The Real Reasons Your Social Media Marketing Has Bombed

Social media marketing sounds easy enough.

Post some content on Facebook, send out some tweets, make a few connections on LinkedIn, and sit back and watch the leads pour in.

That's all there is to it, right?

I used to think that was the case. Of course, that was in the early days of social media. We were all trying to figure out what the heck Twitter was for, let alone how to use it. And leads? We weren't getting anything worth talking about.

Social media has come a long way since then as have the strategies, tactics, methods, and power associated with social media.

In reality, a successful social media marketing campaign is multi-dimensional. Actually, it's kind of complicated. Ask any social media marketer “How do you do social media marketing?” and you're likely to get the “Um, where do I start?” look.

There are a lot of elements to address and minute details to cover. Often, the most difficult stage is the initial one, when you're trying to gain traction and pick up momentum.

Without a proper game plan and a fundamental understanding of the underlying processes, you can easily find yourself floundering in the wide world of social media.

Don't be discouraged if you've been feeling this way. That floundering feeling is common. In fact, “59.5 percent of social media marketers report that their strategy was having either neutral or negative results.”

Here is an excerpt from Duke University's CMO Survey:

“45 percent said they haven't been able to show social media's impact on their company's performance at all, and only 13.2 percent believe they have proved the impact quantitatively.”

Yikes. If that's what a sampling of CMOs is saying, don't stress over the fact that you're not getting the ROI you want.

Social media marketing is tricky, but it's still possible to succeed in it. You just need to figure out what's broken.

If you know what's broken, you can fix it, right?

Here are some possible reasons why your social media marketing has bombed and how to fix it.

You're not targeting your core audience

I think there's the misconception that whatever you post on social media will bring about results.

The thought is that even if it's in no way related to your niche, everyone will get a kick out of what you post.

Take this post from Verizon, for example-an Instagram video of the Bronco's logo in anticipation of the Super Bowl:

What if their core audience hates the Broncos? What if their core audience doesn't care about sports in general or football in particular?

I'm not saying whether Verizon was right or wrong in choosing to post a Bronco's image. (To their credit, they also posted a similar image of the opposing team's logo.)

The point is this: Only post social media content that connects with your target audience.

Some brands get themselves in trouble when they post a hodgepodge of content with much of it being irrelevant to their core audience.

But at the heart of any successful marketing campaign, and especially social media, is a clear understanding of who your target audience is.

You need to zoom in on a specific segment of the population and create your campaign while catering to their needs and interests. No one else matters.

While it's fine to explore different content ideas, it's important to keep your sights on your core audience and center your campaign around them.

Here's an example of GrubHub killing it with a food-centric tweet that's laser-focused on their demographic:

Red Bull knows their target audience too, and they know that a tweet like this is bound to get traction among their action-sports audience.

Ride your bike to work this week. #mondaymotivation @juliendupont pic.twitter.com/HykPxggBbR

- Red Bull (@redbull) October 10, 2016

You're too salesy

I get it. You want to get the ball rolling, get those leads coming in, and boost your sales volume.

Right out of the gate, you're thinking promote, promote, promote! If I just keep pushing my product/service down my followers' throats, they'll acquiesce and buy. It's a numbers game!

But this is a terrible approach to have on social media, especially in the long run.

This approach will turn off your existing followers and make it nearly impossible to establish any type of sustainable following.

Of course, you'll want to promote your brand. But you need to do it with tact. You don't want to be overly aggressive and salesy about it.

In its slideshow, Rallyverse talks about “the golden ratio for social media,” which is 30/60/10.

This means that 30 percent of what you post should be your own original content, 60 percent should be curated from relevant, external sources, and only 10 percent should be promotional.

While I think there's a little wiggle room with these numbers, this is a great ratio to aim for.

Tim Ferriss has plenty of his own content to promote, but look at what else he does:

He doesn't mind promoting others even when it's a link to a book selling on Amazon.

Curating, sharing, re-tweeting, and promoting content other than your own allows you to promote your brand and generate quality leads without being annoying about it.

Your campaign lacks consistency

Social media marketing is a marathon-not a sprint.

If you expect to see legitimate results, you've got to keep your foot on the gas pedal and not let up.

Another mistake I see brands making is getting hot and heavy at the beginning, when they post content like mad for a few weeks or months, only to start losing steam shortly after.

They take their foot off the gas pedal and start posting sporadically. They may even go MIA for several weeks and not check their accounts, let alone post any new content!

In order for your brand to stick, you'll need to find at least some level of consistency with your social media marketing.

You need to keep at it.

I know it can be disheartening when you put so much time and effort during the initial stages and it seems like no one's responding.

But you need to see the big picture and keep your eyes on the prize. If you're persistent and consistent, the odds should eventually swing in your favor.

You're not posting at the right times

One often overlooked aspect of social media marketing is the time of posting.

We've all heard “post at the right times!” But are we truly practicing it?

Just like vehicular traffic varies depending on the time of day, social media usage waxes and wanes too.

But the good news is it's predictable.

Here are the best times to post on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn:

On the other hand, there are times when social media usage dwindles:

If you haven't considered timing as a factor, it's something you'll definitely want to be aware of.

I also understand you may not be able to schedule your life around posting at optimal times.

That's why I recommend using a tool such as HootSuite or Buffer, where you can schedule your posts in advance.

I often use Buffer's Optimal Timing Tool:

This tool takes all the guesswork out of optimizing posting times. Instead of me trying to figure out when my global audience is most likely to interact with my social media posting, the tool figures it out for me.

When I ran the tool just a minute ago, it gave me these results:

The half life of a tweet-the time it takes to generate more than half of its engagement-is only 15 minutes.

Think about that. The difference between my tweeting at 4:00 a.m. versus 10:23 a.m. is the difference of thousands of engagement points.

Time it right, and you'll succeed.

You're not engaging your audience

No one wants to follow a brand that comes off as distant and aloof.

They want to follow a brand that's real and that interacts with them. They want to know their voices are being heard.

I'll be the first to admit that social media marketing can be incredibly time-consuming, especially once you start getting a high volume of comments.

But your campaign is at best going to hit a plateau if you're not consistently engaging with your audience.

At worst, your overall following will decline along with your leads and conversions.

If you don't have the time to respond to comments and participate in digital discussions, I recommend delegating these tasks to other team members or even hiring an outside party to manage your campaign for you.

You're pigeonholing yourself

Did you know that Internet users have an average of 5.54 social media accounts?

If you're only active on one or two networks, you're missing out.

I'm not saying you have to spread yourself thin and have accounts on 10 different networks, but you definitely don't want to put all your eggs in one basket.

Like most things in life, it's all about balance.

I would say that a good number to shoot for would be three or four networks.

This should be manageable and allow you to reach a large portion of your demographic without it overwhelming you.

You're focusing on “vanity metrics”

“Vanity metrics” (friends, followers, “likes”) are the most common metrics marketers use to measure the business impact of social media.

But just 14% of marketers tie vanity metrics to sales levels.

I get it. Seeing your follower count grow and grow and getting a lot of likes on Facebook feels great.

On the surface, it appears that your campaign is heading in the right direction. But are these vanity metrics actually leading to results? Do they tell the whole story?

I know from personal experience just how shallow these types of metrics can be. And if you're not careful, you can get lulled into a false sense of security when in reality your social media marketing is tanking.

What's the solution? Make sure you're taking a deeper look into your metrics to see what's really happening.

At the bare minimum, I recommend using a basic platform such as Google Analytics to get a decent vantage point of trends and patterns.

You can use their “Social” feature to learn things like:

• which networks are bringing in the most traffic,


• where you're getting network referrals from, and


• what's leading to conversions.

This will allow you to see the big picture.

You're not using any metrics

Q: What's worse than fixating on vanity metrics?

A: Not using any metrics.

How can you tell what's working and what's not if you're not using any concrete data?

What's crazy is the ridiculously high number of CFOs and CMOs that go with their gut instead of relying on legitimate data.

In fact, “a survey found that 46 percent of CFOs admitted to making important decisions based on instinct.”

Wow. That's a lot of decision-making that's based on very little!

Don't get me wrong, you don't want to “slavishly obey data” even when it goes against common sense.

But you'll definitely want to utilize metrics in some capacity when making key decisions about the direction of your social media marketing.

If you're not sure which tools to use, check out this list from Keyhole. It highlights 25 different social media analytics tools and should point you in the right direction.

Conclusion

Not to be pessimistic, but there's a lot that can go wrong with social media marketing. And it's important you understand some common mistakes many marketers make along the way.

By knowing what to avoid, you can recalibrate your campaign to ensure its success.

If your social media marketing has gotten off course, you can steer things back on track and achieve the results you've always been hoping for.

Can you think of any other specific reasons why social media marketers fail?

33 Writing Tweaks That Will Turn You into a Copywriting Master

Can I make a confession?

When I started writing, I was no Shakespeare. I wasn't even a Hemingway.

In fact, I was downright awful.

Like many of you, I didn't get any kind of degree in writing. I didn't shine in high school English. I never entertained dreams of being a best-selling author.

And my first few posts online proved it.

But over time, I started realizing how important writing is in business. (Spoiler alert: it's super important.)

So I studied, practiced a lot, and got better. I'm still no Shakespeare, but I've learned a lot about writing.

Writing isn't a talent-it's a skill. A skill you can develop, refine, and improve.

Becoming a great copywriter isn't easy, but if you consistently work on your writing, your writing will get better and better.

Here are 33 (count them!) writing tweaks that will propel you to copywriting mastery.

1. Use you instead of we or us

Guess what? Your copy shouldn't be about you. It should be about the customer.

Using you means the copy is talking directly to the customer. But using we and us turns you into another boring company.

Don't fall victim to the “all about us” copywriting trap. Show your readers how they'll benefit.

See how SumoMe's home page features a huge you statement?

2. Qualify

You know you should sell benefits instead of features. But you can't stop there-you have to emphasize that value. That's why you need to qualify your value statements.

By making a list or a series of sections about benefits, you'll communicate both quality and quantity. Your customers will be able to see a clearer picture of what you can do for them.

3. Ditch boring verbs

Remember in high school English class when your teacher told you to avoid the passive voice? That's still true and extends to passive-sounding verbs, like the verb to be.

Why?

Because they tend to sound boring.

Which is more exciting: “Vacation is near” or “Get ready for vacation”?

I'm betting it's the second one.

When it comes to your copy, don't skimp on the verbs. Use strong, active verbs, and be direct.

4. Focus on your titles and headings…

Legendary marketer David Ogilvy is famous for saying,

On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.

Take a lesson from the master, and create the best titles and headings possible. Whether you're writing the main headline on a landing page or an email subject line, put some serious thought into it.

5. …but resist clickbait temptations

While clickbait titles can initially boost your conversion rate, they'll hurt you in the long run. That's because with clickbait, you're over-selling and under-delivering.

Instead, craft titles relevant to your readers. Rely on that relevancy to sell the title. Promise only what you can actually deliver, and then deliver.

6. Practice writing fewer words

Even if you're writing a 3,000-word blog post, you still need to be concise. Take Strunk's advice, and “omit needless words.”

Next time you're writing something, challenge yourself to express your idea with as few words as possible. Then, build on that skeleton.

7. Write shorter sentences

Short sentences are powerful.

While you shouldn't try to make every sentence short, you should use them to break up the text. No one wants to read a sentence that's two paragraphs long.

Short sentences catch your readers' attention. They're easier to digest, and they help readers move through the content easily.

8. Harness the power of single sentence paragraphs

A single sentence paragraph can do a lot.

(See what I did there?)

When you use a single sentence paragraph on its own, you draw attention to it. Your readers will know that's an important point to remember.

If you want your readers to listen up and remember something, make that sentence into its own one-line paragraph.

9. Brainstorm unique CTAs

To be blunt, a “Buy now” button is boring. So is “Join.” And don't even get me started on “Click here.”

Use your call to action to give your readers something different. A great CTA lets readers know what they're getting, and it gives them a great reason to click on it.

Treehouse has a great CTA on its homepage:

10. Bold or italicize important statements

If there's something you want your readers to remember, make it bold.

A survey by the Nielsen Norman Group revealed that 79% of users scanned every web page. Bold text makes that scanning process a lot easier.

11. Use the power of reason

People like to feel they have a good reason for what they do.

Next time you ask your readers to do something, give them a reason to. Using “because” is a good place to start.

(And no, you don't have to use the word “because.” Just give your readers a reason to do what you want them to.)

12. Don't be afraid of the word I

You might have been taught to not use I, me, or my in your writing. Well, throw that idea out of the window.

The more you sprinkle in references to yourself, the more you'll be able to get personal and genuine with your readers. Your readers are craving it.

I do it all the time, and here's what I've noticed.

When I write a blog post without referring to myself much, it tends to get ignored. All the engagement metrics I track go down. But when I do tell a story or share some insights into my life or business, engagement goes way up.

It just works. Trust me.

Be yourself, and refer to yourself.

Just remember: it's not about going on an ego trip. It's about being as honest and real as you can be in front of the people who matter-your readers.

13. Use personal stories

A personal story can turn a good article into a great one. If you're writing about SEO and you tell readers how it helped you, they'll be more likely to try it themselves.

Personal stories help build personal connections with your readers. They'll see that you're just like them, and they'll be willing to listen to you.

14. Use other people's stories

I love using real-life examples in my writing. When I include stories about how influencers have benefited from something, my readers understand how powerful it is.

Using others' success stories lets your readers know you're not full of hot air. If you know that something works, use stories to prove it.

15. Answer questions

I'm not talking about asking customers to send in questions. I'm talking about answering customers' questions before they can even ask.

Great copywriting provides all the answers a customer needs. Your copy should tell the what, why, and how of your product. That means preemptively answering most anticipated questions in the copy itself.

16. Start strong

When it comes to writing articles or blog posts, you absolutely have to start with a strong statement. Tell your readers why they should keep reading.

I'm a big fan of using the first few sentences to relate to readers by addressing their concerns.

But you can also say directly what the post is about. Brian Dean from Backlinko does this a lot:

Doesn't that make you want to read more? You immediately know why the article is going to be superb.

No matter what you do with the beginning of a post, make sure you connect with the reader right off the bat.

17. Read it aloud

I know, I know. You're thinking, “Read my writing aloud? Yeah, right.”

But trust me-this works.

Reading your writing aloud will help you identify places where the writing doesn't flow. If you trip over some words or stop to process the writing, you know it's time to go back and fix those sections.

18. Make friends with a thesaurus

Ever notice you tend to use the same words over and over again? Or have you found yourself looking for the perfect word to use? You need a thesaurus.

Having a thesaurus is ideal for finding new words to introduce into your writing.

Now please, don't use a thesaurus to try to find big, sophisticated-sounding words.

Simpler words are almost always better. But if you can't think of a simpler word, maybe the thesaurus will help.

19. Speak your readers' language

Take a look at past comments from readers. How do they write? Do you see any common phrases popping up?

Use this information to improve your writing. By literally using your readers' language, you'll make it easy for them to relate.

20. Use subheadings

Good writing needs visual contrast. That means no walls of text and no dense copy.

Using subheadings to create subsections helps the reader digest the information and understand it more easily. Make sure you state the main point of each section in the subheading.

21. Stuck? Try combining ideas

Fusing unrelated ideas creates a new twist on an old subject. It works so well because it grabs people's attention. It makes you do a double-take.

For example, Gary Vaynerchuk posted an article with an eye-catching title:

You have no idea what he's going for, right? It makes you want to read more because the combination is so unexpected.

22. Stay actionable

There's nothing wrong with theory-in theory, that is.

When you write an article without giving one actionable tip within it, it's hard to take that article seriously. Your readers have no way of knowing whether you're sharing good information.

In each post, aim to include several actionable tips your readers can use today. Sprinkle them throughout the text so readers get new advice with each section.

23. Make friends with summaries

Summaries, conclusions, wrap-ups. Whatever you call them, there's no denying they're important.

Here's the thing: If someone's made it to the end of your article, they should be rewarded. One easy way to do that is to include a summary or a conclusion at the end.

You can write a list reminding your readers of the most important facts in the article. Readers will be more likely to remember that important stuff, and it's also convenient for them. Win-win!

24. Use humor sparingly

I'm the last person on earth to say your writing shouldn't be personable. But there's a fine line between relating to your readers and trying too hard.

If you want to use humor, do so-but don't overdo it. You shouldn't be cracking a joke with every new paragraph. With humor, often less is more. So, be funny, but don't be funny all the time.

25. Bookend important points

You were probably taught that you should start a paragraph by introducing the main idea (a.k.a. a topic sentence). I'll go a step further and say you should talk about your main idea in the first and last sentences of a paragraph.

People will remember information better if they see it more than once. By talking about your main point both at the beginning and at the end of a paragraph or section, you're making that idea stick in your readers' heads.

26. Be brutal when editing

Rough drafts aren't called rough drafts for nothing. You may have a great idea, but without editing, you won't make your writing the best it can be.

There's a saying in writing: “Kill your darlings.”

The point is not to become too emotionally attached to your writing. Don't keep something because you think it sounds nice.

Be honest and unbiased. Cut out filler words, remove lazy phrases, and shorten any novel-length sentences.

Need help? Try the Hemingway app.

27. Use transitions

No one likes to be hit over the head with something.

If you're going from one topic to another, use a transitional phrase or sentence to make the shift smooth.

One great method is to connect the current section with the next one. Ramit Sethi uses this approach often:

28. Avoid clichés

We all use clichés in everyday speech, but they're a bad choice for writing.

That's because using a cliché is a great way to say nothing at all. There is always a better choice (unless you're making fun of a cliché, of course).

29. Include rhetorical questions

Do you want to be an awesome copywriter?

That's an example of a rhetorical question. If you use rhetorical questions in a smart way, you can build a better connection with your readers and get them hyped for what's next.

But if you go overboard, your readers will probably leave. Use rhetorical questions only when you want to emphasize a point or create hype.

30. Leverage lists

Lists are fantastic. They break down information into smaller chunks, and the format makes it a breeze to read.

If you're packing a ton of information within a paragraph, consider making it into a list. Numbered lists work well for processes, and bullet points are ideal for everything else.

Here's Pat Flynn using both:

31. Eliminate buzzwords

It's tempting to use jargon because it's so widespread. But the truth? Most of the time, it comes across as vague filler text.

You might want to write a post called:

“Creating a Streamlined Process for Creating a Dynamic Funnel,”

but it's more direct to title it:

“How to Get More Customers Fast.”

There's a time and place for buzzwords, but don't go over the top with them.

32. Keep it focused

Writing about sales? You could go into all sorts of topics, from marketing to public speaking.

But it's important to narrow that scope so you don't lose readers by going on tangents.

Keep everything on topic. Don't talk about another subject unless it's relevant. If you do talk about something else, keep it short.

33. End with a bang

My absolute favorite way to end an article is to include a question that engages my readers.

I like interacting with my readers and getting them involved. Asking an open-ended question is a great method of doing that.

End your articles with questions that start a conversation, and respond to comments. You'll create a strong community, and your readers will appreciate it.

Conclusion

You don't need years of study to become a master copywriter.

But you do need to practice.

And you need to practice a lot.

Your writing will only get better if you take the time to refine it. Every day, make it your goal to write something, even if it's not much. You might be surprised to see how quickly your wordsmithing improves.

What's your biggest writing challenge?

What Are Interstitials, and Are They Hurting Your SEO?

A lot of people seem to think SEO is dead.

People have been saying “SEO is dead” every since SEO started. But this time, could it be different?

Look at what's happened recently. Google unleashed RankBrain, a machine learning algorithm shift. Keyword research seems to be going the way of the Model T. Artificial intelligence is overtaking the world of SEO.

And yet, SEO is not dead. But it is changing in dramatic ways.

In Google's never-ending quest to provide its users with the best possible search results, it will be executing yet another algorithm update in the near future.

According to the Google Webmaster Central Blog, “to improve the mobile search experience, after January 10, 2017, pages where content is not easily accessible to a user on the transition from the mobile search results may not rank as highly.”

If you're not an SEO nerd, this basically means that sites with mobile popups-or what Google calls “interstitials”-may be penalized.

Any sort of potential penalty obviously doesn't bode well for your website, so it's important to understand the details of this impending update and whether you're likely to be affected.

Here is what you need to know to make sure you're not adversely impacted.

What are interstitials?

First things first. Just what is Google talking about when it refers to interstitials?

The formal definition from Tech Target is this:

“An interstitial (something 'in between') is a page that is inserted in the normal flow of editorial content structure on a website for the purpose of advertising or promotion.”

You've seen these before, right? You're tap-tapping along, and then boom!-a popup.

Unlike other types of ads, e.g., banner ads, interstitials require the user to manually click/tap on the ad or click/tap on the “x” (close) button.

You're basically prevented from exploring a website until you comply and click on a link or “x.”

This is obviously disruptive, and many people (including Google) feel that it detracts from the overall user experience.

Here are three different examples Google specifically mentions that make content less accessible:

Google also provides some examples of techniques that make content less accessible to a user:

• “Showing a popup that covers the main content, either immediately after the user navigates to a page from the search results, or while they are looking through the page.”


• “Displaying a standalone interstitial that the user has to dismiss before accessing the main content.”


• “Using a layout where the above-the-fold portion of the page appears similar to a standalone interstitial, but the original content has been inlined underneath the fold.”

Not everything that seems like an interstitial is actually an interstitial. Cookie permissions, age verification, and small banners are all okay in Google's eyes.

A mixed reaction

I think it's fair to say most of search engine users will be happy about this update. They'll encounter fewer annoyances when they access content.

But as can be expected, not everyone is thrilled.

As you might imagine, there are plenty of publishers who feel that this will negatively impact their conversion rates on products/services/offers.

Here's a tweet from Skift CEO, Rafat Ali, voicing his dismay:

But regardless of what public opinion may be, this update will happen on January 10, 2017.

Love it or hate it, you'll need to be aware of the potential repercussions of having interstitials on your website.

Google's logic behind this move

As you probably already know, Google has been placing an emphasis on mobile friendliness for some time.

And it's easy to see why.

With 80 percent of Internet users owning smartphones and 47 percent owning tablets, Google most definitely needs to cater to these users if it wants to remain the global juggernaut it is today.

It's got to stay ahead of the game.

Because mobile use actually surpassed desktop use in 2015, Google has been putting an increasing priority on optimizing the mobile experience.

Google's first major mobile-friendly update (also known as “Mobilegeddon”) occurred on April 21, 2015, and there's been no looking back.

They even created the mobile-friendly test, where you can determine whether your pages conform to the new standard and where you can receive input on how you can improve in this area.

Since then, they've steadily cracked down on websites that fail to provide a favorable experience to mobile users, and this next update is just another part of this progression.

And I get it.

How many times have you attempted to explore a site on your smartphone only to be interrupted by intrusive popups?

It happens to me a lot. They take up most or all of the screen and are really annoying.

What might be only a slight inconvenience on a desktop or laptop is a monumental distraction on a smartphone.

That's why I definitely understand Google's decision.

Are interstitials hurting your SEO?

Here's the deal.

Up until January 10, 2017, having interstitials on your website shouldn't have any impact on your rankings.

It's business as usual for the time being.

But once that day rolls around, all bets are off.

While it remains to be seen just how big of an impact this update will be, it's safe to say it's not going to do your SEO any favors if you're still using interstitials.

I think this update is somewhat of a wake-up call, telling us we need to focus more on the user and find ways to promote our offers without being disruptive.

What do I need to do to prevent penalties?

In my opinion, it's best to err on the side of caution in situations like these.

The last thing you want is for your rankings to take a major hit because of interstitials.

I would recommend removing any popups or intrusive ads at least for the time being until the dust settles.

If using interstitials has been a key piece of your revenue model, I would suggest considering alternative options.

What are the alternatives?

Your best bet would be replacing a popup with a banner ad.

According to Google, one technique that won't be affected by the new signal is “banners that use a reasonable amount of screen space and are easily dismissible. For example, the app install banners provided by Safari and Chrome are examples of banners that use a reasonable amount of screen space.”

Usually, the ideal positioning for a banner ad is at the top of the screen, where it's very noticeable but doesn't detract from the user experience.

You can still use a considerable amount of screen space to grab the attention of visitors as long as it's not overly intrusive.

When done correctly, a well-placed banner ad should still generate a good number of clicks and ensure that visitors are aware of your offers.

Another possibility is a stationary sidebar ad. These tend to work well because they're still noticeable even after a visitor scrolls down your site.

Even when it's below the fold, a sidebar ad will continue to appear, increasing your chances of getting clicks.

But what if I absolutely have to use popups?

If you feel like skipping popups altogether is going to kill your conversions, there is a third option: the time-driven popup.

Such a popup ad will only appear after a visitor has been on your site for a certain amount of time and explored your content to some extent.

Unlike a regular popup, where a visitor is hit instantaneously after arriving on your site, this delayed popup ensures they have at least some level of interest and be more open to an offer.

However, I would still exercise caution with this technique because there is the potential for penalties.

A final note

It's important to note that there are certain legal-centric interstitials that won't be adversely affected.

For example, an age verification popup won't be impacted:

Google also makes one important point in relation to the new algorithm update:

“Remember, this new signal is just one of hundreds of signals that are used in ranking. The intent of the search query is still a very strong signal, so a page may still rank highly if it has great, relevant content.”

Translation: if you've got epic content that's highly relevant to what the user is searching for, you probably won't take that big of a hit even if your site has interstitials.

Conclusion

This upcoming update from Google is a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, it should create a better overall user experience (UX) so that search engine users can explore a site's content without being barraged with intrusive popup ads. A better UX is always a good thing.

On the other hand, this can really hurt conversion rates of some businesses.

If one of your primary ways of getting clicks and driving revenue has been through interstitials, this can put you in a difficult position.

In this case, you'll need to come up with another strategy for funneling traffic to the desired location.

Let me level with you here. I love using popups. I get a lot of flak for this, but here's the truth: popups work.

When I use popups, my conversion rates increase, readership soars, and revenue goes up. Besides, in my user research, I consistently hear people say “I'm glad I filled out my email address on that popup because ____.” I see that I'm giving value, and that's fulfilling to me.

Yes, I'm a fan of popups. Honestly, I'm not too sure what to think about the interstitial algorithm. I guess we'll have to see what happens.

As I've learned time and time again, adaptability is one of the most important traits of a savvy marketer. You need to be able to roll with the punches and adapt on the fly in order to achieve sustained success.

By making the appropriate changes and striving to create a streamlined, distraction-free user experience, you can avoid penalties and keep the leads coming in.

That's what I plan to do.

Are you a fan of this Google update or not?

The 5 Best Tools You Should Be Using to Market Your Local Business

Mobile devices and local searches go together like peanut butter and jelly.

If you're a local business, guess what method people use to find you?

They're looking for your business on their mobile devices. If you're not aware of this or optimizing for it, you're leaving money on the table.

Smartphones and tablets have made it easier than ever before for prospective customers to search for businesses in their areas and to find any pertinent information to influence their purchasing decisions.

In fact, “60 percent of American adults use smartphones and tablets to search for local product and service information.”

Furthermore, “50 percent of consumers who conducted a local search on their smartphone visited a store within a day, and 34 percent who searched on a computer/tablet did the same.”

Within seconds, potential customers can see what product/service a business offers, get directions, and find contact information.

I do this myself all the time. I live in a big city. There are always great new places to discover, and I know I can find these places, check what they offer, and discover their ratings with just a few taps on my phone.

Because of the simplicity and convenience of the local search, one thing is true for smart local businesses who capitalize on it: increased sales.

In theory, one out of every two individuals who find your business through their smartphones will actually visit your business that very day.

Studies have even found that “18 percent of mobile searches lead to a sale within one day.” That's pretty impressive!

But we need to ask a question: how do you capitalize on this sales-ready segment of the population? How can you make sure your business is placed front and center before their eyes?

It doesn't have to be complicated. In fact, if you use these four tools, you're virtually guaranteed a position at the top.

I've seen businesses rise from having zero online presence to dominating their local markets simply by using these tools. You can do it too.

Here are the tools you should be using.

1. Google My Business

Did you know that 46% of all searches on Google are local searches?

That's right. Nearly half of the people checking out your business online will be located within your immediate geographical area.

To ensure that prospects are finding your business, you'll need to be active on Google My Business.

I personally can't even count the number of times a week I use my smartphone to search for business info via Google.

I also find myself using the “Okay, Google” voice search feature more and more. It's quick. It's easy. It's hands-free. By and large, it's quite accurate in matching my voice commands.

Getting set up on Google My Business is simple. First, visit the site: https://www.google.com/business/.

Next, register and fill out all pertinent business information.

I also recommend including plenty of pictures (at least five) so that prospective leads can get a better sense of what your business is all about.

Once you're set up, you can painlessly manage everything from your dashboard.

More specifically, you can:

• Stay updated on customer reviews


• Get insights on the way people are interacting (e.g., the number of views and clicks you receive)


• Check the number of requests for driving directions to your business


• See the number of people ultimately visiting your website

For me, the more data, the better.

The more information I can accumulate, the easier it is for me to spot patterns and trends so that I can make necessary adjustments.

That's why I really like this tool. It gives me comprehensive data so that I can make highly informed decisions.

Like most platforms from Google, Google My Business is intuitive and user friendly, so there shouldn't be much of a learning curve.

You can also update your profile when necessary to ensure your information is always current.

2. Yelp

In my opinion, Yelp is the second most important tool after Google.

Some marketers have even gone so far as to say that having your business listed on Yelp is more important than having a website.

While I wouldn't go that far, I do think being featured on Yelp is pretty much a necessity these days.

As of March 2016, Yelp received 145 million unique visitors per month and is one of the go-to sites for finding information on local businesses.

People use it to find contact info, business hours, pictures, reviews, and more.

If you're able to get a solid list of reviews and a strong rating, you can bet that your sales are going to increase and your brand equity will grow.

To get set up, you'll need to first claim your business  and visit the mobile download site to use the mobile app for business owners.

From that page, Yelp will send you a link so that you can manage your page from your mobile device.

Using this app is awesome because you can:

• Seamlessly manage your page


• Engage with customers


• Track visitor engagement


• Monitor leads


• Respond to reviews and overall feedback

Just remember you'll want to fill out your profile completely and include enough info to answer any common questions customers may have.

Again, I recommend including plenty of pictures.

3. Facebook Pages Manager

The fact that I mentioned Facebook probably doesn't come as any surprise.

Facebook is a huge deal, so it only makes sense that you'll want to use Facebook Pages Manager. Visit this page to download the app.

Simply download the app for your iOS or Android device, and you can manage your business's presence on Facebook with the utmost level of control and efficiency.

Use it to do the following:

• Post updates, photos, and videos


• Respond to comments on your page


• View and reply to messages


• Get push notifications for page activity, tips, and reminders


• View your Page Insights


• Manage your settings and page roles

This app serves as a streamlined way to manage your Facebook account from your mobile device and stay in close contact with your customers.

I like it because I can stay on top of things no matter where I'm at-even if I'm out of the country.

Having a presence on Facebook and advertising on Facebook matters.

For better or worse, people trust Facebook. Facebook serves as a tool for people to discover new friends, keep up with the news, stay in touch with family, and, yes, discover new places to eat, drink, shop, and play.

Not being on Facebook is the 1980s equivalent of not being in the phone book. I'm not going overboard when I say your business needs to be on Facebook.

4. Bing Places for Business

Okay, so Bing isn't nearly as big as Google or Facebook. That's true.

But that doesn't mean that it can't still be a viable resource for marketing your business locally. Bing relies on the same basic premise as Google My Business does, only it does so on the Bing search engine.

It's easy to hate Bing or totally neglect it. I get that. But listen to this: Bing controls 33% of search!

In my opinion, a third of all search engine users is no small chunk.

Getting set up is pretty straightforward. Visit Bing Places for Business.

You must first claim your listing. Next, fill out your profile, and verify your listing.

Think of it like this. Many of your competitors are likely to be so fixated on Google that they completely overlook Bing. Maybe you were even tempted to neglect Bing.

Getting on Bing takes just a few minutes, giving you an advantage over your competition. By taking the time to get your profile up and running, you can pull in a larger chunk of your target market and win their business.

5. YP for Business

Remember back in the day when people manually thumbed through the Yellow Pages directory to find information on businesses in their area?

Well those days are gone.

But like most companies with any type of longevity, the Yellow Pages has been smart enough to reinvent itself so that it's still practical in our modern era.

Now you can get your business listed free on the YP for Business app.

According to its website, “60 million consumers search YP every month for local businesses,” which is nothing to sneeze at.

Here are some other interesting stats:

• Over 15 million consumers have downloaded the YP app.


• The YP app and mobile web drive more than three calls to a local business every second.

If you're looking to round out your local marketing efforts and get exposure to the largest percentage of your demographic, I definitely recommend listing your business there.

It only takes a few minutes, and your reach can grow considerably.

Some added benefits of using Yellow Pages include having the ability to check out the number of impressions, clicks, and leads you generate.

You can also maintain a comprehensive vantage point of your online presence, online reviews, and social activity.

I would also imagine that the YP for Business app would be an effective way to reach a lot of the older demographic of Gen Xers and Baby Boomers, who have fond memories of the original Yellow Pages.

Conclusion

To get your business in front of potential customers, you must have a presence on some key sites.

Because people are using these sites so frequently, taking the time to register your business and fill out your profile in its entirety can pay good dividends in the long run.

Don't forget the key statistics, correlating searches, and sales.

Remember: 78% of local mobile searches result in offline purchases.

That's huge! If you're a traditional brick-and-mortar establishment, you can most definitely cash in by featuring your business in the right online places.

The bottom line is that there's a growing trend of people using their mobile devices to search for local businesses.

Being active on these five online spots not only allows you to be more competitive and claim your piece of the pie but can also be the catalyst for your business thriving in the long term.

Which of these tools do you find yourself using the most to find info on businesses in your area?

How to Use Psychology to Maximize Social Engagement

What if there was a magic formula for social media marketing?

A formula that would allow you to snap your fingers while saying “Presto!” and have your audience instantly engaged with your content. Next thing you know, they follow, share, and leave comments.

Well, there is (sort of).

But instead of snapping your fingers, you use scientifically-backed psychological principles to maximize social engagement.

You can think of it as neuromarketing, defined as:

“the process of researching the brain patterns of consumers to reveal their responses to particular advertisements and products before developing new advertising campaigns and branding techniques.”

I've been fascinated with neuroscience for a while. Why? Because this stuff just works.

One of my favorite resources to make was the one on consumer psychology:

When I dug into the research, I started realizing people act in predictable ways. And then I realized that certain marketing messages could increase the likelihood of peopling acting in such ways.

Instantly, it made my job as a marketer way more interesting. I began researching all the ways I could apply these principles to blog articles, ad spend, videos, and, yes, social media.

By understanding a few key cognitive processes, you can drive social engagement and increase the effectiveness of your overall social media marketing campaign.

Here are some specific strategies you can implement right away.

The halo effect

This term halo effect originated nearly 100 years ago in 1920, when researcher Edward Thorndike conducted a study where “two commanding officers evaluated their soldiers in terms of their physical qualities (like neatness, energy and physique) and their mental, emotional and social qualities (like intellect, leadership and responsibilities).”

“Thorndike found that, if one of the soldier's qualities was rated highly, the other qualities tended to also be rated highly, and vice versa.”

How does this relate to social media marketing?

It's very simple.

If you establish your brand as having one positive trait, consumers are more likely to believe that your other qualities are more positive as well. In other words, they subconsciously form a positive bias.

Here's an example. Say you build a reputation for posting top-tier, high-quality, thought-provoking articles on Twitter.

In turn, your audience views your brand as being more intelligent and competent.

This should spill over into other areas, and your audience will be more likely to think of your products/services and customer service as being high-quality as well.

The bottom line is that if you can kill it in one area, it's easier to improve your overall public perception and thrive in other areas.

Consumers are more likely to trust your brand and will be more inclined to engage with you on social media.

Post what's most commonly shared

What's one of the primary goals of posting content on social media?

To get people to share it with their friends and followers.

But posting content blindly, without any rhyme or reason, is like throwing darts blindfolded. You're just hoping and praying that something hits the target.

Fortunately, there's a shortcut to maximizing shares.

All you have to do is post what other people share the most.

According to a study from a well-known market research company Ipsos,

“Global citizens who indicate they have shared some type of content online on social media sites in the past month seek primarily 'to share interesting things' (61 percent), 'to share important things' (43 percent) and 'to share funny things' (43 percent).”

Understanding people's sharing habits drastically increases your chances of hitting your target and boosting social engagement.

This isn't to say that every single piece of content you post that's considered interesting, important, or funny will be wildly successful, but this does give you a general framework to build on.

Here's a more detailed graph that provides even more insight into social media users' sharing habits:

If you wonder what type of content is most likely to resonate with your audience, this graph can definitely help guide your efforts.

Give your audience something free

Here's another psychological tactic you can use to your advantage.

Give away something your audience deems as being valuable, and they'll feel indebted to you.

This phenomenon relies upon the concept of reciprocity, which says that humans feel inherently obligated to repay someone when that someone does them a favor, helps them out, or gives them something.

And this doesn't have to be anything huge.

I'm not saying you have to give away a fifty-dollar-product to your social media followers to get results.

It can be something quite small as long as it's legitimately valuable.

Here's a great example:

Anytime Fitness gave their Facebook followers a free downloadable calendar to plan and monitor their exercise activities to ensure they met their fitness goals.

You could give away an e-book, whitepaper, month-long subscription, or anything else your audience would find valuable.

This simple yet effective technique subconsciously makes people want to return the favor, which can come in the form of more followers, more shares, and positive publicity.

Use social proof to create leverage

Peer pressure doesn't disappear after high school.

Even as adults, we're susceptible to it to some extent.

You can use peer pressure to your advantage from a psychological standpoint by creating social proof.

If you're unfamiliar, social proof is defined as “the concept that people will conform to the actions of others under the assumption that those actions are reflective of the correct behavior.”

The premise is quite simple. You find ways to prove to potential followers or customers that your brand is awesome.

It follows then that when people see that others are digging your brand, they will feel they should too. Luckily, social media is an ideal medium for creating social proof.

Here are some specific ways you can maximize social engagement:

• Try to get an industry expert to link to one of your blog posts on their profile.


• Post a picture of a notable figure or celebrity using your product.


• Encourage customers to share photos of your product.

Here's an example of when a Snapchat celebrity Shaun McBride (a.k.a. Shonduras) let Taco Bell take over his Snapchat account to promote the launch of their Cap'n Crunch Berry Delights.

These are just a few ideas, but the possibilities are nearly endless.

Just look for ways to have others give your brand a collective nod of approval, and your engagement should grow along with your leads and conversions.

Incorporate nostalgia

As someone who grew up in the 90s, I get a little sentimental when I think about things like the original Nintendo, Goosebumps books, super soaker water guns, and Nickelodeon's green gak.

It brings back fond memories:

Whether the past was actually as good as we remember is irrelevant. The majority of people look back at yesteryear, and their childhood in particular, through rose-colored glasses.

What does this mean from a social media standpoint?

It means that incorporating nostalgia into your campaign can significantly increase social media engagement.

Robert M. Brecht, Ph.D., wrote an article explaining the effectiveness of nostalgia in marketing.

According to Brecht,

Marketing research clearly shows a positive resonance with both nostalgic ads and the products advertised. It even shows more persuasive influence on customers.

He also made reference to a specific study and said that:

It indicates that when consumers experience nostalgia in a consumption context, they have a higher purchase likelihood with regard to the advertised products.

If you can incorporate nostalgia into your social media marketing, you can trigger a powerful psychological response, which should translate into higher engagement levels.

For example, you might jump on the #throwbackthursday hashtag on Twitter and post something that's retro.

Or you might post pictures on Instagram that show what products in your industry looked like 20 or 30 years ago.

There are many different avenues you can take with this approach.

Create scarcity

One of the greatest fears for most people is the fear of missing out (FOMO).

We naturally want to “be in,” and the thought of missing out on something epic scares us.

That's why the scarcity principle can be so incredibly effective.

After all, why do you think there are so many companies that use terms such as “while supplies last” or “limited time offer?”

Here's an example that proves the power of scarcity brilliantly. A study by “researchers Worchel, Lee and Adewole asked participants to rate two jars of cookies. At first, both jars contained 10 of the exact same cookie.

Then from one jar, eight cookies were removed (making them more scarce). Now participants had to choose between the jar with 10 cookies or the jar with only two left.”

The jar with only two cookies was chosen much more often than the jar with 10 cookies.

In other words, scarcity sells.

If you're really looking to boost engagement, create scarcity.

Make it abundantly clear that if social media users don't take action immediately, the opportunity will be lost forever.

For example, you might have a deal where people who “Like” your Facebook page will be entered into a contest to receive a prize. But they have a limited amount of time to do so.

This tactic will trigger many people's FOMO response, and they'll take action.

Conclusion

Psychology is a social media marketer's best friend.

There are several psychological principles you can implement into your social media campaign that will drive engagement and elicit a response from your audience.

This is important because it helps you get the most from your efforts and ensures the content you post doesn't fall on deaf ears.

By providing a bit of motivation and encouragement, you can build a more engaged audience that's highly responsive.

The long-term benefits?

More follows, comments, shares, and, ultimately, more quality leads coming to your website.

How much of a role does psychology play in your social media marketing?