The Art of Being Social: Our Blog

5 Tips for Moderating a Livestream Panel

Abby Sorensen · November 15, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Are you moderating a livestream panel discussion for the first time? Congratulations! Or maybe you’ve done it before and realized you need a little extra help. While it may seem simple to facilitate a livestream conversation, there is more that goes into it than you might think. From writing a script to planning your transitions and timing to prepping your guests to avoiding technical difficulties, there is a lot to do to be fully prepared for success when live.

Here at SN:D Agency, we’ve produced many livestreams and gained ample experience and want to share our top 6 most important tips to help you moderate a successful livestream panel.

Contents

1 Tip 1: The Necessity of a Script and Run-Of-Show
2 Tip 2: Plan Your Transitions
3 Tip 3: Timing is EVERYTHING
4 Tip 4: Prep Your Guests For Their Success (and Yours)
5 Tip 5: Test All Participants’ Technology

Tip 1: The Necessity of a Script and Run-Of-Show

We cannot stress this enough: preparation is key to a successful livestream panel discussion. Once you’ve got your guests, topic(s), and livestreaming situation nailed down, the main things to prepare are the script and run-of-show.

Our use of the word “script” here is a little loose. As a live panel moderator, you will need an outline of your introduction, questions, and conclusions to act as a script. It may seem redundant to write everything out, but even seasoned panel moderators work off notes, and as a beginner, you will likely be reading off your script. For the questions, plan out exactly which questions you plan to ask each guest. Include a few auxiliary questions that are optional to ask at the end if time allows.

In addition to a script, we recommend that you prepare a run-of-show document, which contains the script but also provides an outline of the show, the timing, the order, and instructions for the producer, the host, and the guests. You will want to provide your script and run of the show to everyone involved with the livestream at least 48 hours in advance to ensure everyone is prepared.

Tip 2: Plan Your Transitions

Transitions between questions will help you appear professional and on point at all times. Our trick for smooth transitions is to plan an exact phrase to use each time you metaphorically “call a guest the stage” to answer a question. Your guest should know what your transition phrase is, so they are alerted as you are moving from one question to the next. The phrase is not only essential for guests to be ready to speak, but it is also essential for your producer to manage title screens and graphics and all the magic that makes your livestream professional-looking.

Tip 3: Timing is EVERYTHING

As you plan and facilitate your livestream panel discussion, the timing of the event is one of the most important things to pay attention to. It is the moderator’s job to keep the livestream on track and ensure the livestream delivers the promised content in the allotted time. It is essential that you start and end on time.

This is a huge job to keep a panel on track, give each guest equal time to speak, and cover the planned topics. Here are tips to help you manage the timing of your livestream:

Write the time frame of each section of the panel in the run-of-show document.
Look at how many questions you are asking and how many guests are answering, and plan out how much time will be given to each guest to answer – and then cut it down by about 30 seconds to allow yourself more cushion time.
Expect that each question will take longer than planned and plan a cushion in your timing.
Rehearse your introduction, conclusion, and transitions.

Tip 4: Prep Your Guests For Their Success (and Yours)

Prepare your guests for the livestream panel discussion by sending them the run-of-show and script ahead of time. Make sure they know what questions they will be asked, in what order they’ll be speaking, how much time they will be given to answer each question, and what information you will use to introduce them. This will allow them to prepare their answers, so they are able to be eloquent, knowledgeable, and comfortable on-screen. It will also allow them to give feedback if there is a question they’d rather not answer or information you planned to share about them that they’d rather remove from the script.

In addition to preparing your guests for the conversation, make sure they are prepared for the technical aspects of the online panel discussion. Provide your guests with a time that they need to be online and in the broadcast studio of whatever streaming platform you are using, instructions for joining the broadcast, instructions for their camera and microphone, and any other specifics for the technical and logistical aspects.

Tip 5: Test All Participants’ Technology

We highly recommend conducting a technology test with all the guests present at least 24 hours before the livestream panel event. This will allow you to work through any technical problems before you are live. Make sure to instruct your guest that they should come to the test call using the exact same device(s) and internet connection they will be using for the livestream.

There are a lot of moving parts involved in successfully producing and moderating a livestream panel. Hiring an agency like SN:D Agency, which has access to better technology and streaming platforms and experience running online livestreams will reduce your stress and ensure your brand has a professional livestream event.

At SN:D we offer a 360-degree white-glove professional livestreaming production service that can help take your brand to the next level in livestreaming. To learn more about how we can help you with your next livestream, contact us today!

The Ultimate Guide for Setting Up TikTok for Your Business Or Brand

Nicki Doffing · October 18, 2022 ·

Pick a song, do a silly dance, throw on some hashtags, and you’ve got a viral video – right? Think again. TikTok is no longer just an app “for kids.” It’s an app for business. Many of its users are not just playing around, and it’s a big player on the social media world stage that your business may no longer afford to ignore. But what do you need to know to set up TikTok for your business or brand successfully?

How does the TikTok algorithm work? Do you know what really goes into shooting great footage or hitting the right message? And we bet you didn’t know there are some serious legal implications if your business or brand’s marketing team chooses the wrong song. So yeah – it’s more than just hopping on a trending hashtag or putting some ad spend behind your best video. With details on how to target your audience for TikTok ads, how to use TikTok analytics in your favor, and all the different ways you can engage and advertise, we’re guessing you’ll need some assistance. Luckily for you, we’ve compiled the top ten need-to-know TikTok tips for businesses to not only launch your brand’s account but to launch it to success.

Are you ready? Let’s dive in.

Contents

1 Top 10 TikTok Tips For Your Business

Top 10 TikTok Tips For Your Business

Tip 1: Understand the Algorithm

You may have heard of people referencing social media algorithms. Even if you don’t know how they work or what they really do, most people have a vague understanding that they are some sort of complex, all-knowing program that predicts what you want to see on your social media feeds. Although social media channels do not like to give away all their secrets, there are some things we do know about the TikTok algorithm.

How Does the TikTok Algorithm Work?

The TikTok algorithm tracks your media consumption and behavior on the app to fill your TikTok feed, called the For You Page or FYP, with content that it thinks you will be likely to watch. But what kinds of data does it use?

Almost any interaction you have on TikTok is used to curate your FYP specifically for you. Did you like a video of a dance trend? Did you click on a funny TikTok on the Discover page? Did you comment on a video of a dog that was just so cute? TikTok monitors every click, scroll, comment, or swipe you make on the app and compiles it all to predict your preferences. All of this information is then used to show you similar content.

In addition to your behavior on the app, TikTok uses your device and account settings to generate content that may be relevant to you. Demographic information such as your gender, age, and language, as well as locational information, are all fed into the algorithm as well. Are you seeing videos about events in your local area? Does your FYP show you a lot of TikToks from people in a similar stage of life, such as high school, recently graduated college, or maybe just married? This is no coincidence. TikTok uses your data to show you videos it thinks you will relate to.

So it sounds like TikTok is very good at knowing what videos to show on your FYP. But does it also know what not to show you?

Generally, TikTok does not show you content you have already seen before. New content is constantly being uploaded to the app, so why waste time showing users the same videos again and again when it has the potential to hook people with something new? In addition to not showing previously-seen content, TikTok avoids showing spam or potentially upsetting content to users. The app is designed to keep users engaged and entertained, so by pushing content that’s enjoyable rather than content likely to make users click away, the platform is more likely to retain users.

It’s also important to note that the TikTok algorithm does not favor creators with higher follower counts or those with high-performing videos in the past. Both large and small accounts are shown on the FYP. This helps give exposure to both new accounts and veteran creators alike. In addition, it encourages users of all kinds to post content. Many creators on TikTok started as small accounts that never expected their content to gain a lot of traction, so the chance that any video could “go viral” is encouraging to many.

Tips for Making the TikTok Algorithm Work for Your Business

So, how can businesses use the TikTok algorithm to their advantage? There are a few ways:
1. Use a Pro Account
2. Create videos specifically for the TikTok platform
3. Use trending sounds and hashtags
4. Optimize your content
5. Determine your audience or niche
6. Post at the right time of day
7. Engage with other users

We’ll go into more detail about all of these below!

Tip 2: Make It Official

If you’re setting up a TikTok account for your business, make sure that the account is set up for a business, not just an individual creator.

How to Set Up a TikTok Business Account

To get set up as a business, you should have a Pro Account. You can either set it up this way from scratch or turn your personal Creator Account into a Pro Account. You may be wondering: what’s the difference between Creator Accounts and Pro Accounts? Simply said, Creator Accounts are to be used by individuals, while Pro Accounts are for brands and businesses.

To get started with setting up a Pro Account, you can visit TikTok’s business site here.

Tips for Setting Up Your Business Profile on TikTok

When setting up your account, you should fill in your basic profile details so your business can be recognized by others on the app.

You’ll want to choose a handle, or username, that is as close to your business name as possible. Some brands add their website domains onto their handles, such as .com or .org. If your business has multiple locations and this account is for a specific one, you should also include the name of your location. It’s also a good idea to keep this name short and readable, so you can shorten your name if it’s long or complex.

Your business account should also have a bio section to tell people who you are. You only have 80 characters, so keep it short and to the point by shortening words or using emojis if you can. But keep in mind that this is also a place for your brand to show its personality, so make it catchy with a good hook and give your profile viewers an incentive to watch your content.

Your profile picture will be shown on all your content and interactions, so businesses should be professional and consistent by using their logo. Ideally, because these don’t take up much screen space, they will just be an icon. Remember, this reflects the professionalism of your brand, so this image should be high-quality.

The last element on your profile is the link in your bio. This is a great way to direct viewers to your other social channels, such as your Instagram or YouTube channel. TikTok is also testing an option for some accounts to be able to link to their website. Whether your business has the ability to link to its website or a different social channel, be sure to include a link here!

Tip 3: Shoot for Success

TikTok is primarily a mobile app platform, which is something you’ll want to keep in mind when creating your content.

Shooting TikTok Videos for Your Business

Because they’re predominantly watched on mobile devices, TikTok videos should be filmed vertically, specifically in a 9:16 aspect ratio. Other ratios can be uploaded, but they will not fit the screen and could be cropped, so for the best look, it’s recommended to shoot your videos in the final 9:16 ratio. Additionally, videos in this format, on average, have a 25% higher 6-second watch rate than horizontal videos, so the ratio matters!

When filming, make sure you also have good lighting and sound quality so that your videos appear professional and representative of your brand. It also helps to shoot videos specifically for TikTok instead of filming them to be used on all platforms. This is because TikTok has its own trends, as well as video format options (such as stitches and duets, which we’ll dive into later), sounds, filters, and many other elements that may not translate well on other platforms. So to take full advantage of a TikTok account, you’ll want to utilize these popular elements that are only available on the app.

Does Equipment Matter When Shooting TikTok Videos For Your Business?

TikTok is a more authentic, down-to-Earth platform than other platforms, so producing videos with very high production quality is not as necessary as it is on other platforms. In fact, it’s recommended to just use a smartphone with a high-quality camera and microphone. To ensure you have proper lighting, you may also want to use a ring light. Besides these items, other production equipment is likely not necessary, especially for a new account.

Tip 4: Face the Music

Part of the popularity of TikTok comes from its ability to integrate popular music and sounds–the app did get its start known as Musical.ly, after all. However, there are limitations on what music and sounds can be used by a business account.

Music Limitations for TikTok Business Accounts

Due to copyright laws, brands on TikTok only have access to use royalty-free sounds on the platform. To use other sounds, brands must obtain licensure to use a sound for commercial use. Available commercial sounds are found in the commercial library. If your account is set up correctly as a brand, these are the songs and sound options that are shown when adding sound to a new video. Simply click the “Add Sound” button at the top of the screen when creating your video, and you’ll be able to look through the many royalty-free options.

You should be careful not to upload videos that already have sounds or songs that are not in the commercial library, as these videos can be flagged for copyright infringement. In addition to having the video removed, it could also create legal trouble for your brand, so it’s best to err on the side of caution. Unfortunately, this does limit what kind of content brands can create, especially when many trends hinge on certain copyrighted songs or sounds. So how can you find acceptable audio to use?

Tips For Finding Music for your TikTok Business Account

A way to find popular sounds that brands can use is to browse through the “TikTok Viral” playlist on the app. This playlist, as well as many others, shows many popular songs and sounds that are available for commercial use for you to choose from. You can also create videos by clicking on a sound on the FYP. However, If you start creating a video this way with a sound that is not in the commercial library, TikTok will notify you that the sound is not available for commercial use. If you choose to use it anyway, the app will ask you to confirm that you have obtained the proper usage permissions.

Here’s a pro tip on TikTok sounds: faster tracks that play at 120+ beats per minute have higher watch rates. So turn up the tunes!

Tip 5: Get With The Trends

TikTok trends are ever-evolving, but staying up to date will show that your brand is relevant!

Using Trending Sounds for Your Tik Tok Business Account

As mentioned, Pro Accounts are limited on which trending songs they can use in their videos, so your business will have to stick to trends that don’t use copyrighted music. Another option: if you do want to make a video to go along with a specific trend, you can try to find music or a sound in the commercial library that is similar to the original but that is available for your brand account. However, as a downside, the TikTok algorithm is more likely to favor videos that do use trending sounds–many of which are not royalty-free.

Hop on the Hashtags with Your Tik Tok Business Account

Especially since a brand’s ability to use trending songs is limited, using hashtags is a great way for your content to be seen! There are many ways to find popular hashtags, such as browsing the Discover page, typing keywords into the search bar and clicking the “hashtags” option, or just searching to see what hashtags are used in your industry. TikTok also has many trending hashtag challenges that are used often, or you could even use small business-related hashtags.

If you’ve scrolled through the app, you’ve probably seen videos that use For You Page hashtags such as #FYP and #ForYouPage. While it has not been confirmed that using these hashtags will cause the algorithm to be more likely to show your videos, many brands and individuals still try it out. In fact, there have even been tests and experiments to see if using these hashtags will really boost your video views. The consensus? Using ‘For You Page’ hashtags doesn’t make your videos gain views or make them more likely to end up on the FYP. For this reason, we recommend using your video description to relay your key message and use hashtags that are more likely to get your video in front of your target audience rather than using these experimental hashtags.

Tip 6: Messaging is a Must

The video quality, trendy sounds, and hashtags you use aren’t the only important aspects of making TikTok videos; the message of the video itself is key!

Tips for Your TikTok Business Account Messaging

Since you are representing your brand on a public platform, you should be thinking about your video’s message and the caption you put on it. Staying in line with your brand voice and values is important–don’t lose your credibility just to be trendy. If your brand voice is professional and informative, keep it that way in your TikToks as well. You don’t want to mix messages or confuse your audience, who may follow you in many places, and there are still ways to have fun while sticking to your brand. On the other hand, if your brand voice is consistently more casual and relatable, use TikTok as a way to show that off!

Keep in mind that people spend time on TikTok for entertainment, not to shop. Because of this, your videos should aim to entertain before they sell. Viewers are much more likely to interact with, follow, and become fans of brands that appear practical, relatable, and authentic rather than just trying to sell their products or services. One form of entertainment that does well on TikTok is storytelling, so find some creative ways to relate your message through a story.

Limitations to Consider When Drafting Messaging for Your TikTok Business Account

When coming up with your best content, there are a few things to keep in mind. TikTok videos do have character limits on posts. However, as of September 2022, the character limit was increased from only 300 characters to 2,200 characters. This allows creators to add a lot more information and hashtags to their videos, which can make them more searchable and better targeted. So, don’t be afraid to write a bit more or include a few more hashtags–it may help you out!

Also, get creative with your calls to action, or CTAs. Having a CTA in a post increases the chances of your audience engaging, clicking, or otherwise just remembering your brand or post. A simple video might spark a chuckle or keep a user watching until the end, but without a CTA, they are likely to simply scroll on. However, by adding a CTA that encourages viewers to take a specific action, you can increase the chance for more engagement, followers, or even conversions, such as sales and leads! Unfortunately, organic TikTok posts cannot have links in the captions, but that doesn’t have to stop you from using some fun CTAs! Drop your Instagram handle, ask viewers to answer a question in the comments, or encourage them to stitch your video with theirs. The options are limitless (well, almost)!

Tip 7: Know Your Audience

TikTok videos would not be popular without the massive number of users on the platform, and knowing who you want to reach is crucial.

Finding and Growing Your Business’s Audience on TikTok

While many people think ‘going viral’ is the end goal of social media, your brand is more likely to garner real, measurable business results by targeting the right people. Your business should have a good idea of who its target audience is. Using demographic information like age and location is a good start, but you should also consider more detailed segmenting options such as interests, education level, and occupation to create a persona.

Once you have your audience defined, utilize it! Make content that is specific to your target audience. Having this niche content will allow you to find followers who are likely to relate to your brand and therefore interact, follow, and even convert. But make sure you don’t get too narrow and only target a small audience. Making more generic content as well for a broader segment can also help expand your audience and grow your platform. Try to find the right mix of specific and general content for your brand!

It’s also important to consider the user demographic of the platform itself. TikTok tends to have a younger audience user base than other channels such as Facebook or even Instagram. Generation Z is much more prevalent on the app, so it may benefit your brand to learn about this demographic to tap into TikTok’s main user base. However, being on TikTok doesn’t mean you have to target Gen Z. 24% of the app’s users in 2022 were age 35 and above, and that number has been steadily increasing.

You can also use TikTok to reach other age ranges that may be in your target audience. Use your brand’s buyer personas to understand their behaviors and interests, and you can find your niche on TikTok. Some tips for reaching older generations include making content that they can relate to, using older on-screen personalities or influencers, or creating content that is more educational.

Finding and Growing Your Business’s Audience on TikTok

Viewing your TikTok analytics will help you find information about your audience. Clicking on the Followers tab of your insights will show: gender, territories, follower activity, videos your followers watched, and sounds your followers listened to. You can use this information to see how well your target audience matches up with who is actually seeing your content or following you. If your target segment is not being reached, you may need to adjust your content strategy. On the other hand, if your brand has a large audience presence from an unexpected segment, it may be worth considering how this can be leveraged. You may want to incorporate them into your strategy as well!

Tip 8: Time It Right

One important factor you may not have considered is this: when is the best time to post your videos?

Use TikTok Analytics to Find the Best Times For Your Business to Post

Overall, TikTok users tend to be the most active from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. However, this is a generalization across all users on the app; your account insights will show you when your specific followers are most active. Use this to your advantage by posting videos regularly when activity is consistently high! TikTok is a fast-paced app with over 1 billion video views daily. To compete in this rapid flow of content, posting at the peak times when your audience is active can lead to you receiving more views and engagement rather than your video being lost in the shuffle.

Tip: For a new account, there may not be much audience activity yet to base your posting times on. For this reason, we recommend testing a posting schedule. Vary the times you post your TikToks throughout the day to see what yields the best results!

Tips for Scheduling Your Business’s TikTok Posts Ahead of Time

The platform itself allows you to schedule videos in advance for publishing later, which is recommended if you’re sharing a lot of content. This will allow you to plan out a schedule ahead of time, create your content in advance, and then spread your posts out over a period of time. However, keep in mind that scheduled posts cannot be edited. This includes editing the scheduled date and time. To make a change, you will have to delete the post and re-upload it, so we recommend doing quality checks on both the content and the posting schedule before uploading to TikTok itself.

In addition to scheduling TikToks on the site itself, there are also third-party scheduling platforms that allow you to schedule posts for TikTok, along with other social channels. Although most of these are paid services, utilizing them allows for an easier way to schedule and manage content on many different sites or platforms. Some of our favorites that we recommend using are Hootsuite and Loomly. However, there are many more out there as well!

Tip 9: Get Engaged

After you create content you’re proud of, it’s easy to post it and then expect to sit back and let the comments and followers roll in. After all, you think your content was great! So why wouldn’t it perform well? But part of what will make your brand appealing to users on the app is interacting with others!

Tips for Engaging on Your Business’s TikTok Account

TikTok users tend to be very active, so be sure to take advantage of this by engaging with them. Responding to comments, thanking people for sharing, and even commenting on other users’ content are all great ideas! Not sure who to interact with? You can use hashtags and sounds to find accounts similar to yours and engage with them or the people liking and commenting on those posts. It’s a great way to be engaged and ultimately build your own following.

TikTok also offers many fun ways to interact besides the standard likes and comments. For example, you can reply to comments within a new video to address a whole new topic or question. Videos can also be stitched, which allows you to use clips of other videos within your content while crediting the original creator. One last fun feature is duetting a video. These are usually used for reaction-based content, where the original video is played beside your video. They are both played at once on a split screen, so you can react, respond, or jump in on a trend yourself while showing the original video.

Tip 10: Add an Ad Budget

Like any other social media platform, TikTok also lets you put some ad spending behind your content. But how does this work?

Brief Overview of Advertising for Your Business on TikTok

Before you are able to run ads on the platform, you will need to create a TikTok Ads Manager Account. This is pretty simple and must be done before you can run ads. The steps to setting up this account are broken down in this short video provided by TikTok’s Business Help Center.

There are several types of ads that can be run:
1. In-feed ads are shown within the feed or FYP among organic videos. These appear the most natural on the page.
2. Brand Takeover ads “take over” the screen and are shown when a user first opens the app.
3. TopView ads are similar, but instead of showing when the app is first opened, they are shown at the top of the FYP.
4. There are also Branded Hashtag Challenges, which take a user to a landing page when they click any video with the branded hashtag.
5. Finally, there are Branded Effects such as filters, stickers, or lenses that are sponsored by brands for creators to use in their content.

Many of the above ads can be in different formats such as images, videos, and carousels, which appear on TikTok’s News Feed Apps (BuzzVideo, TopBuzz, and Babe) or are implemented on the TikTok ad network Pangle.

TikTok ad objectives are split up into three categories: Awareness, Consideration, and Conversion. These also have sub-objectives of reach, traffic, app installs, video views, lead generation, and catalog sales. Choose whichever objective fits your desired outcome! Similar to advertising on other platforms, setting up your ads will bring you through creating a campaign, an ad group, and then the ad itself. You will also be given different options for targeting, setting a budget and schedule, and bidding and optimization.

Pros of Advertising for Your Business on TikTok

TikTok is one of the world’s fastest-growing apps and was the top app downloaded at the beginning of 2022. It is also the social platform with the highest user engagement, so utilizing the app for advertising is a great way to increase your visibility and social engagement. In addition, if you’re looking to increase traffic to your website, TikTok ads can help by including clickable links, which can generate more traffic than just organic videos alone that cannot have links.

Because of the endless scrolling layout of the FYP and the autoplay of videos, it’s often said that ads can feel seamless and less disruptive than they do on other channels. People generally don’t love being shown ads on social media, so this more subtle integration is one reason why TikTok ads can be so successful compared to other platforms. So why not give it a shot?

Challenges of Advertising for Your Business on TikTok

Even with all the benefits of running advertisements, TikTok ads don’t come without their challenges. TikTok ads have minimum budgets for their campaigns and ad groups. Daily and total budgets for campaigns must be at least $50, and ad group daily budgets must exceed $20. So investing in TikTok ad spending may be a larger decision than anticipated, especially if your company is small, if you’re just starting out, or if you have a limited budget for social ads.

TikTok also has very broad targeting options, which, depending on your brand and audience, may not allow you to reach your target segment as easily if it is relatively niche. These factors contribute to the fact that TikTok ads tend to be less lucrative and more expensive than ads on other platforms such as Facebook. However, even with these challenges and limitations, due to the great opportunity for potential with the constantly evolving app, many businesses find success!

Becoming a Pro

After reading all of this, do you feel like a TikTok master yet? Don’t worry–we know it takes time and plenty of trial and error to find social media strategies that will work for any brand. However, by employing some of these tips in your TikTok strategy, you can be one step ahead.

The best place to start is by making a plan, creating content, and seeing what works. So what are you waiting for? Grab your phone, find some fun hashtags, and get started!

For those wanting to know more about navigating the world of digital marketing and branding for your business, did you know that SN:D Agency is a full-scale digital and social media marketing agency? We have experience in marketing our clients’ brands and channels and growing their businesses using the same strategies we shared above, and we have years of expertise behind us. Don’t hesitate to contact us today!

An Overall Guide to Using Videos in Social Media Marketing

SN:D Agency · October 5, 2022 ·

While scrolling through your social media feed, which is more likely to catch your eye: a paragraph of text or a video? Content marketing, especially video content, is quickly becoming the most engaging form of content on social media. There is so much that can be shared in a short video that Facebook or Twitter users may have just scrolled past if it had been presented in a block of text. Studies also show that visual content is 40 times more likely to be shared than content only containing text.

There are an increasingly growing number of social media channels out there, and each one has its own requirements and user trends regarding content. What type of videos should be posted on Facebook? How long should LinkedIn videos be to get the most views? How can your company take advantage of video content to take its social media presence to the next level? In this guide to using videos in social media marketing, let us answer all your questions regarding using video to achieve maximum engagement for your business.

Tips for all Channels

Before getting into the nitty-gritty demands and expectations of individual platforms, there are a few rules of thumb that apply pretty universally across social media video marketing. And they essentially boil down to this: keep it engaging, keep it brief, and keep it accessible.

Create Valuable Content

Even if the goal of your video content is to drive sales and profit, you have to figure out a way to make your videos engaging and entertaining rather than salesy and preachy. What value is the content adding to the consumer? Why should they take the time to watch? 80 percent of people say they prefer when brands lean into storytelling as part of their marketing strategy, so creating a compelling narrative is the best place to start.

Viewers are being constantly bombarded with promotional material and ads, so don’t be the brand that people see as a nuisance or interruption. Focus on video content tells a story or offers something to the viewer rather than just shoving a product down their throats. For example, you can show concrete examples of how your product or service bettered someone’s life or helped solve a problem. See our list below for some ideas for video content that showcase something useful, valuable, or entertaining for the audience, while still working well across a range of social platforms:

Customer Testimonials
Vlogs
Product demos
Tutorials
Expert interviews
Behind the scenes
Explainer animations
Live webinars

Keep It Short

If you want people to engage with your video content, it’s best to keep it short and sweet whenever possible. It’s no secret that viewers’ attention spans are decreasing (the average internet user now has an attention span equal to or less than a goldfish) and you have to be able to keep their interest long enough to get your message across. Keeping your videos under 2 minutes is ideal, and studies show that engagement tends to decrease after just 1 minute, so if you can’t say what you need to say in that time frame, you may need to rethink your content strategy.

Additionally, the opener, or first 10 seconds of the video, are going to be the most crucial in determining whether viewers will stick around. Around 20% of viewers scroll on after ten seconds, so make it worth them sticking around. You can do this by making the video’s purpose clear from the start and answering the audience’s questions of “What’s in it for me?” This will look like a compelling hook that may rely on a startling fact, an enticing but difficult question, a sentence that begins with “what if…” or “imagine,” or the promise of a solution to an important problem.

Add Captions

When posting video, subtitles and closed captions are your friend! Not only does it make
your content more accessible for those with hearing impairments or disabilities, but it’s also in your best interest while reaching all viewers. The mobile social media experience is largely designed for no sound, and 85% on FB users watch video content with the sound off. Adding captions not only explains the context of the video when sound is inaccessible, but it helps viewers retain the information and increases views, engagement, and ROI.

Closed captioning ensures that no one has reason to scroll past your video content, whether it’s someone with hearing loss, a non-English speaker looking to translate captions to their own language, or merely someone without headphones in a public space. You cannot afford to lose any potential viewers for something as small as forgetting to select closed captioning. Additionally, closed captioning also enhances SEO on Google and Youtube, helping you achieve higher rankings and appearing in more searches.

Optimize for SEO

In addition to using closed captioning on your videos, there are plenty of other ways you can optimize your video for SEO on both Google and Youtube, which are the two largest available search engines. This is really all about incorporating text in as many ways as possible–this is because Google can’t watch or understand video content, but it can process text in order to sort and locate your video. Below are some strategies to keep in mind:

Write a comprehensive and in-depth description of your video. When writing this, it’s also helpful to compare your description to the top-performing videos in your category.
Make sure to add all relevant tags.
Choose a relevant title which incorporates important keywords. But don’t just rely on clickbait! Titles should be concise–about 60 characters.
Add a transcript rich in keywords. This will allow Google to find and extract snippets and pull them for searches.
Select a compelling thumbnail image–this is people’s first impression of your video, so you want it to be clear, enticing, and all-around beautiful.

We’ve gone over some general advice for using video, but arguably the most important factor in the success of your video content is where you put it and how it interacts with that specific platform. Read on for what you need to know about using video on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Tips for Facebook

Provide Entertainment and Inspiration

Facebook users resonate well with entertainment, rather than technical videos meant to solve problems or provide in-depth information about a business or their products. Instead, studies show that broad emotional appeal does better on Facebook, so utilize content that highlights narratives and relationships. For example, videos of customers telling stories about their relationship to the brand, employees sharing surprising facts, or colorful and eye-catching imagery of products, facilities, and behind-the-scenes footage.

Upload Content Directly to Facebook

The next thing to keep in mind for Facebook is to make sure you’re uploading videos directly to Facebook. Viewers don’t want to be interrupted from what they’re doing to be taken to another site. Keeping the content on their Facebook feeds means it’s more convenient for scrolling, and people are more likely to stay and view the entire video. Another advantage is that you can track video views this way (instead of just link clicks). This will lead to more accurate metrics analysis and allow you to have a better idea of what content is performing well.

Use a Profile or Cover Video

Another way to incorporate video into your business’s Facebook page is to create a Profile or Cover video. This means instead of including a static profile or cover page picture, you can instead display a fun collage or montage of images or short clips. This can do an even better job of grabbing attention and showcasing what your business is all about.

If you decide to go this route, use something more fun like a slideshow of photos or brief video clips that users can scroll away from at any point to access the technical information on the page. Profile videos can be up to 7 seconds long and are meant to grab attention and very quickly define the brand and brand personality, without going too deeply into detail. Cover Videos, on the other hand, can be 20-90 seconds long. Since the cover image is not the main content of your FB page, it shouldn’t be too long or informational since you shouldn’t expect people to stay at the top of the page for very long. Think of it like a first impression–you want to grab their attention, give a glimpse into your brand’s personality, and ultimately leave them wanting more.

Target Case Study

A fantastic example of a brand using video on Facebook well is Target. This video follows all the guidelines outlined above, from being eye-catching and colorful to appealing to viewers’ emotional appeal. It’s reflective of Target’s brand while still being entertaining over informative, it stays under a minute, and the text makes it easy to follow along.

We especially like this video because it doesn’t feel overly professional or stiff. The images and clips edited in feel authentic and more candid than scripted. It feels like the stuff of real relationships and teamwork, which was what the video was seeking to emphasize. This example shows the value and effectiveness of keeping it real.

Tips For LinkedIn

Stay Informative

LinkedIn users mostly use the platform for professional purposes–to look up information about business or products or services offered, and tend to engage with this type of content more. Flashy, entertaining, inspirational content–such as what you would find on Facebook–doesn’t do as well on LinkedIn. Instead, think about posting the following:

Videos teaching about your brand’s products or services
Content highlighting your business information, including hours, location, and updates
Demonstrations showcasing how to use your brand’s products or services
Interviews with consumers, employees, or team members
Q&A videos

Invest in the Right Tools

On LinkedIn, especially when representing a company or brand, people expect a higher level of professionally than they might on other platforms, and this translates into using the right tools. If you’re recording an interview or demonstration and your lighting or sound is falling short, your video will come off as amateurish. If the audio is poor or the camera is shaky, people aren’t going to stick around to watch the whole video. You want to come across like you know what you’re doing.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be a professional director to get a good quality video. Investing in tools like a tripod to steady your camera or phone, a glow light, or a good microphone can all be game changers, and they don’t have to break the bank to make a big difference. When you invest in your video quality, your viewers will be more willing to invest their time.

Salesforce Case Study

For a study of what works well on LinkedIn, look at this Salesforce video. This particular clip follows the above guidelines of keeping it brief (it clocks in at around 30 seconds) while also being informational. It’s visually interesting while still highlighting Salesforce’s services, and plays with color, graphics, faces, light music, and even humor to pull viewers in. It’s a terrific balance of holding viewers’ attention while still getting the intended professional message across.

Tips For Twitter

Be Authentic

For Twitter, production value matters less than appearing “real.” Viewers want to see authenticity, which could look like a business owner talking directly to viewers, or a more candid behind the scenes of a business’s process or work environment. Try featuring content of people talking directly to camera or phone, and stay away from too many graphics or loud music. However, the content should still be eye catching with a good hook to get you to stop scrolling.

For video content ideas, try:

GIFs
Interview clips
Calls to Action–what do you want your viewers to do after watching?
New product or service introductions

Keep it Even Shorter

Twitter is a fast-paced social media platform, meaning its users are posting multiple times per day. Since accounts tend to tweet more often than they would typically post on other platforms, there is a lot of content on the site that people are scanning through. Users may be following hundreds of accounts, and since there is so much content each day, users won’t commit minutes of their time to one video when there’s so much more to see. It’s best to keep content around 30 seconds or less to get the best engagement and most views.

Glossier Case Study

This video from make-up brand Glossier’s account is a great example of content that’s perfect for Twitter. It’s not overly produced, but still visually pleasing. It features someone speaking directly to the camera, and therefore the viewer, and it doesn’t feel scripted or forced. Instead it’s highlighting the product in a way that feels authentic and natural. Most importantly, it’s brief, only taking up about 15 seconds.

Tips For Instagram

Use Visual Appeal

Instagram is all about aesthetics. The content on Instagram tends to be more eye-catching and visually appealing, with extra attention to color, balance, texture, etc. Posts will appear alongside highly curated photography, design, and art, so if your video is not as visually appealing as the ones next to it in the feed, it will easily get glossed over and be left unnoticed.

For Instagram, there’s an expectation for higher production value compared to Twitter. Ideally, your video content will also feel cohesive and reflective of your other visual content on Instagram. Don’t use electric colors if your brand’s presence typically reflects pastels or neutral tones. For Instagram video content, consider the following:

Showcasing product designs
Tutorials
Displaying products and products in action
Staff introductions
Interviews
Q&As
A day in the life

Video Options for Instagram

Regular Video Uploads

You can post videos between 3 seconds and 10 minutes in length to your Instagram profile, and this video will appear on your followers’ regular feeds. If the video is over 1 minute, then a 60 second preview will appear on feeds, and viewers can click on the video to watch the entire video on your profile. You can also share videos in a carousel feed with other photos or videos. This is a great way to record videos in a more permanent way to your profile.

Reels

Reels are videos that can be set to a huge library of audio sounds. There’s also a larger selection of editing tools available, and they can be up to 1 minute long. Like regular Instagram video uploads, they will appear on users’ feeds and your profile page, but they are also heavily featured on the “explore” tab. This is where a greater audience of people can also find your reels. Reels is a great place to get creative and experiment with backgrounds, filters, transitions, audio, and more.

Stories

Stories are videos or photos that you share to your Instagram profile that disappear after 24 hours. However, you can add stories to your “highlights” where followers can watch them after that 24 hour period. You can edit your stories with background, text, filters, gifs, and more. They appear as 15 second clips, but you can post up to 100 clips in a day. You can also share your videos or reels to your story, but they will appear as previews if they are longer than 15 seconds. From there, followers can click on the video link in your story to watch the full thing. Stories are great for sharing content in a creative but also less permanent way.

Ben & Jerry’s Case Study

For inspiration for producing Instagram video content, look no further than this example from Ben & Jerry’s account. It’s fairly simple, but visually attractive with good lighting, and it’s very reflective of Ben & Jerry’s account as a whole. It also included subtitles and subheading text that appears to have higher production value than it would without. Overall, the bright, light colors, the light, even child-like music, and the playful nature of the cuts and editing all make this a video that makes you stop and crave a Ben & Jerry’s shake right then and there.

In the fight for space and attention across social media channels, harnessing the power of video content is essential. It’s time to get creative and represent your brand, products, and services in a whole new dynamic way. By keeping it visually attractive, making your message accessible, and utilizing text, music, and narrative to tell your brand’s story, we know you’re gonna see results in engagement.

SN Digital Agency is an experienced, results driven full service social media agency! We understand that many businesses need extra help during this time, and we would love to hear from you about partnering with your business to leverage your social media presence for success now and in the future! Contact us today!

The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE – In Conversation with Michael Anschel

SN:D Agency · July 8, 2022 ·

At SN:D Agency, we are obsessed with learning from the experts. We know that every business and individual we work with has their own unique story to share, and we find that we are all better from the chance to learn from people’s incredible expertise.

That’s why we’ve started The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE–a series of candid, live-streamed interviews with thought-leaders, movers-and-shakers, and dreamers-and-doers. This unique series brings together artists and innovators, business leaders and entrepreneurs, those with a platform and those who move behind the scenes, in order to highlight those leveraging real connections (including through social media) to bring their ideas and talents to the world and make it a better place.

By building connections with these industry leaders, we not only invite viewers to share their knowledge, but we help shine a spotlight on these dynamic individuals and the inspiring work they are doing.

This month, we have another very special guest joining us, and we are so excited to introduce Michael Anschel.

The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE – Who is Michael Anschel?

Michael is an expert on green design, remodeling, and building. He is the owner of OA Design+Build+Architecture, an award-winning, nationally celebrated design, build, and architecture firm now celebrating 27 years in business. Michael is also the CEO of Verified Green Inc. which consults with Local Government, product manufacturers, suppliers, builders, and architects on Green building. Michael has led the effort to develop MN GreenStar, is past-president of the national GreenStar Alliance, and also teaches Green Building at Boston Architectural College.

Originally from Minnesota, Michael attended Capital Normal University in Beijing and the University of Minnesota. Michael helped develop the city of St. Paul’s sustainability building policy, and re-wrote Minneapolis’s yard ordinance, which was named #25 in Metro Magazine’s 100 reasons to love the Twin Cities. Michael has been called “one of the nation’s most outspoken green building advocates” by MN Business, and his building assemblies have been published in numerous publications, including the US Department of Energy.

In short, he’s a man making a difference in his field, his community, and beyond, by working towards a more sustainable future and advocating for our planet through his work. He’s just the kind of changemaker that we are committed to lifting up and learning from on The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE!

The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE – Why Are We Featuring Michael Anschel?

We are particularly in awe of how Michael successfully straddles the building, design, and green worlds by engineering profitability into sustainability. Michael is a perfect example of a thought leader who has not only been incredibly successful in his industry and business endeavors, but has worked hard to use his skill sets and passions for the larger good of society and the environment.

We are so excited to sit down with Michael and hear more about his career and experience, from what it means to have a global perspective while remaining in the United States, what opportunities lie in building green, how to create a culture of creativity, and the changes Michal is seeking to bring to the construction industry.

We really can’t think of someone better and more qualified to share about using their career to promote the greater good, and we can’t wait for you to join us in what we know will prove to be a brilliant and insightful conversation.

To learn more about Michael and his work, visit his website at www.oadesignbuild.com, and be sure to follow him on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

If you missed The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE on Tuesday, July 26th, watch Michael’s episode on YouTube here.

The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE – In Conversation with Mychele Boardman

SN:D Agency · June 21, 2022 ·

At SN:D Agency, we are obsessed with learning from the experts. We know that every business and individual we work with has their own unique expertise to share, and it’s amazing how much we can all grow together if we simply take the time to listen.

Last month we launched The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE with our first guest Kristin Maija Peterson. This series is made up of candid live-streamed interviews with thought-leaders, movers-and-shakers, and dreamers-and-doers. This unique series brings together artists and innovators, business leaders and entrepreneurs, those with a platform and those who move behind the scenes, in order to highlight those leveraging real connections (including through social media) to bring their ideas and talents to the world and make it a better place.

This month, we had another very special guest join us, and we are so excited to introduce Mychele Boardman.

The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE – Who is Mychele Boardman?

Mychele is the founder and CEO of Inner Journey Studios, Creative Kaleidoscopes Art Journaling membership, and Mychele Boardman Art, based in Clermont, Florida. She is also a Mixed Media Artist and Online Course Creator. Mychele’s art is inspired by inner stories and the versions of ourselves that lie beneath what the world may perceive.

Through her online classes and studio, Mychele empowers women to express themselves creatively, reflect inwardly, and have fun through art journaling. Mychele says her greatest joy comes from helping women discover their own stories through her Creative Kaleidoscopes art journaling membership and the various mixed media art and art journaling classes she offers. She also has a new membership, Oracle Art Journey, where she’s empowering women to journey even deeper into their stories by tapping into their intuition while making a deck of oracle cards. Her mission is to help busy women prioritize themselves and their self care.

The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE – Why Are We Featuring Mychele?

By featuring Mychele on The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE, we hope to introduce others to her work and highlight her unique artistic reach through digital media. During this episode, Mychele will be speaking about her process and showcasing some of the work she does through Inner Journey Studios and Creative Kaleidoscopes. We’ll also get to hear from Mychele in response to questions like: What exactly is art journaling? What’s your teaching philosophy? What’s your top tips for women pursuing art? And much more.

We will also be discussing what it’s like to create online memberships as a business model and how Mychele has been able to do this and find success. She is an experienced online marketer with a mastery of Facebook groups that showcases her level of intuitiveness and expertise in leveraging these channels to grow her business. Currently she still does all her marketing herself, so she is not only running several online memberships, she is running all the marketing as well. She is an amazing solopreneur startup success story–one we are thrilled to hear more about and honored to play a role in sharing with the world.

And Mychele’s story impacts more than just herself: her work uplifts and inspires so many women to tell their own stories. Mychele can be found sharing her love of art on Facebook and Instagram at @InnerJourneyStudios, so be sure to check out Mychele’s work, business, online art memberships, and socials and give her a follow. Mychele is also offering a Gratitude Card Making Challenge as a gift to YOU when you sign up for her updates!

Watch Mychele’s episode of The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE on YouTube here

10 Steps to a Professional LinkedIn Profile

Emma Kaiser · May 27, 2022 ·

Did you know that 75% of people who changed jobs recently say that LinkedIn informed their decision? Or that prospective clients and new hires are not just looking at your company’s LinkedIn profile, but the profiles of your employees and team members as well? LinkedIn is an incredibly useful social media channel for professional networking, and the way your employees represent themselves in their LinkedIn profiles can have a huge impact on your brand’s public image, reputation, and visibility. Ensuring that everyone associated with your company has a well-developed, professional LinkedIn profile is an important tool that you cannot afford to ignore. So if you’re looking to give your employees a push to update or refresh their profile, make sure to follow these 10 steps to looking polished and professional as a business on LinkedIn.

Contents

1 Step 1: Update the Profile Photo
2 Step 2: Personalize the Background Photo
3 Step 3: Get Creative with the Headline
4 Step 4: Add an About Section
5 Step 5: Complete the Intro
6 Step 6: Keep Experience Up to Date
7 Step 7: Connect with An Employer
8 Step 8: Grow Your Network
9 Step 9: Ask for and Give Recommendations
10 Step 10: Share Relevant Content
11 What Are You Waiting for? Get Your Team Setup with Branded LinkedIn Profiles Today

Step 1: Update the Profile Photo

A profile photo is likely to be someone’s first impression when coming across an account–so your employees should make sure to use a good one! After all, they are a representation of your brand. Use a photo that is polished, well lit, and centered on the face (no selfies or dark shadows!). Make sure to avoid any distracting backgrounds or patterns, and remember that solid-colored, non-busy clothing is best.

If your employees don’t have their own professional headshots, consider hiring a photographer onsite to take photos of all your employees. Not only will this look more consistent, but it will ensure that your desired level of professionalism is represented by everyone associated with your brand. Remember–even if the rest of a profile is great, it can be hard to look past a sloppy-looking or poor-quality photo. It is also sharp for all employees in a company to have the exact same background and branded headshots on their LinkedIn profiles.

See below for an example of a professional profile image:

Looking for an on-site professional photographer to take headshots of your staff? SN:D has you covered. Contact us to schedule your company photoshoot today.

Step 2: Personalize the Background Photo

Does your company have a banner image that you use for your other social media accounts, such as your Facebook page? Consider offering your brand’s banner image to your employees to use for their profile banner photo. This is one more element to provide a consistent, unified brand presentation and also shows great company morale. When people visit your employee’s profile, they are able to create an instant connection between your employee and your brand. Additionally, they can recognize right away where your employee works without the need to scroll down. This is a great way to increase your brand’s reach and market your business at the same time.

See our example below:

Step 3: Get Creative with the Headline

The headline of a LinkedIn profile is another critical part of making a positive impression and showcasing what an employee brings to the table. It’s also one of the most important parts of LinkedIn’s algorithm. The headline is typically the place that displays a person’s current position, but it isn’t limited to that! By incorporating keywords, your employee can portray themselves as credible members of their industry while also appearing higher in searches. Encourage your employees to use their headlines to say a bit about their position, why they do what they do, and what they contribute to your company.

LinkedIn will automatically create a default headline based on a user’s current job title and company, but encourage your employees to not rely on a default headline. LinkedIn gives users 220 characters to work with, so not taking full advantage of this is a mistake! Use the character count available to showcase specialized skill sets and details.

Below is an example of what we might put for a headline on a professional profile:

Step 4: Add an About Section

The About section of LinkedIn is an excellent place for your employees to share their professional stories and lead viewers to want to learn more. It’s important this section is not left blank as it is a chance for your employees to introduce themselves to others and showcase their first-rate talent. Remember, this space does not need to be just about the employees’ skills; it can also include examples of their work, the importance of their skills in their career, and anything else they want to mention.

Employees should include things about why their skills are important, specific examples of their work leveraging the skills, how the employee contributes in their current position, and the positive effects the employee has on the company culture. It’s also great if they mention your company by name. This is the most detailed personal section in a LinkedIn profile, so it’s worth going through a few drafts to make sure it’s detailed, descriptive, and refined. See the example below:

Step 5: Complete the Intro

Encourage your employees to make sure their entire profile is complete with no areas that appear spare or blank. Make sure your employee is taking full advantage of spaces to showcase their skills, education, languages, awards, publications, volunteer experience, certifications, etc. The more fleshed out a profile is, the more qualified and competent your employee appears, which in turn reflects well on your business.

You should also encourage your employees to include their entire work history. Every part of their work experience is valuable in the narrative of their career. This space is also important for networking–don’t underestimate what will catch someone’s attention. We have found it is often the smallest and most seemingly uninteresting details that catch others’ attention.

See below for an example of a profile with additional sections:

Step 6: Keep Experience Up to Date

Even while staying with the same company, people’s positions, titles, and experiences change, so make sure your employees’ current status with your company is reflected in their work experience section. You want their full history and relationship with your company displayed and accurate. This is also relevant if your company has undergone any rebranding or changes during the course of someone’s employment. Everything should be up to date.

See the image below–you can add experience by clicking the + symbol, or edit your existing experience by clicking the pencil symbol.

Step 7: Connect with An Employer

It’s essential that your employees are connected with you on LinkedIn–this will make your connection and relationship public to everyone on the site. This effectively turns your employees into a public team of brand ambassadors, and this makes you stand out from the competition. Younger generations especially value work environments with a social media presence, so seeing existing employees connected with a company on LinkedIn is a big bonus.

Employees can connect their profile to their employers by editing under “Experience,” and then searching and selecting the company name for which they work. They should be able to tell which account is your company’s by whether the logo is correct.

See below:

You can ensure that your employees are connected by seeing whether the company’s name and logo appear in their intro like in the example below:

Step 8: Grow Your Network

Once your employees are connected with your brand, encourage them to dedicate time to their own network. By following and connecting with other professionals in the industry, or synching their address book to their account, you’ll constantly be getting your company name out there and boosting your circle of influence. LinkedIn is, after all, a social networking site, and most of a brand’s engagement on LinkedIn comes through its employees.

Networking on LinkedIn is a terrific way for your employees to gain fresh ideas, new perspectives, and stay up to date on trends in the industry. They can do this by joining relevant groups or keeping an eye out for professional forums where they can connect with others and share professional insights.

Your employees should also make sure they’re checking the “People You May Know” feed of their profile to keep growing and increasing their connections!

Step 9: Ask for and Give Recommendations

Recommendations on LinkedIn are personal testimonials of someone’s work or skills, and they are a great way to boost credibility on a profile. They can also give others a more genuine idea of what your employee is like to work with, what their best skills are, what they’re passionate about, and what they bring to the table of their work environment. An effective recommendation should show and not tell. You want to give specific examples, whether it’s highlighting examples of when your employee showed leadership, when they excelled under pressure, or when they served as a collaborative team member.

You can really showcase your employees’ abilities by writing their recommendations, and they can also request them in the recommendations section of their profile. Ultimately, these endorsements can be the difference between someone contacting your company or someone else’s. It could tip the scales for a future potential employee taking the job on your team or another’s.

See the image below to see where your employee can request a recommendation:

See below:

Step 10: Share Relevant Content

Finally, make sure your employees are staying up to date in the industry by sharing relevant content such as articles, posts, resources, etc. Showing that they are active in industry news communicates professionalism, capability, and expertise. You can also direct employees to publications or accounts that post regularly so they don’t have a shortage of content to share.

Successful organizations know that by encouraging employees to share content, they are then effectively extending their content reach and engagement. This is also a great way for companies to connect more authentically with their audiences. On average, employees have much larger networks and ten times more connections than a company has followers. So if you really want to create a reputation of expertise and get content out there, share it through your employees.

Below is an example of a company blog post that SN:D Agency (and our employees) would share through LinkedIn:

LinkedIn is one of the top places to make professional connections. In fact, there are 61 million senior-level decision makers on LinkedIn right now. People want to know who they are working with–essentially, they want the faces behind a brand–and LinkedIn is a great way for potential clients to decide whether your team seems competent enough to be trusted with their business. Being active on LinkedIn and engaging with connections also offers a more personalized inside look. When your employees are active on LinkedIn and keep their profile up to date and professional, it not only makes your company feel more trustworthy but more human.

It’s also important for the future of your company’s work environment. Employees who come to a company through another employee are far more likely to stay with that company than employees who were recruited in other ways, and employees who are responsible for that recruitment also show more loyalty to that place of work. So use this guide to make sure you and your employees are all on the same page and leaving positive impressions.

What Are You Waiting for? Get Your Team Setup with Branded LinkedIn Profiles Today

Looking for help wrangling your staff’s branded LinkedIn profiles or need help with other digital marketing and branding for your business? Did you know SN Digital Agency is a full-scale digital and social media marketing agency? We have experience in marketing our clients’ brands and channels, and growing their businesses, leveraging many tried and true strategies, and we have over a decade of expertise. Don’t hesitate to contact us today!

The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE – In Conversation with Kristin Maija Peterson

SN:D Agency · May 27, 2022 ·

Have you heard the saying “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room”? At SN:D Agency, we are addicted to learning and growing, and we know that everyone we meet has something to teach us.

That’s why we’re bringing some of the smartest people out there into the same room.

Introducing The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE, a series of candid live-streamed interviews with thought-leaders, movers-and-shakers, dreamers-and-doers. This unique series will bring together artists and innovators, business experts and entrepreneurs, those with a platform and those who move behind the scenes, to lift up, learn from, and celebrate those who are leveraging real connections (including social media) to bring their ideas and talents to the world and make it a better place.

By building connections with these leaders in their industries and fields, we’ll not only learn from them and allow viewers access to their knowledge, but we’ll help shine a spotlight on these dynamic individuals and the inspiring work they are doing.

That’s why we are so proud and excited to be launching with artist Kristin Maija Peterson. Kristin has worked as an art director for SN:D since its founding in 2010, serving as an advisor and graphic artist both on the SN:D brand as well as on our client projects since our first day in business. Kristin’s career in graphic design spans 35 years, with both agency experience and running her own graphic design company. Quite simply, she is one of the very best in the field, and now, at age 60, Kristin has set out to launch her second career as a fine artist.

With this exciting career shift, we are so excited to be advising her on how to leverage social media and digital marketing in order to keep growing connections and introduce individuals to her artwork. It really is a full circle process watching Kristin step away from the support side of marketing in order to become a marketer of her incredible and world-changing art, and we are excited to be helping her get the word out on this exciting new career direction.

Watch or listen to The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE – Episode #1 – Kristin Maija Peterson on Youtube here.

The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE – Who is Kristin Maija Peterson?

A life-long artist, Kristin attended the University of Minnesota, Morris for Fine Arts and Art History and worked as an agency art director for nearly a decade. For the past 25 years, Kristin ran Grand Ciel Design Co., her own graphic design and branding company. Much of Kristin’s work with Grand Ciel Design Co. revolved around environmentally focused clients, such as Minnesota DNR, Metro Blooms, and Blue Thumb, which led to a lot of curiosity, research, and inspiration for Kristin’s art.

Today, Kristin is a self-proclaimed post-modern ecological and visual artist who produces nature-inspired art that seeks to advocate for the environment. Since 2016, Kristin has been showing her art regionally around the Twin Cities in juried and group exhibits, but soon she will host her debut solo exhibition titled “Children of Nature: Find Your Wonderland.” Kristin’s exhibition opens June 5th and runs through June 30, 2022, at the Owatonna Arts Center in Owatonna, Minnesota. The exhibition offers an educational and healing perspective on climate change and encourages viewers to reconnect with their child selves, remembering a time when they were innately curious and more connected with nature. Each piece will be accompanied by a short story authored by Kristin.

The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE – Why Are We Featuring Kristin?

By featuring Kristin on The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE, we hope to introduce others to her work and highlight her unique ecological artwork through digital media. On her feature episode, Kristin will be speaking about her process and showcasing some of her work, allowing viewers a sneak peak and insider look into her show. We will also be providing insight on how artists can leverage storytelling and social connections to help increase their own connections around the world, as well as exploring what it means to drastically change careers later in life. We’ll hear first-hand from Kristin what this transition has been like for her and how leveraging modern tools like digital marketing can make a difference in career success.

Our goal is to help Kristin harness the power of social media to share her art with all those just waiting to connect with it, so we’ll also be discussing digital strategies that make a difference in Kristin’s work, ways social media is not only useful but necessary for artists, rather than a distraction, and how a solo-artist can afford to use and make time for social media.

SN:D has always been passionate about supporting female business owners and artists, especially ones like Kristin whose work and impact on the environment is so important. In addition to her thoughts on digital marketing, we’ll also be hearing from her on a range of topics, from the greatest challenge she faces as a woman in the fine arts world, ways we can and should support other women artists, and the unique perspective she brings to her work.

We’re so pleased to be able to give a brief introduction to Kristin and her work, so make sure to tune into our live-streamed episode of The Art of Being SOCIAL: LIVE featuring special guest Kristin Maija Peterson! We’re so excited to be able to ask her questions about her career, her art, and the social connections she draws on in order to succeed at the work she does.

Learn more about Kristin’s debut here. You can also see more of Kristin’s work by following her on Instagram here. There she will be sharing REELS about her artwork and her process for people to get to know her better. Join us in supporting and uplifting the incredible work of artists like Kristin!

Securing Your Facebook Business Account Against Hacking and Phishing Attempts

Emma Kaiser · August 30, 2021 ·

Hacking and phishing attacks are serious threats in any form, but did you know that one of the number one places phishers will target is Facebook? With 2.6 billion users storing their usernames, passwords, personal data, and even financial information on the platform, Facebook has become a hotspot for cybercriminals, and brands are a top target. Businesses who fall victim to these scams can face financial losses, identity theft, damage to brand reputation, and loss of business.

By knowing how to spot phishing attempts, you and your employees can help protect your business and your brand’s social media integrity. But, in order to recognize a phishing attempt, you first have to start with an understanding of what phishing is. Read on to learn how exactly to spot phishing and hacking attempts on Facebook, how to protect your business’s Facebook account, and how to secure your account for the future.

Contents

1 Securing Your Facebook Business Account: Hacking vs. Phishing
2 Securing Your Facebook Business Account Against Phishing: How to Identify a Phishing Attempt
3 Securing Your Facebook Business Account Against Phishing: Prevention Tips
- 3.1 Use Multi-Factor Authentication
- 3.2 Keep Everyone On the Same Page

Securing Your Facebook Business Account: Hacking vs. Phishing

Hacking and phishing attempts are similar in that both are methods of obtaining unauthorized access to your private data. Hackers tend to obtain access by force by manipulating code to bypass login details, while phishing–a specialized kind of hack–is a more “social” approach. Phishing occurs when “bad actors,” (i.e., people who want to steal your data) will employ several deceitful techniques which are designed to trick you into “voluntarily” giving over your credentials yourself.

Phishers will try to manipulate you by sending confusing messages that appear to be from official sources or directly from Facebook. These masquerading messages are often dressed up to appear official by using logos, typography, and language like that found on the site. They may even be signed by someone appearing or claiming to represent Facebook Admins or similar senior-sounding positions of authority. Phishing attempts are continually evolving and becoming more convincing, but luckily there are several tell-tale signs that can help you distinguish a legitimate source from a phish.

Securing Your Facebook Business Account Against Phishing: How to Identify a Phishing Attempt

By being aware of how phishing scams work and knowing what to look out for, you can avoid letting your business become a victim of a phishing attempt.

As previously mentioned, phishing attacks are normally communicated within an email message (though they could just as easily be included within a Messenger Chat or direct message), and can often be identified by some of the following characteristics:

Usual Spelling and Grammar

Phishing attacks are often (though not always) from non-English origin sources, so it is not uncommon for words or grammar to appear incorrect. A social media company, such as Facebook, would always have communications checked for such basic mistakes before they are sent to a customer.

Similarly, if language is oddly worded or the message itself feels off, trust your instincts and be wary, especially if that message is requesting personal or sensitive information.

Inclusion of Suspicious Links or URLs

Any attempt to get you to visit another website, even if that website looks like “Facebook.com” should be an immediate warning sign. Entering your credentials into a website called “facebook-secure.com,” for example, is likely to be a phishing attempt. If a link looks suspicious, try hovering over the link with your cursor–this will reveal the full web address and reveal if it’s actually leading to where it says it is.

Questionable Email Addresses

When checking emails and messages, always check the address of origin. Phishers will often email from accounts meant to look official in an attempt to mislead you. For example, an email from ‘administrator@faceb00k.com” could easily be misread. Don’t fall for it! Like URL links, email addresses can appear genuine at first glance, but hovering over them with your cursor can reveal a different, fraudulent address.

The Unknown or Unusual

Phishing attempts are designed to catch us off guard, and the best way to do that is to confuse or trick us, so any technical questions or confusing explanations contained within a message may cause us to inadvertently get curious and click a link or reply to a message. Facebook will never send emails asking you for your username or password, nor will they ever send you an attachment or new password out-of-the-blue or without cause. You should also be wary of responding to messages or requests from people you do not know, such as people wanting to be your friend or those claiming to be someone else, as these can also be attempts to deceive you.

While these are some of the most common signs, phishing techniques are constantly developing, so it’s far better to always proceed with caution when confronted with the unknown rather than make a mistake and pay the price for it later.

Securing Your Facebook Business Account Against Phishing: Prevention Tips

Knowing the signs of phishing to look out for is a good first step, but being able to secure your business account is vital in protecting your security. See below for our recommendations for stopping a phishing attempt before it happens.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication

Securing your accounts may seem complicated at first, but there are plenty of help pages on Facebook that you can use to configure your account and keep it secure. The primary technique is to enable and use “Multi-Factor Authentication” (also called “MFA” and sometimes referred to as “Two-Factor Authentication” or “2FA”) wherever possible on all your social media accounts, both business and personal. Below is an example of what it looks like to have two-factor authentication turned on in Facebook.

Multi-Factor Authentication works by setting up two or more authentication methods to prove who you are. These two factors are generally something you know (like a password), and something you have (like access to a phone for SMS or app authentication, or biometric information such as a fingerprint). This multi-factor approach verifies and confirms that you are who you say you are.

To turn on Multi-Factor Authentication on Facebook, go to “Settings” and then “Security/Login.” Then it will prompt you to set up Multi-Factor Authentication. Facebook provides you the option to add your cell phone number for SMS verification or set up an authentication app such as “Google Authenticator” or “Microsoft Authenticator,” which can both be installed on your smartphone. See below for options for backing up your codes for safekeeping.

Once you have these mechanisms set up, the next time you next sign into Facebook you should also be prompted to ‘Verify’ your login attempt or enter a code sent through SMS message. Once you are able to verify through one of these methods, you will be able to log in as normal.

Keep Everyone On the Same Page

While Multi-Factor Authentication is a great way to verify your account, you need to ensure that each employee who has access to your business’s Facebook pages has their own named account and has MFA configured as well. To avoid the use of shared user accounts and shared passwords, each person should be set up with their own unique and complex passwords.

Encourage your employees to use unique passwords to further avoid your account being compromised. To help make this easier, we recommend the use of a password manager tool such as LastPass, Keeper Security, or even the new password managers built into the Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge browsers. Each of these tools has the ability to generate complex passwords (random letters, numbers, and characters) and “remember” them for you so you no longer need to memorize countless passwords.

Finally, training your employees in how to spot phishing techniques and respond to them is incredibly important in ensuring the security of your business. And if you do fall victim to a phishing attempt, make sure everyone knows the steps necessary for reporting security breaches and changing passwords to minimize any possible or future damage.

Your Facebook pages are the portals your customers use to access your business, which means they are extremely important to how your customer perceives you. Protecting these pages and avoiding unauthorized access is a key part of your business’s success and security. It is vital that you and your employees understand the techniques and methods these phishing attacks employ and remain vigilant against any hacking attempts that come your way. The tools and techniques are available to you, but it’s up to you to ensure they are used and implemented!

For those wanting to know more about navigating the world of digital marketing and branding for your business, did you know that SND Agency is a full-scale digital and social media marketing agency? We have experience in marketing our clients’ brands and channels and growing their businesses using the same strategies we shared above, and we have years of expertise behind us. Don’t hesitate to contact us today!

AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) and Page Experience

Abby Sorensen · April 26, 2021 ·

AMP-ready content will score highest after the coming Page Experience update and will be the easiest way to prepare for it, but what is it?

Contents

1 The Birth of AMP: The Desktop/Mobile Divide
2 The Lighthouse Test
3 What’s AMP?
- - 3.0.1 Pro’s of AMP
  - 3.0.2 Downsides of AMP

The Birth of AMP: The Desktop/Mobile Divide

The current phase of web evolution creates a divide between desktop and mobile. On one side, the technology is present (on the server-side as well as on home computers/laptops) to serve complicated web pages containing multiple heavy loading functions without extreme long loading times or other issues.

But at the same time, the use of the internet via mobile (smaller) devices has increased significantly over the last several years. More than 80% of your website’s visitors access your website by phone or tablet. Translating desktop sites to mobile devices often creates what we refer to as a ‘bad user experience,’ which can mean longer loading times and loss of functions. Improving User Experience is–in a nutshell–what the current Page Experience update is all about.

The Lighthouse Test

To create a standardized metric to test your website’s Page Experience, Google created Lighthouse. And it makes sense that Lighthouse tests desktop and mobile versions separately. It is likely that little is needed to bring your desktop site where it needs to be, but it’s possible that your mobile representation needs more attention. This often means making adjustments to the desktop version and implementing AMP.

What’s AMP?

Since 2016, Google has been developing AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) which allows websites to serve a separate and ‘slimmed down’ version on mobile. When properly implemented, they will be fully in line with the requirements of the new update.

Pro’s of AMP

The advantages that AMP will provide are amazing:

– Loading times below 1 second (with help of Google’s cache)
– An incredible bump up in rankings
– Accelerated Mobile Pages will be specifically visible in search results in the form of a lightning bolt symbol. (This will allow the user to choose a better page experience upfront.)

Downsides of AMP

Of course, no solution is without its challenges. AMP requires very strict rules, meaning even the slightest deviation in protocol will prevent it. A narrow path to follow, but one that is completely incorporated in our maintenance plans, which means removing the stress from our clients.

The biggest challenge for your website might lie in the limitations AMP puts on more complicated code and functions. At this early junction of the shift, not all plugins/functions will be AMP ready. This could mean that some functions on your pages will not be eligible for AMP, making the entire page not eligible for AMP. Some restructuring in your website might be necessary to make a healthy compromise between function and ranking. A certain function now presented in most pages might be better off limited to certain pages. This might reduce User Experience on desktop, but increase your rankings significantly. In some cases, a (secondary) function may be better left out completely to gain the advantages that AMP accommodates.

At this time, to create an optimal situation, it is likely that part of your website will be presented as AMP and partly as regular pages. In any case, SND Agency will analyze the best solutions for our clients and come up with a 100% custom plan.

Interested in what Google’s new Page Experience algorithm will mean for your website? Feel free to send us a message and we will send you a free assessment!

Google Page Experience Algorithm Update 2021

Abby Sorensen · April 13, 2021 ·

A big shift in the way your website will be indexed is coming. Make sure you benefit from the coming Google Page Experience update!

Update Summary

The WWW is in a constant state of development, which means it is always expanding and evolving. Search engines like Google need to keep up with this to remain relevant and keep providing the best match between user and content. Ever adjusting algorithms make sure the most appropriate websites pop up when we are surfing the Web.

Google plans to update its algorithm in 2021 to include a factor called Page Experience. This update will include:

Existing Google Search signals such as mobile-friendliness, safe-browsing, HTTPS, and intrusive interstitial guidelines.
Metrics in Google’s Web Vitals, which have to do with a site’s loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability.
Optimizing for mobile, improving page speeds, CTAs, and alt text for images.

Google has indicated that AMP ready content will score highest after the update, and for site owners and others, understanding these signals and making the necessary changes should be a priority.

Page Experience Update: What is it?

Changes to these algorithms happen all the time and are generally there to keep the most important rule intact: ‘content is king’. If you provide desirable information, services, or products, you should rank accordingly. The factor that has become increasingly important over the years is the manner in which the content is provided. How pleasant is the experience of your website? Loading speed–for example–has been a part of Googles algorithms for a while now, as has proper access to smaller devices and the security your site provides (by means of a SSL certificate).

Here at SND Agency, we take Web development very seriously and use the best hosting, software, and SEO services available in order to give our clients the edge they need to stand out and thrive. We know that most algorithm updates come and go without notice, without affecting your website(s). However, chances are the Page Experience update will demand some attention. While deliberately avoiding getting too deep into the technical side, the new update means that Google will put a lot more weight on UX (User Experience), which involves loading speed, Mobile Friendliness, safe browsing, Intrusive Interstitials (like pop-ups) and something called Core Web Vitals, which covers in detail just HOW your pages are loaded. For an extensive explanation please read this great article by Rachel Costello from builtvisible.com.

Lighthouse Testing

So, what do we do with all this information? How do we keep up and even benefit from these changes? The first thing is to assess your website to see how it currently measures up to the new Page Experience algorithm. Thankfully, Google has developed a tool called Lighthouse that will do just that. By evaluating your particular website and the results of its lighthouse score, we can create a plan that will best meet the update’s new demands.

If you run a basic website with good hosting, chances are a that just a few minor adjustments will get you up to speed (pun intended). Larger, older and/or more complex websites might be looking at more comprehensive action to stay up to date. The benefits will of course reflect the extra work, as ignoring the update will without a doubt result in a drastic drop in ranking. Upgrading your website will not only preserve your ranking but most likely increase it, as not all competitors are willing to put in the work.

All clients of SND Agency receive an assessment of their websites and a plan to profit from the latest changes in SEO.

If you own a website and wonder what the Page Experience algorithm update means for your business, feel free to send us a message, and we would be happy to send you a free assessment.