Click here to read on Digett's blog.
Apple: World’s Worst Content Marketer?
September 12, 2013 by Michelle Kafie
One of the main things I’ve learned at my internship so far is the importance of content marketing. Apple is one of my favorite companies, and I expected them to be amazing at content marketing. But guess what? They’re not. Does Apple deserve the title of "world’s worst content marketer"?
Prepare to be surprised
Apple does not do content marketing because consumers do it for them.
Well, isn’t this quite interesting. Wouldn’t we all like our customers and other consumers to do the content marketing for our business too? Here are some of the ways consumers are doing Apple’s job for them.
Apple consumers as “Mactivists”
Over the years Apple has created a cult, a group of fanatical people who are insanely loyal to the company. They go around spreading the word about how great Apple products are and Apple gets more customers from this (I do not consider myself an Apple fanatic, but many times I’ve caught myself trying to convince my friends that have PC’s to change to a Mac.)
As Mactivists we carry product messages ourselves — we are like free brand ambassadors for Apple.
Blogging vicariously
Content marketing tells us that we need to have a blog where we solve our customers’ problems. We have to become a reliable and trustworthy source of information for them, showcasing our expertise and helping them become potential customers.
Apple doesn’t do any of this. What they use as a blog is just a section on their website called “hot news.” They post links to blogs people have written about them or blog posts they write themselves. All you can read in their blog are boring descriptions of their products, or achievements they’ve had lately.
Wouldn’t it be great if Apple had a blog where they could show consumers how these products can solve their everyday life problems? Think of the infinite opportunities they would have to talk about this. Their iPod, iPad, iPhone, and Macs have revolutionized the way people live their lives. Thanks to products like the ones Apple makes, life is simpler and communication is more effective.
Lack of control can be dangerous
So there’s actually a lot of content marketing about Apple, it’s just that they are not the ones doing it. The biggest problem with this is they cannot control it.
People may be devoted to them now, but there are signs that devotion is failing (the iPhone 5c and 5s did not get a warm welcome) — and when people start saying bad things, it will be harder for Apple to control it.
If I were Apple, I would like to have control over what people are saying about my company and my products. Whether it is good or bad, nobody knows the story better than Apple. They have more credibility than any other blog written about them, and not everything that consumers write about them will always be positive. That is why it is always more effective to be in control of the information out there about your company.
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Click here to read on Digett's blog.
Growing Your Business: #Hashtag Power
October 8, 2013 by Michelle Kafie
Hashtags have grown increasingly popular over the past couple of years and many social media websites now support them. Visit Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram or any other social media site and you’ll find people using them. Many people may think that hashtags are used just for fun. What you may not know is that hashtags can be a powerful tool that can help you extend your content’s reach.
What is a hashtag?
A hashtag is a word or a phrase preceded by the pound (#) symbol. You may have seen examples of this all around you: #marketing #love #food. These hashtags allow you to categorize these words or phrases so that when people do a search for that specific hashtag, the content you posted and hashtagged will show up on their feed because it is relevant to what they are looking for. It is like grouping similar information into a category.
For example, I did a search for the hashtag #SanAntonio on Twitter and all of the other tweets that had the hashtag #SanAntonio are together in one page.
Benefits of hashtags
Hashtags have proven to be successful for many companies, especially as social media’s popularity continues to grow. Hashtags allow you to engage with your audience and effectively communicate with them. They give you an opportunity to advertise your business. Here at Digett, we use #Digett to promote and build our brand. If a customer wants to know more about us they can use the hashtag #Digett and find all the information related to us on a particular social media site.
Different uses of hashtags
Another way businesses use hashtags is to promote events or campaigns. If you have an upcoming event and you want to raise awareness for it, using a hashtag will help you spread the word. This will also help you after the event, when you can tell people to tag all of the pictures they take with the same hashtag. This allows all of the people who attended the event and even their friends to look at all of the pictures. This means that by using one simple hashtag you are creating or increasing awareness for your brand. It also allows people to associate a specific hashtag with your brand creating brand recognition. You are also reaching out to a wider audience that could become potential customers for you.
Hashtags have proven very effective for promoting campaigns. If you are organizing one it is always good to keep a consistent hashtag to keep track of everything that is going on. Try to find a campaign name that is not widely used and preferably unique to your business. Customers like this because it gives them an opportunity to be involved with your business and feel part of it.
Hashtags give your customers the opportunity to engage more easily with your brand through social networks. If you use them consistently around all of the social networks you use, it will be easier for your customers and other people to remember those hashtags and use them. Just remember to keep them short, unique and easy to remember.
Beware hashtag overuse
There is one thing you have to remember before you start using hashtags for your business: #Do #not #overuse #them. Best practices recommend not using more than two hashtags per tweet or picture. You do not want to make it so crowded that it confuses your customers and overwhelms them. Besides that, it’s annoying — as is shown in this video of Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake overusing them in real life (NSFW, so wear your headphones).
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Secrets to Promoting Your Business on a Small Budget
November 14, 2013 by Michelle Kafie
One of the big challenges of starting a business is promoting it. How do you get your name out there when advertising is expensive and you have a tight budget? With so much competition out there you must find a way to differentiate yourself and stand out in your customers’ minds.
It’s not easy, but I have compiled a list of ideas for making use of a small promotion budget.
1. Create an elevator pitch. You must always be ready to advertise your business. Prepare a 45 to 60-second compelling elevator pitch that will captivate your audience’s attention. Keep in mind that people have short attention spans and in order for them to be interested in hearing your entire pitch you need to capture their attention in the first 4 to 8 seconds.
2. Attend networking events. Building strong network connections can eventually lead you to the right person who will share what you do and help you spread the word about your business. It is important to remember to always have business cards with you.
3. Build relationships with your customers. Research shows that it is easier and less expensive to keep an older customer than to acquire a new one, so it is your job to keep customers happy and coming back. Word of mouth is a huge marketing tool, and happy customers may spread their good opinion of your company to friends and family.
4. Get a website. You can hire a freelance developer or use one of the many website building tools available. Just remember that it is important for your website to have the right content and to effectively showcase what you do. Consider consulting a professional.
5. Create a blog. Creating a blog is a wonderful way to demonstrate your expertise in your field. It is a way of showing your current and prospective customers that you know what you are doing. Once people realize this they will be more confident in trusting you with fixing the problems they might have.
6. Use social media outlets. This is one of the most important things you need to take advantage of. Social media can be a great way to spread the word about your business and interact with your customers. Create a profile on websites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest, and use these platforms to showcase what you do. Social media sites are a great outlet to show the human side of your business and to answer your customers’ questions.
7. Offer coupons. A great way to attract new customers to your business and get your company out there is to do a giveaway or offer coupons. When you offer coupons customers get to try out your products and most of the time, if they like it, they come back and repurchase them.
8. Volunteer. What a better way to spread the word about your business and give back to the community than by volunteering? First of all you are creating a positive brand image for your company and second of all you are making a difference in people’s lives. Wear a company-branded shirt or cap while volunteering, and leave other volunteers with a positive association between you and your business.
9. Go the extra mile. People will remember what you did for them if you exceed their expectations. Always go above and beyond customers’ expectations, and you’ll be remembered and talked about.
2. Attend networking events. Building strong network connections can eventually lead you to the right person who will share what you do and help you spread the word about your business. It is important to remember to always have business cards with you.
3. Build relationships with your customers. Research shows that it is easier and less expensive to keep an older customer than to acquire a new one, so it is your job to keep customers happy and coming back. Word of mouth is a huge marketing tool, and happy customers may spread their good opinion of your company to friends and family.
4. Get a website. You can hire a freelance developer or use one of the many website building tools available. Just remember that it is important for your website to have the right content and to effectively showcase what you do. Consider consulting a professional.
5. Create a blog. Creating a blog is a wonderful way to demonstrate your expertise in your field. It is a way of showing your current and prospective customers that you know what you are doing. Once people realize this they will be more confident in trusting you with fixing the problems they might have.
6. Use social media outlets. This is one of the most important things you need to take advantage of. Social media can be a great way to spread the word about your business and interact with your customers. Create a profile on websites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest, and use these platforms to showcase what you do. Social media sites are a great outlet to show the human side of your business and to answer your customers’ questions.
7. Offer coupons. A great way to attract new customers to your business and get your company out there is to do a giveaway or offer coupons. When you offer coupons customers get to try out your products and most of the time, if they like it, they come back and repurchase them.
8. Volunteer. What a better way to spread the word about your business and give back to the community than by volunteering? First of all you are creating a positive brand image for your company and second of all you are making a difference in people’s lives. Wear a company-branded shirt or cap while volunteering, and leave other volunteers with a positive association between you and your business.
9. Go the extra mile. People will remember what you did for them if you exceed their expectations. Always go above and beyond customers’ expectations, and you’ll be remembered and talked about.
There are many other ways in which you can gain awareness for your company when running on a small budget. Please share any methods you’ve used in the comments.
