5 Current Digital Marketing Trends You Should Know

Man holding an iPhone

We’re only a few months into 2023, and we’ve already seen massive shifts in the tools and trends that are shaping digital marketing. After the launch of ChatGPT and Google’s new AI program, Bard, many business leaders and marketers are wondering if we are on the precipice of a seismic shift in how we work. But artificial intelligence tools from big companies aren’t the only trends that are shaping the digital landscape in 2023. Evolving consumer preferences, influencer marketing, and social media platform updates are also making a difference. 

 

That’s why we asked our digital marketing team to highlight a few of the current digital marketing trends that are shaping our industry today. 

 
1. The impact of AI is just beginning. 

As we mentioned earlier, artificial intelligence tools have been the hottest topic amongst business leaders and marketers. But really, this is just the beginning of the way AI will influence the way we work and interact. For example, Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that Meta is looking to add AI tools to Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram soon. 

 

It will be interesting to see how AI continues to impact our work. Right now, these tools provide ways that marketers can work smarter. But the need for intuition and understanding what your customers think and feel is still a fundamental skill that AI can’t finesse.  

 
2. “Deinfluencing” on TikTok has become the latest influencer trend. 

Influencer marketing has become an increasingly important tactic for businesses in every industry. Platforms like TikTok have provided brands with a way to reach their audience with products or solutions, especially for Millennials and Gen Z customers. Recently, these influencers have taken a different approach by telling their followers which products they shouldn’t buy. This TikTok trend has become a marketing tactic in itself.

 

While you may not use TikTok or influencer marketing as part of your strategy, we believe this trend speaks to the way younger generations value authenticity and honesty as they consider your products and services. 

 
3. Twitter is planning to expand its character limit to 10,000.

The platform that started with short-form content is now getting into the long-form content game for its Twitter Blue subscribers. For Twitter, the vision for long-form content in the app is that creators won’t have to redirect their audiences to other platforms to view their content.

 

We’ll be interested to see if this move enhances the experience for Twitter users or if people decide to abandon the platform and continue to look for short-form social content that’s easy to consume.

 
4. Brands are turning to user-generated content more than ever and encouraging customers to post content about their brand.  

User-generated content continues to be one of the most popular B2B social media trends for 2023. Now, brands are finding creative ways to encourage their customers to post. For example, our team member Katie recently ordered OliPop from the brand’s website. After her order, she received a promotion saying that OliPop will pay customers $1 for every 50 views on their content and potentially even pay customers to create content for the brand.

 
5. Brands are going “unhinged” on social media to stand out.

Let’s face it: standing out on social media has become increasingly difficult. One way brands are trying to rise above the noise is by embracing a social media strategy that subverts their audience’s expectations. Whether it’s a snarky tweet or unusual Instagram images, brands like Duolingo, Parachute, and Sweetgreen are incorporating content that moves away from the highly-curated images and content we’re used to seeing from most brands. 

 

Want to Stay Up-to-Date on all the Latest Trends?

If there’s one lesson we’ve learned in the past three months, it’s that digital marketing seems to be shifting faster than ever. If you’re interested in staying informed about the latest trends (and how they impact your business), our team is here to help. You can sign up for The Core, our monthly newsletter, to get the latest marketing insights and inspiration delivered directly to your inbox.

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 Trends for 2023

Phone with Instagram Aanalytics on the Screen

B2B marketing is often a complex and complicated practice. This can especially be true when it comes to social media. As the social media landscape has evolved over the years, B2B marketers have to determine which social media approaches  to implement and which to leave out. As we look towards 2023, B2B marketers will still need wisdom when it comes to deciding how to use social media to connect with customers.

Before we get into the trends, it’s important to remember a key principle: Consider social media marketing trends carefully and identify the best platforms to engage customers and foster customer relationships. Does your company need TikTok? Maybe. You should only be on a platform if it helps you connect with your customers. 

Here are a few social media trends for 2023 to be mindful of: 

Trend #1: User-generated content continues to produce engagement. 

Sharing content from customers or followers has become an increasingly popular tactic because of social media’s increasing role in cross-channel B2B marketing. This content is known as user-generated content (UGC). Currently, 85% of consumers find UGC more influential than branded content. This includes testimonials, case studies, reviews, or other assets produced by your customers. 

So how do you go about obtaining and sharing user-generated content? Here are a few ideas for reaching out for testimonials or content ideas from customers. 

Trend #2: Find creative and unique ways to partner with influencers.

One of the biggest B2C trends that made its way into B2B successfully has been influencer marketing. But identifying the right influencers to partner with is essential. The good news, especially for B2B marketers, is that you don’t need to find an influencer with millions of followers. Instead, consider the voices in your industry that customers trust. Don’t discount the importance of micro-influencers.

Trend #3: Continue to create shorter, more visual content. 

The average human has an attention span of just 8.25 seconds, according to recent studies – 4.25 seconds less than it was in 2000. This is evident if you take one look at your social media feeds. 

At Green Apple, we’ve been exploring ways to create shorter, more visual content for our clients. The social infographics we’ve created have generated significant increases in reach and engagement. 

Trend #4: Be strategic with your social advertising budget.

As attention on social platforms becomes increasingly competitive, paid advertising will play a more significant role in B2B social media marketing in 2023. According to recent studies, 84% of B2B marketers use paid social for their content marketing efforts.

Most businesses still have a limited social media advertising budget, so it’s important to invest your money wisely. The good news is that you can be incredibly targeted with your ad spend on popular B2B platforms. As you advertise on platforms like LinkedIn, be sure to use targeted ads based on data like location, industry, company, and job title.

Trend #5: Focus on metrics that matter. 

Measuring social media efforts has always been important, but determining the true impact of social media is key. Measuring the right metrics is key. In addition to tracking metrics such as follower growth, engagement, and reach—consider the more qualitative insights such as relationships that have been developed or customers that have been served through social media. 

New B2B social media marketing trends surface every year. Some trends have been there for a long time but have evolved. As a B2B marketer, you need to be prepared and ready to adapt to new changes in your industry. Hopefully, this post helps you get up to speed!

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.

How to Turn Customer Reviews into Solid Marketing Content

african american woman typing
If you have raving fans, it’s great to let potential leads know it! Customers take online reviews seriously, and the role it plays in consumer decisions continues to increase. Research from BrightLocal shows just how seriously potential customers take online reviews. 84% percent of buyers give online reviews the same weight in decision making as personal referrals.  Online reviews are now starting to eclipse referral-based business. as Northwestern University finds that consumers are 270% more likely to buy a product or service with 5 positive reviews than a product or service with no reviews. That’s hugely significant! In order to harness the power of these reviews, use them in your marketing efforts to increase consumer trust and boost sales.

Use Customer Reviews To Enhance Your Website SEO

There are a few ways to do this. The first is simply to embed the code for Google Reviews in your website so that Google Reviews. This is a good option if the majority of your reviews are positive. Google’s search engine algorithm will recognize the embedded rating system and is likely to rank your site more highly as a result. 

The second way to utilize customer reviews is to include them on your website, either by using parts of the review text directly or by including graphics of the positive reviews on your site. (Don’t forget to change the alt text on these images so that they’re search-engine friendly) Google and Yelp hold a high trust cache with consumers, and citing positive reviews can help your brand leverage that trust. 

Use Customer Reviews on Social Media

You may also have the advantage of. Keep an eye on videos or posts that tag your brand. If you have a social media manager, have them proactively research any posts where your product or service is tagged. They can use tools like BuzzSumo or Mention to help with this. If they come across a positive review, have your team DM the content creator to ask if the review can be used  in marketing materials.  Some reviewers are happy to offer their thoughts gratis, while others work as part or full-time product influencers. Both types of social media reviews can be helpful to weave into your marketing strategy. Screenshots and re-posts of positive reviews can build brand awareness on multiple platforms.  

Let Negative Reviews Spur Institutional Changes

Online reviews through Yelp and Google provide business owners with what they say they want most: anonymous feedback close to the point of sale. But business owners are also human, and harsh or negative reviews can leave a bad taste in anyone’s mouth. After you take some time to feel frustrated, see if you can find the kernel of truth in their words. The frustration may be about an inefficient process, an unhelpful team member, or a product flaw.  Rather than stew in frustration, take specific actions to address the issue. However, don’t revamp your entire process over one negative review. Reflect and ask your employees if they’ve also seen evidence of what the review mentions. If it comes up several times, it may be time to analyze and address a potential pain point. 

Be Proactive about Interacting With Reviews

If you don’t have a Google My Business account or haven’t updated the account you have, you could be missing out on major opportunities to shape how your brand is perceived. One of these ways is by interacting with online reviews. Brands that interact with customers on Google cultivate a reputation for being proactive and conscientious. Plus, interacting with reviews often can allow you to pinpoint and identify possible customer needs or frustrations before they go viral.  In the world of online reviews, negative feedback begets negative feedback. It shouldn’t go unaddressed, or you may see more of it. Instead, if you see a review that’s unfair or lacking context, you can provide that in your response to an online review. You can also offer to make it right, which goes a long way in securing customer loyalty. It says to potential buyers, “Even if we make a mistake, we will correct our error.”

Need Help Utilizing Your Positive Reviews?

Our strategic, full-service marketing team can help you plan and deploy an innovative marketing approach to court customers and build brand loyalty. Contact Green Apple Strategy today to schedule a consultation. Our team is happy to sit down with you to discuss your marketing goals and how we can help you achieve each and every one of them.

B2B Companies: How to Get the Most Out of Your LinkedIn Presence

man-using-linkedin-on-ipad
Are you struggling to get engagement or reach on LinkedIn?  Social media strategies aren’t what they once were. The formula for success is no longer simply “post more often,” or “interact with your content,” which we’re sure you’ve heard countless times. Especially for B2B companies, social media is a different animal—it doesn’t play by the same rules as its B2C counterparts. Not to worry, though. With a well-planned LinkedIn strategy, you can increase your following, engagement, brand awareness, and even encourage teamwork among your employees.   Here’s what you’ll need to get the most out of your LinkedIn presence: 
  1. A current and engaging business page
  2. Digestible content that speaks to your audience’s pain points
  3. Diligent and proactive engagement with your audience
  4. An employee-centric content and engagement strategy
  5. A budget for strategic paid ads

How to Get the Most Out of Your LinkedIn Presence

1. A Current and Engaging Business Page
When was the last time you revisited your LinkedIn business page? Chances are, a lot has happened in your business since you first created the page. On top of that, standards for what makes a good business page have changed. Review your page to ensure that all your information is up to date.  You may also consider switching up your “About” content to speak directly to your audience. Rather than a simple description of what your business does, capture your audience’s attention by telling them how you can solve their problem specifically. Tell them who you help, what you do, and what your differentiators are. This allows your audience to quickly identify that you’re the right fit. Tip: LinkedIn only shows the first two lines of your description without the user having to click to read more. Make those two sentences count!
2. Digestible Content that Speaks to Your Audience’s Pain Points
This is always the tricky one, right? Engaging your audience through eye-catching content. You must find a way to speak to your audience’s needs, while also giving them content that they can quickly digest. That may include graphics, original blog content, thoughtful insights, or shared content from other reputable sources. Try to create (or find and share) content that your audience can learn something from very quickly as they scroll through their feed.  Tip: Always tag any relevant people or businesses in your posts. Also, make good use of your hashtags to help users find your content.
3. Diligent and Proactive Engagement with Your Audience
We know you’re busy and have very little time to watch over your social accounts. But, engagement is one of the most important elements of your LinkedIn strategy. Ensure that you always answer comments or proactively engage your audience in conversation by asking a question in the first comment on your post. To further encourage engagement, you may also consider tagging someone in the comment who you feel may have particularly good insight on the subject.   Tip: Set a calendar reminder to help you remember to check your LinkedIn and engage at least twice per day. 
4. An Employee-Centric Content and Engagement Strategy
Involving your employees is a great way to build teamwork, making your team feel more connected to your audience and to each other. Here are a few of the ways you can encourage your team’s help with your LinkedIn strategy: 
  • Request that each team member spends ten minutes per day engaging on LinkedIn
  • Tag team members in content they helped create or contributed to
  • Create branded cover photos for your team’s profiles 
  • Share content congratulating team members on their accomplishments
  • Tag team members to ask insightful questions 
Tip: Ask team members to create content of their own that they would be proud to share with their LinkedIn connections. 
5. A Budget for Strategic Paid Ads
Organic reach is always the goal, but in today’s social media environment, you often have to pay to play. Consider your business’s primary goals, and set a budget for each that you can use for paid LinkedIn ads. If that’s hiring, for example, you may boost a job advertisement. If it’s brand awareness, you may put your money behind case studies. Whatever you choose, make sure that your ad spend correlates with your team’s goals. Tip: To get the most out of your ad spend, you may prefer to hire someone to help you with this area of your strategy.

Ready to Build a Lead-Generating LinkedIn Strategy? 

Your LinkedIn content has the power to paint a picture for your clients, prospective employees, and anyone coming in contact with your brand. Let’s make it count. Contact Green Apple Strategy today to schedule a consultation. Our team is happy to sit down with you to discuss your goals and how we can help you achieve each and every one of them.