your Benchmarks and Goals

Katie Shayotovich, one of Green Apple’s Marketing Strategists, always makes it a priority to research and identify industry benchmarks for each client she manages. 

“Looking up benchmarks for your industry can help you understand if your engagements and impressions are hitting the mark. For example, here are higher education benchmarks for 2023. These benchmarks can help a brand determine what their realistic goals should be and help strategize content ideas.”

It’s important to set goals and strategic pillars for your content, and accurate benchmarks can help you set realistic and achievable social media goals. These goals can then help you assess how content is performing. Part of your goals should also be deciding what you want prospects to do when they interact with your social media presence. Do you want to build brand awareness? Drive them to the website? Fill out a contact form? Share your content and increase your social media reach? What helps you turn a lead into a customer? The answer will be different for every organization.  

 

Review Analytics Monthly 

Take a step back and look at the analytics. Longitudinal data from previous months or years will equip you with meaningful insights that can guide your future content creation. Understand what performed best and adjust your strategy accordingly. 

Determine how often you want to assess your reports for actionable data. We recommend reviewing reports monthly, but you can also check your analytics throughout the month as needed, especially if you notice a large spike or drop in engagement. If you’re brand new to social media reporting, this analytics template is a great starting point. But don’t get too caught up in the granular, shifting details. Instead, take a holistic viewpoint when it comes to assessing data. 

“These days, the follower count doesn’t matter as much. Growing your followers is important, but it doesn’t determine an account’s success. This is a common misconception I run across often. When reviewing analytics, your community and engagement numbers are more important and a better way to determine how engaged your audience is,” Strategist Katie Shayotovich explains.   

She also recommends conducting an in-depth quarterly digital marketing audit to identify opportunities that can keep your brand even further ahead of the curve. 

 

Let Us Help You With Your Social Media Strategy

Honing your social media strategy is an ongoing process that requires adaptability and a deep understanding of your audience.  If you need some guidance and support from marketing and PR experts, we’d love to help you set and reach social media goals that can move the needle on your brand recognition. Reach out any time to start the conversation. 

5 Tools to Manage Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

Social media has become the cornerstone of any successful marketing strategy in an increasingly digital world. But with the ever-evolving landscape of platforms, algorithms, and user behaviors, staying on top of the trends is overwhelming. At the same time, managing requests from team members and finding the right balance between helpful and sales-oriented content can feel like an unwinnable battle. The good news? There are dozens of social media marketing tools that can help you organize ideas, strategize, create images, post content, and measure results. The challenge is identifying the right mix of tools without wasting time or resources.
 

5 Tools to Manage Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

How can you embrace the right content marketing tools that will help you guide your social media strategy toward success, efficiency, and meaningful connections with your target audience? After simultaneously managing social media for numerous clients over the years, here are a few of the tools we rely on daily:
   

1. Sprout Social

Sprout Social has been our go-to social media management platform for years because it offers a wide range of functionalities that empower us to optimize social media strategies for our clients. Its intuitive scheduling and publishing capabilities allow users to plan, create, and schedule content across multiple platforms, saving valuable time and ensuring consistent messaging. The platform’s robust analytics and reporting features provide in-depth insights into audience engagement, allowing businesses to track their performance, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions. It also offers social listening capabilities that let you monitor brand mentions, engage with your audience, and stay on top of industry conversations.

 

2. Airtable

Planning is a critical part of social media success. Airtable is a tool that has enhanced our ability to organize ideas and collaborate around social media campaigns. From content calendars and campaign planning to tracking engagement metrics and influencer partnerships, Airtable enables you to centralize all of your ideas and streamline workflows.
 

3. Canva

Images and visuals have become increasingly important in social media content. Social infographics are one of the most effective types of social content we create for our clients. Canva is a content marketing tool that allows us to create compelling, professional graphics in a short amount of time. With its vast library of templates, graphics, fonts, and images, Canva offers endless creative possibilities to design captivating posts, banners, infographics, and more. It also allows you to build consistent branding across your social media platforms — which is incredibly valuable for brands who don’t have the budget to hire a professional designer.
  

4. Neontools Hashtag Analyzer

Using hashtags in your social media posts is a proven way to increase engagement. In fact, including just one hashtag on a post on Instagram can generate 29% more interactions. LinkedIn also has a feature where you can see which hashtags are trending in your network. But how do you know which hashtags will generate the most impressions and engagement? Neontool’s Hashtag Analyzer offers in-depth analysis and evaluation of hashtags, providing users with valuable information such as popularity, competition, and reach potential. By understanding these metrics, businesses can make informed decisions when selecting the most relevant and effective hashtags for their content, increasing visibility and reach among their target audience.

 

5. CapCut

For the past several years, we’ve been actively exploring how businesses can use TikTok for marketing after the platform’s meteoric rise in popularity. Keeping up with the demand to create engaging videos is a challenge many businesses face with the platform. With its powerful video editing capabilities, CapCut provides a way to create compelling video content that stands out, drives engagement, and boosts your overall social media strategy. The tool offers a wide range of editing options and an extensive library of royalty-free music and sound effects, enabling businesses to add a personalized touch to their videos.

 

Let Us Help You Stay Informed About the Tools You Need 

At Green Apple, we recognize you don’t have the time (or even the interest) to keep up-to-date on the latest marketing tools. We believe part of our responsibility as a marketing agency is to equip you with the essential information you should know. The Core, our monthly newsletter, is the best way to stay informed about the latest essential marketing insights. You can sign up here!

How Businesses Can Use TikTok for Marketing

Photo of a phone on TikTok's TikTok profile on the screen

There’s no denying that TikTok has become the social media platform that’s garnished the most attention within the past couple of years. And it looks like it will continue to be one of the B2B social media trends in 2023 that businesses should consider. Whether you personally love it or hate it, business leaders and marketers are wrestling with the question, “Does our company need to be on TikTok?” 

As with any social media platform, investing in TikTok for marketing really comes down to whether it can help you reach and cultivate relationships with your potential customers. It’s also important to note that TikTok will continue to change and evolve as more innovations roll out, so you’ll have to stay updated on the changes to this platform.

4 Ways Businesses Can Use TikTok for Marketing

As we’ve worked alongside clients to determine how they can use TikTok for marketing, we’ve found a few helpful tactics that seem to work best for businesses. If you’re looking for a way to leverage TikTok for your brand, here are a few ideas to consider based on the latest trends: 

1. Post Educational Content 

TikTok can be a great way to educate current and potential customers with helpful insights about your products, services, or industry. According to Vidyard’s 2021 Video Benchmarks report, the most common types of business videos are product demos, followed by how-tos and explainers. Because of its visual nature, TikTok provides a way for you to create informational videos at a relatively low cost. You don’t have to invest in expensive cameras or editing software if you have someone with an engaging personality who is good at keeping people’s attention and teaching your audience. 

2. Find Your Target Audience 

One of the unique features of TikTok is the subcultures and threads that have been created around specific industries and areas of interest. For example, #BookTok and #MoneyTok are two distinct subcultures that make it easy for users to connect with like-minded people who share their interests and passions. One of the best ways to reach new customers on TikTok might be to invest time in developing a presence in a particular subculture that aligns with your business or industry. 

3. Invest in Influencer Marketing 

Sometimes the best TikTok strategy isn’t creating your own content but instead partnering with influencers who have already built an audience. The platform has proven to be a creative incubator for rising thought leaders and industry influencers. If you recognize that there is potential in reaching your target audience on TikTok, but you don’t have the time or resources to launch your own channel, it’s worth exploring how to identify and connect with influencers to promote your brand.  

4. Share “Behind-the-Scenes” Content 

In addition to providing the opportunity to educate customers, TikTok is also a social media platform that can humanize your brand. While every social media platform was created to help humans connect with one another, content that businesses create for Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter can still feel very corporate and sterile. In many ways, TikTok opens the door to reconnecting with your audience in a way that feels authentic and not overly formal. You might consider sharing “behind the scenes” content for your brand or creating a “day in the life” video that features an employee. You can also collaborate with current customers or community members to feature their videos on your profile.

Social Media Best Practices when Using TikTok for Marketing

As with any social media platform, it’s important to understand what makes marketing on TikTok effective. Here are a few basic best practices to follow when creating videos for TikTok: 

1. Make sure your content is authentic and represents your brand.

Becoming a thought leader in your industry requires authenticity and approachability, but don’t take yourself too seriously. Humorous, light, fun content works really well on TikTok. 

2. Engage with your followers so they feel valued. 

One way to increase engagement is to interact with your audience directly on the platform. People love to feel valued and heard.

3. Use data to consistently evaluate your investment. 

While you may not experience instant success, it’s important to always ask yourself, “Is this helping us work towards our larger marketing goals and objectives?” Asking the right questions to evaluate your social media content is an important way to make sure you’re maximizing your ROI.  

4. Test often to see what works and what doesn’t. 

You may be surprised by which ideas work and which ones fall flat. Don’t be afraid to experiment. 

While we don’t recommend TikTok to every client, it might be the best way for your business to get outside of your comfort zone this year. Once you’re ready to dive in, don’t forget to use TikTok Analytics to evaluate the success of your social media strategy and identify the type of content that can get you the greatest results.

B2B Social Media Strategy in 2025: What Actually Converts

Phone with Instagram Aanalytics on the Screen

Feeling like your B2B social media strategy is stuck in 2020 while the world’s moved on? You’re not alone. For small to mid-sized B2B companies, especially those with lean marketing teams, the thought of keeping up with the ever-spinning social media carousel can feel downright overwhelming. But here’s the good news: 2025 isn’t about doing more social media; it’s about doing it smarter.

In this article, we’re taking a look at what’s shaping B2B social media in 2025 — and how you can stay ahead. 

Timeless Principles to Drive Results on Social

Before diving into the trends, remember this: Not every platform or trend is right for every brand. Your social media strategy should reflect where your audience spends their time and how they prefer to engage. Every B2B business needs to focus on quality over quantity and commit to building trust, not just driving traffic.

Here are a few questions to ask about your brand’s approach to social media:

  • Are we showing up on the platforms where our audience spends time?
  • How can you post with purpose rather than just fill a content calendar?
  • Are we using social media to cultivate long-term loyalty by building relationships and trust, or are we more focused on short-term metrics? 

Integrating 2025’s leading trends into a thoughtful, customer-focused strategy is key to building a social media presence with lasting impact.

​​7 Social Media Trends for B2B Brands in 2025

1. Employee-Generated Content Is the New UGC

User-generated content (UGC) is still powerful, but in 2025, employee-generated content (EGC) is stealing the spotlight. This includes behind-the-scenes videos, employee spotlights, and first-person posts from your team.

Why does it work? Because trust matters. According to LinkedIn, content shared by employees receives 2x higher engagement than when it’s shared by the brand itself. Edelman’s 2024 Trust Barometer found that employees are seen as more credible than CEOs when it comes to sharing company news.

Pro tip: Encourage employees to share their experiences, highlight team culture, and participate in branded content. It’s a win-win for recruiting and brand visibility.

2. The Reign of Video Continues (But Gets Smarter)

Video content has been a dominant force for years, and its importance for B2B isn’t slowing down. In 2025, expect a greater emphasis on short-form, digestible video for quick information sharing and engagement, alongside longer-form, value-packed webinars and expert interviews for deeper dives. Think engaging explainer videos, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and easily shareable industry insights. Platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and even incorporating video into Twitter/X are becoming increasingly vital for B2B video strategies.

Pro Tip: Batch-produce short-form videos from webinars, podcast clips, or blog posts to maximize your content mileage and keep your feed fresh.

3. The Rise of Niche Communities and Thought Leadership Hubs

Generic social media engagement is becoming less effective. In 2025, B2B success will hinge on building and participating in niche communities focused on specific industries, pain points, or areas of expertise. Platforms like LinkedIn Groups, industry-specific forums, and even smaller, curated communities on platforms like Slack or Discord will be crucial for fostering deeper connections and establishing your brand as a thought leader. Sharing valuable insights, participating in discussions, and offering genuine expertise will be key.

Pro Tip: If you want to elevate your LinkedIn presence, don’t just join industry groups—actively contribute insights, answer questions, and share relevant resources to establish credibility and connections.

4. The Power of Authentic Influencer Marketing (Micro > Mega)

Influencer marketing isn’t just for consumer brands—it continues to prove its value in the B2B world. In 2025, we’re seeing a strategic shift: more brands are partnering with micro-influencers over mega names. And for good reason.

Micro-influencers—accounts with smaller but highly engaged followings—often have deep expertise in niche markets and carry a level of trust that’s harder to find with bigger names. They feel more accessible and relatable, which leads to higher engagement and a better ROI. That said, we’d also suggest that there is a time and place for major influencers—especially if your goal is to build broad brand awareness or reach new audiences quickly. The key is to align the right voice with your message and goals.

Pro Tip: Experiment with creating “influencer-style” content like expert Q&As, LinkedIn Lives, or co-branded blog posts with industry voices your audience respects.

5. Leveraging Data and Personalization for Hyper-Relevant Content

Spray-and-pray social media is a thing of the past. In 2025, successful B2B social strategies will be heavily reliant on data analytics to understand audience behavior, preferences, and pain points. This data will then fuel the creation of highly personalized and relevant content that resonates with specific segments of your audience. Think tailored content for different industries, job titles, or stages in the buyer’s journey.

Pro Tip: Use platform analytics and CRM data to create segmented content calendars that speak directly to different buyer personas or stages of the funnel.

6. Make It Feel Real with Experiential Social Content

One of the most fascinating trends shaping social media in 2025 is the rise of experiential marketing—and it’s making its mark in the B2B space, not just B2C.

Experiential marketing is built to make people feel something. It’s emotional, immersive, and often oversized in the best way. And while you might think of big in-person events or pop-ups when you hear “experiential,” today’s social media platforms offer a huge opportunity to recreate that feeling digitally.

Think about how brands like Rhode (Hailey Bieber’s skincare line) use lifestyle imagery, mood-driven video, and emotionally resonant content to go beyond just selling a product. They’re creating an experience—a feeling their audience wants to be part of.

B2B brands can do the same by shifting from transactional posts (“Here’s our new feature”) to immersive storytelling.

Pro Tip: Use storytelling, music, motion, and imagery to make your content feel bigger than the screen. Let people imagine themselves in the moment, and let your brand be the one that brought them there.

7. The Evolution of LinkedIn as a B2B Powerhouse

If there’s one platform that continues to grow as a powerhouse for B2B marketers, it’s LinkedIn. But here’s what’s really interesting in 2025: LinkedIn is evolving.

While it’s still the go-to space for professional content, it’s also becoming more personal—and more human. We’ve heard this straight from LinkedIn reps: the platform is actively encouraging more authentic, relatable content. You can see this firsthand. These days, your feed might include everything from product updates and company milestones to personal reflections, vacation photos, or even career pivots.

The takeaway? B2B audiences crave connection just as much as they crave insight. The most effective brands on LinkedIn aren’t just broadcasting—they’re building community.

Pro tip: Think beyond the brand page. One of the most powerful ways to gain traction on LinkedIn is to empower your employees to create content, share posts, and engage with your industry.

8. AI is Changing the Game

AI tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, and Canva’s Magic Studio are helping marketers create social content faster than ever, freeing up marketers to focus on higher-level strategic initiatives and authentic engagement. But while AI can speed things up, human connection is still what sets your brand apart. It’s important to find a way to bridge the gap between authenticity and efficiency. 

Pro Tip: In 2025, we’ll see more brands using AI for ideation, formatting, and repurposing. Use these tools intentionally, and remember to let your people, your stories, and your values drive the message.

Final Thoughts: Let Your Marketing Strategy Lead the Way

Social media is a communications tool and a brand-building engine. When your marketing team takes the lead, social becomes more than just posts and hashtags. It becomes a strategic platform to:

At Green Apple Strategy, we help businesses build smart, strategic marketing plans that align with your goals and work. If you’re ready to take your B2B social media to the next level in 2025, get in touch with our team and learn more about our strategic planning services.

How to Identify Influencers that Fit Your Brand

“Meeting your customers where they are” is an essential principle for effective marketing. Influencer marketing has become one of the most effective ways for brands to achieve that goal. It has become an integral part of marketing plans for both B2B and B2C companies, and there have been numerous studies on its effectiveness. 
  • 75% of companies plan to allocate more of their content marketing budgets toward influencers. (Source)
  • 51% of marketers say influencer marketing helps them acquire better customers. (Source)
  • 60% of consumers have been influenced by social media or a blog while shopping. (Source)
  • 95% of brands using B2B influencer marketing report that it has helped increase brand reputation and brand awareness. (Source)
Before you invest in influencer marketing, you need to lay the groundwork for your campaign to succeed. Identifying the right person to help you reach potential customers is key to effective influencer marketing. Here are a few helpful tips to help you identify influencers that fit your brand:
1. Know your target audience.
The first step in any effective marketing campaign is to identify your target audience, especially when it comes to influencer marketing. You want to know who you are trying to reach, what they value, and what problems they face on a daily basis. Doing this preliminary research will save you time and money by finding influencers who speak to those who are the most likely to find interest in your brand.
2. Use an influencer database or list to identify potential partners.
You may not know the best influencers to reach your target audience. The good news is that there are numerous tools that can help you eliminate the time-consuming process of searching for influencers on social media. At Green Apple Strategy, we’ve used platforms such as obviously and Mavrck to manage influencer marketing for our clients. These tools allow you to browse influencers available for partnerships while getting a sense of their audience and reach.
3. Find influencers who share your values and believe in your mission.
Finding an individual who really believes in what you’re doing makes a difference. As you look to identify the right influencer, it’s important to ensure whoever you work with wholeheartedly believes in your brand’s values and will accurately represent your brand to their followers. Working with an influencer who shares your values and mission makes the partnership a lot more enjoyable. It also makes a difference in the authenticity of the content they create for your brand.
4. Consider the quality of their content, not just the quantity of their following.
Audience size matters in influencer marketing, but engagement and quality are also important factors to consider. Don’t discount the importance of micro-influencers. Spreading out your influencer budget can allow you access to several different communities. Working with influencers also means giving them the creative freedom to make content for your brand. As you’re narrowing down your list of partners, consider: Is their content well thought out? Does it feel genuine? Are people actively engaging? Is there a noticeable difference in engagement when an influencer shares an ad versus a post that isn’t sponsored? These questions can help you identify influencers with genuine credibility. 

Looking to Incorporate Influencer Marketing into Your Strategy?

At Green Apple, we’re constantly evaluating the latest marketing trends and determining how to incorporate them into our clients’ strategies. We love answering questions like, “Does our company need TikTok?”  If you’re curious about the impact that influencer marketing can make for your brand, our team can help find influencers that fit your brand. We won’t build your marketing around the latest marketing trends—but we’ll help you maximize a platform’s potential if we believe it’s a good fit for your brand. 

What are Social Infographics and Why Do You Need Them?

Social media logos on phone

The social media landscape is constantly evolving and changing. One of the newest and most impactful trends? Social infographics. According to the latest research, the average attention span on the platform for video content is just about 2 seconds. On a desktop computer, the average attention span is 2.5 seconds. On a mobile device, it is 1.7 seconds.

Platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Tik Tok are all valuable ways to stay connected to your audience. And yet, it’s become increasingly clear that your audience’s attention on social media is getting shorter and shorter. Social infographics provide a solution.

What are Social Infographics?

Social Infographics are short-form, visually-engaging content. They are designed to communicate a message as quickly as possible. There are many different forms of social infographics, including photos, videos, or micro-videos. In essence, social infographics are intended to be quick, easy to digest, and convenient to share. 

Why is Short, Image-Driven Content Important? 

Here are a few specific ways social infographics have become an effective way to create engagement for brands in every industry:

  • Social infographics are easy to digest. In an age of information overload and busy work lives, effective communication often requires the essence of the message to be delivered in the shortest time possible. 
  • Social infographics are incredibly effective on mobile devices. According to Google, more than 50% of web traffic comes from mobile devices. Social infographics are often created with mobile in mind, so they quickly capture an individual’s attention as they’re scrolling on their phones. 
  • Social infographics are more memorable. According to Forbes, adding infographics boosts credibility since 90% of all information we remember is based on visual impressions. Social infographics provide a way to help the content you create stick in the minds of your audience. 

 

Easy Ways to Create Social Infographic Content

One of the best things about social infographics is that you don’t have to look far to create countless content ideas. Here are a few specific ways we’ve worked with clients to create infographics for their social accounts:

Today’s consumers are craving short, easily-digestible content. (No pun intended.) Social infographics are a great way to create engagement and get the most out of your content. Take some time to think about the unique ways you can repurpose content into short, visually engaging content and discover the impact it can make on your content marketing efforts.

How To Upgrade Your LinkedIn Profile

linked in logo on an app icon
LinkedIn has always been the premier social media network for business professionals. But in recent years, LinkedIn has become a powerful marketing tool for businesses in every industry. While it’s important for brands to have a strategy for getting the most out of their LinkedIn page, equipping employees to elevate their personal LinkedIn profiles has become equally important.   Your LinkedIn profile is important because it both represents employees as individual professionals and it can represent your company as a whole. Your profile can be a tremendous asset for someone who is deciding whether or not to do business with you or to accept a position at your company. If you work in customer relations, your profile can give clients in your portfolio confidence that you know how to take care of their needs. That’s why it is important for your marketing company to support employees on LinkedIn by sharing best practices and ideas for your employees to optimize their profiles. 

How to Upgrade & Improve Your LinkedIn Profile

If you’re responsible for marketing or business development, here are a few simple tips you can share to help your co-workers create compelling LinkedIn profiles. 
1. Choose a professional profile picture.
Your picture makes a big first impression on your profile. A professional headshot is ideal, but we realize finding a professional photographer isn’t always easy or affordable.  Just because you don’t need an image taken by a professional doesn’t mean your picture shouldn’t be professional. Taking a high-quality photo on your smartphone doesn’t have to be complicated. Find a simple background and have someone take your picture for you. According to LinkedIn, you should aim for your face to take up about 60% of the image once it’s cropped.
2. Highlight the impact you’ve made in the headline. 
Your headline is the first thing that people see after your picture, so you want it to catch people’s attention. (It will default to your most recent job title if it’s not altered.) 
  • Start by adding your title and any relevant auxiliary roles (ex. speaker, author, nonprofit involvement, etc.)
  • Include relevant industry keywords
  • Add a value proposition statement about how you help people 
3. Write a compelling profile summary. 
Your summary is where you can really show your personality and share your story. It doesn’t need to be complicated, but it should be compelling. Rather than re-stating your resume or work experience, use your summary as a way to define yourself in your own words. Whether you use it to describe your unique calling or skill set, provide context for your career choices, highlight your biggest achievements, or show off your personality, the summary is your chance to share who you are in a way that is more personal and approachable.
4. Know your audience and what will get their attention.
As you craft your profile, think about who will be reading it — potential clients, new business opportunities, or future employees. Are there certain skills or areas of expertise they would want to know about? Once you have an idea of what readers might want to see, you can use these keywords in your headline, summary, experience, skills, and anywhere else they make sense on your profile. 
5. Use the features section to show off your best work. 
The features section on LinkedIn allows you to showcase media, links, and LinkedIn articles and posts at the top of your profile. This is a great way to highlight your expertise and skills in action. It could consist of a recent blog post you wrote, a presentation you’ve given, or a portfolio of your recent work. 
6. Ask for recommendations from recent clients.
It’s helpful for potential leads to see how you’ve helped other people. This is where recommendations can really enhance your credibility. Think of 2-3 people who have benefited from your work and ask if they’d be willing to write a recommendation. Many times offering to write a recommendation for them is a great way to return the favor.  
7. Engage regularly through posting and commenting.
Marketers know that consistent engagement is essential for producing results. While you don’t have to post every single day, it’s important to showcase consistent activity by writing posts and engaging with others. Set a recurring reminder on your work calendar to add a post or interact on the site for a set amount of time. If you don’t feel ready to write your own posts just yet, start with commenting. This will help humanize & upgrade your LinkedIn profile and show readers you’re actively connected to others.  Your LinkedIn content has the power to paint a picture for your clients, prospective employees, and anyone coming in contact with your brand. Our hope is that these three marketing best practices will help you upgrade your LinkedIn profile in a way that benefits you and your business.

7 Ways to Elevate Your Personal LinkedIn Profile

There’s no denying that LinkedIn is one of the most powerful social media platforms for marketers and business development professionals. If you’re a B2B brand, LinkedIn is no longer an optional platform. With more than 310 million monthly active users, it’s becoming harder to cut through the noise. The good news is that it doesn’t take a lot of time or energy to elevate your personal LinkedIn profile. 

7 Ways to Elevate Your Personal LinkedIn Profile

Taking the time to encourage employees to optimize their personal LinkedIn profiles can make a tremendous difference for your company. As we’ve helped clients optimize LinkedIn as a marketing tool, here are a few tactics we encourage them to pass along to their employees:   
  1. Create a Compelling Headline
LinkedIn provides an opportunity for people to quickly explain what they do at the top of their profile. While most people use this as another way to highlight their job title, it can be a quick and easy way to boost your profile’s impact. Think about your headline as a way to explain your current role, what it means to you, and how you could help someone who might be visiting your profile. 
  1. Focus on your Impact in your Descriptions
Your description is often the second place people look to learn more about you. This is another opportunity to be intentional about capturing attention. Rather than summarizing your resume, think about what people might want to know. How have you made an impact in your industry? What are some specific ways you help people? Answering these questions in your description is a great way to make your profile stand out from the general descriptions that most people write. 
  1. ​​Regularly Post Engaging Content 
LinkedIn marketing requires consistency, creativity, and originality. Take a look at your LinkedIn home page and evaluate the posts that receive the most engagement. Most likely, it’s an interesting mix of helpful insights, personal updates, and engaging questions. While you don’t need to post on LinkedIn every day, it’s important to share updates if you want to maintain a high engagement rate on LinkedIn.
  1. Add Awards or Accomplishments
Bragging on social media can sometimes get a bad rap. But taking time to highlight your awards or accomplishments can be an effective marketing tactic, especially for sales professionals. You want your prospects to know that you’re capable of getting them the results they’re looking for. LinkedIn provides a natural place for you to highlight your awards and accomplishments without seeming overly boastful. 
  1. Ask for Recommendations 
Recommendations are key to making your LinkedIn profile stand out. Employers and potential business partners want to know that you have a positive reputation and that others have benefited from your work. Think of one or two customers who might validate your work and ask them to write a quick recommendation. Consider writing on their profile to help them out as well. 
  1. Strategically Use Hashtags to Expand Your Reach 
Hashtags are a completely underused feature of Linkedin. These short phrases do more than summarize what your particular post is about. They’re also a way to connect with other people who are interested in that topic. Best practices say to use about three to five hashtags per LinkedIn post and ensure they’re all relevant to the topic.
  1. Interact with Content in Your Industry
Are you following leaders in your industry? Keeping up with individuals who post thought-provoking content is a great way to discover and connect with others in your industry. It also enables you to stay on top of industry trends and share relevant information with other prospects. 

Leverage LinkedIn for Personal and Professional Growth

LinkedIn is a powerful sales and marketing tool that’s easy to use. If you’re looking for a way to optimize your profile or your employee’s profile, consider using LinkedIn’s Profile Level Meter to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your profile. Then, take some time to check out some lessons we learned from doubling Green Apple’s LinkedIn profile presence.

Does Your Company Need TikTok?

Phone with tiktok opening screen

Should your brand be on TikTok? The answer to this question, like all marketing strategy approaches, varies widely based on the brand you’re trying to promote. Diving into a new platform can give you an advantage, but an anemic posting or uniformed content creation may do more damage to your brand integrity than not engaging at all. Above all: you shouldn’t be on TikTok simply to be on TikTok. Instead, you should analyze your audience, assess your brand identity, and consciously decide if marketing on TikTok can help you increase your revenue or your brand’s reach. As you make that decision, here are a few factors to consider.  

Consider TikTok For Your Brand if You Have a Young Target Audience

A full 47.4% of TikTok’s users are under the age of 30. If that demographic is your target audience, you should consider having a presence on TikTok. If you’re not yet ready to dive in, you can create an unbranded investigatory account to gain awareness of and facility with the platform and to begin following other users. If you have an intern or a younger worker on staff, you may want to tap them to start the account or conduct research on how you could utilize the platform. This person could also provide an audit of your account if you’ve already established one. 

Consider TikTok If Your Brand Is Highly Visual 

Note that the word here is visual, not visible. A visual brand is any brand that can promote itself effectively through videos, which is TikTok’s primary content type. B2C products have the upper hand on TikTok, but B2B products are in the running as well. Everything from balloon sculptures, to food, drink, and clothing brands are easy to build content around. Service-based are harder to showcase, but not impossible. A skilled content creator can make service-based TikToks that engage viewers as well. Party planners, financial planners, and automobile detailers can all share their businesses on TikTok.   

Consider TikTok if Quick Tips are your Go To 

Some brands lend themselves to quick tips that are easily captured in video. The possibilities here are myriad. Do you manufacture a new green cleaning brand that can give quick tips on efficient tidying? Are you a food product brand that can be used in easy, visually appealing recipes? Or do you own a skincare brand that can offer a moment of serenity as users scroll through videos? Whatever your brand, if you can illustrate its efficacy quickly via a playful video, TikTok might be the social media platform for you. 

Consider TikTok if You Could Benefit From Influencer Marketing

As is the case with Instagram, influencer marketing is a huge part of the TikTok ecosystem. While direct content from brands isn’t always welcomed by Gen Z, subtle nods to your product or service via influencers are expected. Using influencer marketing can get your brand in front of a new generation of eyes without the need for heavy-handed marketing techniques. 

Intimidated by New Platforms? Let Green Apple Strategy Lead The Way

Our marketing assessment can help you decide where to put your marketing dollars – and which approaches might have the greatest ROI. From blogging and SEO to PR and social media management, Green Apple Strategy can craft a marketing approach to help you attract and retain qualified leads. Reach out to us today for a consultation.