Social Media

LinkedIn Events - Planning a Professional Event Made Easy

Getting the word out on your upcoming event just got easier thanks to LinkedIn’s new feature LinkedIn Events. We are just a few days into the launch in English speaking countries, but are already loving some of the features.

LinkedIn Events gives users the ability to create, manage and join professional gatherings. Users can invite connections, have conversations with other attendees and stay connected after the event wraps up. LinkedIn Events can be private, can include event update notifications, and offer my favorite feature: the ability to search and filter connections in order to invite the right attendees.

In the pilot program, members noted a boost in attendance and awareness of the event, in addition to 2nd tier connections joining the event.

As a member of LinkedIn, you’ll also be able to search for events you wish to attend.

According to LinkedIn’s data, the chances of people accepting connection requests on LinkedIn increase 2X if they have attended a face-to-face meeting. LinkedIn Events are a great way to nurture relationships in the real world!

Instagram 'Restrict' is Here

Trolls be gone! Instagram, one of the leading social media networking sites, just released their latest featured called "Restrict”. The Restrict option will now allow users to limit comments from chosen individuals on their posts.

As Instagram explained…

"You can restrict someone by swiping left on a comment, through the Privacy tab in Settings, or directly on the profile of the account you intend to restrict. Once Restrict is enabled, comments on your posts from a person you have restricted will only be visible to that person. You can choose to view their comment by tapping “See Comment;” approve the comment so everyone can see it; delete it; or ignore it. You won’t receive any notifications for comments from a restricted account."

See it in action below!

Get Noticed with Local Awareness Ads

Whether or not you are ready for it, the holidays are fast approaching. If you are looking to increase foot traffic to your brick and mortar store or simply reach people within your community, Facebook and Instagram's Reach Ads, (formerly known as local awareness ads) are exactly what your business needs this holiday season.

With 79% of the U.S. population using social networks, what better outlet to reach them?

With reach ads, businesses can quickly find and target customers near their neighborhood’s radius. A map will show the area covered by your ad. Not only does Facebook and Instagram create an audience of people who live nearby, but they also target users' who were recently near your business.

Other benefits to Reach ads:

  • Get people to your store with the “Get Directions” button

  • Spread the word about in-store promotions

  • Faster ad turnaround time vs. newspapers, radio advertising - communicate with people in real-time

Interested in learning more about your social media marketing advertising options? Let’s discuss how it can benefit your business today.

The Importance of the Hashtag

If you are a relative newbie to social media you may be asking yourself, what is the story behind the word(s) following the # symbol? If you read # as "pound", this blog was especially written with you in mind.

When I first wrote this post in 2015, it was specifically for Twitter, but since then social media networking sites have evolved and you can find hashtags across most social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn. You may even notice hashtags on the corner of your TV screen while watching your favorite shows in order to build engagement on social media.

# (or Hashtag) is more than just a silly thing all the kids are doing nowadays, it's an important element of your business's social media strategy and here's why!

Hashtags are a great search tool - Did you know clicking on a hyperlinked hashtag is similar to using Google search but within the social media platform you are using? Incorporating appropriate hashtags to your content helps broaden your visibility to people who may not be following you, but are exploring the hashtag. 

Using hashtags is also a great way to promote a trade show or event. Most trade shows have an official hashtag. Be sure to incorporate them to increase visibility and impressions on your posts, you may even gain new followers!

Hashtags can be branding gold (sometimes). When used right, including a hashtag in an advertisement or campaign can be the perfect addition to your creatives. Here’s several examples of what NOT to do.

Looking to perfect your branding hashtag or expand your visibility with hashtags? Let’s get started!


3, 2, 1...ACTION with Facebook Live

Can you believe Facebook Live was launched nearly 4 years ago? I may avoid being recorded like the plague, but for those of you who aren’t camera shy, Facebook Live is an excellent option for your business.

What is Facebook Live?

Facebook Live is a feature within Facebook that allows users to broadcast a video in real-time utilizing a computer/laptop’s camera or mobile phone. Viewers are able to like and comment in real-time which is my personal favorite feature since it allows instance communication and engagement.

Benefits for Your Business

Are you ready for your close up? If you haven’t added Facebook Live into your social media strategy now is the time.