Inbound Marketing Blog

The age of the Internet has taken the world by storm, which has changed the way consumers act and how they buy. With this change has come a new type of consumer that is more educated and able to do most of their research before they even contact a business to make a decision. It has also brought about a consumer that spends a lot of time online, whether it is for personal or professional reasons. This gives marketers new opportunities to interact with their customers and reach out to different audiences.

Unfortunately, gaining followers on social media sites just isn't what it used to be, and the landscape is constantly changing. So how do you win a game that seems so easy to lose? The answer is: strategy, budget, and social media savviness.

One of the most important things to remember about follower building is that there are two types: organic and paid. It used to be MUCH easier to get organic engagement from users, but now we need to work smarter.

Did you know that 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations? If someone uses the Check-In function on Facebook when they visit your business, they are telling their friends on social media that they are currently at and enjoying your services or products. This results in free advertising, increased brand awareness, and is essentially an endorsement from that user. That’s why the more check-ins you can garner on social media, the better! 

No, that's not a grammatical error (I got you there for a second, didn't I?). I'm talking about what you have to offer on the web. Your web presence has much to do with the presents you offer your customers. So, what do you offer that makes potential customers jump for joy like it's Christmas morning?

If you’re a data nerd like me, then you know that one of the most frustrating things in marketing is to *not know information about the users browsing your site content.* Sure, you could sift through all the information that Google Analytics provide, but there’s got to be an easier way to get some quick insights about leads and users…

Cue Lionel Richie singing “Hello, is it me you’re looking for?” as a Hubspot Free Marketing Software banner pops up on your screen.

What’s this? Hubspot has software that does this? And it’s FREE?

Facebook, like every other social media platform, is always evolving. Most recently (rolled out in summer 2017), they updated some key components in their news feed algorithm. If you’re one of the millions that noticed a recent change in your Facebook News Feed, you may have had the initial reaction I did, which was annoyance.

“I’ve seen all of these already… days ago, because they’re a WEEK old. Why am I seeing them again?”

Okay, I know that sounds petty when it’s written out, but isn’t that how social media has wired us now? We want to see the most recent news, not week-old news.

After doing more research, I realized that Facebook actually did something right.

Social media is an incredible tool that allows you to connect instantaneously with users all over the world in the blink of the eye. Increasingly, businesses are utilizing social media as a way to connect with clients and prospects. However, what many professionals don't realize is: it’s all too easy to commit social media taboos and not even know it!

Why does this matter? Because, believe it or not, you can be penalized, or receive flak or kickback from these, and you definitely want to avoid that. Read on to discover six of the most common taboos we've identified that can harm you.

Let’s be honest - if you aren’t blogging, then you need to be; and if you are blogging but don’t see the benefit, then it’s time to re-evaluate your blogging strategy.

There are a number of ways to determine the ROI of your blog, and those ultimately depend on your goals. However, we’ve determined one way that may help you in determining if you are getting the ROI you need and what’s included in that calculation.

See, here’s the thing: if you are only blogging for blogging sake, then you are going to see a minimal return on investment. Read on to learn about what it takes to get a maximum ROI for blogging.

It is no longer an option for businesses to ignore social media platforms. Each platform has a unique audience of users, and with each audience you may get different levels of engagement - so don't assume that failing to reach one audience means you'll fail to reach any audience on social. We use several social media platforms at Tribute Media. They are all used for different reasons and they all have their own culture while still maintaining our brand. The trick to using it successfully is to know who your target audience is and how they are using each platform. 

Pinterest is a stand-alone visual social network built around engaging visual content. Users share images from the web by “pinning” them on to a series of virtual boards. These images then (when clicked on) lead to a web page away from Pinterest. That's where it becomes beneficial for your company. If you can catch a lead from Pinterest through an image, title, and short description - you've got the opportunity to direct them to your website.