Tag Archive for: social media

Facebook: 4th favorite choice for teens

Facebook is no longer the most popular social media platform for US teens. According to a recent survey by Pew Research Center, only 51% of US teens aged 13 to 17 years are using Facebook. This is much lower than the shares for US teenage Snapchat users (69%), Instagram users (72%), and YouTube users (85%).

Reasons for user demographic shift

The same survey found that only 10% of US teens use Facebook most frequently, unlike other platforms like Instagram (15%), YouTube (32%), and Snapchat (35%). There are two main reasons why Facebook is no longer the first social media choice for US teenagers: visual content and control.

#1. Visual Content

The current youth demographic group favors visually appealing posts. As a result, teens prefer platforms like Instagram and Snapchat that allow them to beautify their photos and instantly share them with their friends. This is unlike Facebook where users can only upload, share, read, and like curated posts, which is deemed “uncool” by teenagers.

#2. Control

Youngsters are known to be highly expressive, but this is impossible to do if they’re friends with their mom, dad, or other adults on social media. Snapchat and Instagram solve this by allowing teens to control who’s able to see their posts. What’s more, Snapchat and Instagram stories allow users to send time-limited messages. Unlike regular Instagram posts, Instagram stories allow users to share images or videos on their app immediately. These images and videos will then be removed from the platform after 24 hours, similar to how Snapchat works.

These two features mean users can upload more “adult-oriented” posts without worrying that their parents will see them. Users can also get peace of mind knowing their uploaded photos or videos will be removed from the app after a period of time (usually 24 hours).

The next steps for SMB marketing

It’s crucial for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that have a limited marketing budget to understand which platforms reach which demographics. For example, SMBs targeting customers aged 13 to 17 years should rethink their marketing strategies if they’ve invested mainly in Facebook ads. They should consider reallocating their advertising funds to Snapchat, Instagram, or YouTube where their target customers are most active.

Is this the end for Facebook ads?

This doesn’t mean companies that have invested in Facebook marketing won’t see any more benefits. The survey discovered that 70% of US teens from lower-income households use Facebook, a much higher figure than those from middle income families or wealthy families.

But if you do decide to move your Facebook ad spending to other platforms, keep in mind the different preferences based on gender. More girls (42%) identified Snapchat as their go-to platform compared with boys (29%). On the other hand, more boys (39%) identified YouTube as the platform they used most frequently compared with girls (25%).

It is highly recommended that businesses of any size use more than one type of marketing channel to attract customers. Not only will your company’s search engine rankings increase naturally, but having more than one approach can also help you reach more of your target demographics and compete better with similar companies. We help SMBs make the best of their marketing funds by tailoring marketing strategies that reach the most teenagers, so if you’re interested in social media marketing, send us a message today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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How to make social media marketing work for you

Regardless of your company’s size, social media marketing is a valuable tool you can’t afford to ignore, especially if your business is brand new to the marketing world. Here are some tips you can take away to start making some noise in the social media stratosphere.

#1 Prove you’re an expert

It’s important to know everything there is about your product/brand, and often it’s a good idea to know even everything beyond it. According to PR firm founder Heather DeSantis of Publicity For Good, one needs to “transition from being a business owner and someone selling a product to a thought leader. You have to have actionable tips that other small-business owners can take action on”.

#2 Establish profiles on major social media sites

Take time to figure out which social media sites your target customers frequent. Then set up pages or profiles on those sites — and post content regularly, at least once a week. To post to multiple social media platforms at a time, consider using a service such as Hootsuite. Once profiles are up and running, don’t let them fall behind. Outdated profiles are almost as bad as nonexistent ones.

#3 Create fresh, shareable content

Google loves original and valuable content. By creating informative articles, people will share links to your site and you’ll notice a difference in Google’s search results. Just remember: Write for your target audience, not for Google.

#4 Adopt a multi-platform approach

You can create a Facebook ad; you can build on Twitter by following and retweeting key people in your industry; you can also even use paid search marketing like Google AdWords, or even do a Facebook Live session to promote. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you’re also gently nudging people to turn their interest into a visit to your website.

Getting the word out about your business can be tough, particularly if you don’t know how to effectively reach out and then keep the momentum going once you get some coverage. How do you get the word out online, without having to spend thousands of dollars on advertising or PR? Just call us today for a quick chat with one of our social media experts who can help you out.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Social Media and HIPAA Compliance

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Before Social Media platforms like Facebook went live, HIPAA was established to protect the privacy of medical providers and their patients. And although there are no specific rules for Social Media use, every healthcare organization must implement security protocols that adhere to privacy policies.

On April 14, 2003, the “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act” (HIPAA) became law with the goal of protecting the privacy of patient medical records, hospitals, doctors, and health plans. The regulations set forth by this legislation allowed patients to freely access their medical records and gave them more control over the disclosure and use of their private health information.

Billions of people consume Social Media content every day, and over 30% of healthcare professionals use the same platforms to build and expand their professional network. There are advantages to utilizing Social Media in the medical field, such as notifications about new services, and interacting with patients. However, there is a possibility that using this platform the wrong way will lead to violations in patient privacy and HIPAA regulations.

What actions on Social Media violate HIPAA rules?

According to HIPAA regulations, a violation or breach is unauthorized use or disclosure under the Privacy Rule which exposes the privacy or security of Protected Health Information (PHI).

Examples of common violations include:

  • Sharing pictures (like a team lunch in the workplace) with patient information visible in the background.
  • Sharing any form of PHI (such as images) without the patient’s written consent.
  • Posting “gossip” about a patient to those who are not concerned, even if the name is not mentioned.

How much do HIPAA violations cost?

People in the healthcare industry cannot treat HIPAA lightly. If an employee were found guilty of violating a HIPAA rule, that person could face a fine between $100 and $1,500,000. Depending on the severity of the violation, the employee might face a 10-year jail sentence, lawsuits, termination from the job, and the loss of medical license.

How can healthcare organizations prevent violations?

It is a good idea to have employees undergo training on HIPAA Security and HIPAA Privacy procedures and policies when they are hired. Topics that should be discussed include workstation use, workstation security, and bringing personal devices into the workplace. These procedures are crucial to making sure that employees comply with HIPAA rules and are protecting patient information, whether it be electronic, written or oral.

Do you work in the healthcare industry and need help managing IT and privacy issues? Feel free to give us a call today!

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Is your data safe from the Facebook data breach?

Businesses have made lots of money using social media to engage with current and potential customers for years now. But after a recent breach, some users are reevaluating Facebook’s reputation. Read on to know how this concerns you and if you must do something about it.

Last month, news broke that a firm known as Cambridge Analytica collected private data from over 50 million Facebook users. The British company supposedly used this information in 2016 to influence voter behavior during the US presidential election and UK’s Brexit campaign.

How did they harvest the data?
In 2015, a Facebook personality quiz app called “This is Your Digital Life” was created by Cambridge psychology professor Aleksandr Kogan. Around 270,000 Facebook users signed up and gave information about themselves in exchange for humorous results.

What users didn’t know was that Kogan’s firm, Global Science Research, struck a deal with Cambridge Analytica to share the information that was gathered. Aside from collecting information about the Facebook users, the app also mined some data about the users’ friends.

Information collected was based on:

  • Data from other platforms that are also owned by Facebook, including Instagram and WhatsApp
  • Advertisers and other third-party partners
  • Apps and websites which use Facebook services
  • Your location
  • The devices you use for Facebook access
  • Payments handled by Facebook
  • Your Facebook connections and networks
  • Messages, photos and other content that other users send to you
  • The information you disclose to Facebook
  • Your activities on Facebook

What happened to the sourced information?
Cambridge Analytica analyzed the collected data to create psychological profiles and invent better political drives to influence whom people would vote for. Although there is still a huge debate about how effective this plans were, there’s no doubt that tens of thousands of users were manipulated into signing away their data without knowing it.

What can I do to keep my information safe?
Remove third-party apps that use your Facebook account. Visit your “Settings” menu and go to “Apps”. You should see the list of all the services that are using information about your Facebook profile. Check on each app, and if you don’t need it or use it anymore, delete it to revoke its access.

If you need more information on how to keep your data secure, feel free to give us a call today!

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Protect your Facebook data with these 3 steps

Facebook users woke up to a nightmare when they heard that the social media giant and associated app developers were selling their sensitive data to companies, like Cambridge Analytica, without their consent. So if you’re concerned about being one of the 50 million users whose data have already been sold, you should check out the following 3 tips.

Download your Facebook data

The thought of a complete stranger going through your account is pretty disturbing. Yet, you’re probably curious about the amount of information you uploaded to your social media sites over the years. Fortunately, Facebook allows you to download a copy of all your data. You simply have to log in to its web version and…

  • On the site’s main navigation, click on the down button right next to the Quick Help icon
  • A menu will pop up and you’ll find Settings right above the Log Out option
  • Click on Settings and you’ll automatically be redirected to General
  • Within the General page, press Download a copy of your Facebook Data
  • It will redirect you to a different page where you’ll need to press Start My Archive button to proceed with the download process

Once that’s done, you’ll be able to see an archive of all your Facebook activity, such as the statuses you’ve posted, messages you’ve sent, and ads you’ve clicked on.

Change your privacy settings

After going through all your data, you might realize that everything you shared is harmless. But, that doesn’t mean it won’t end up in the hands of cybercriminals who can use it against you.

We suggest going back to the Settings page and clicking on Privacy. That’s where you can modify whether you want your posts to be seen by the public or only by your friends. You can even control who’s allowed to send you friend requests, view your friends list, and most importantly, decide whether search engines are allowed to link to your profile.

Check or delete apps

You know those personality quizzes that you and your friends always had a ball answering? Apparently, Cambridge Analytica gathered all the responses from one of those app developers. Luckily, you can stop them from further accessing your profile. In Settings, click on Apps to see all the apps linked to your profile. Beside each one, you can choose Edit Settings to review its authorizations or click Remove to completely get rid of it.

Your recent love-hate relationship with Facebook has you second-guessing. If you want to take data security up a notch, we can always provide more tips and tools, and even assess your current level of security. Just give us a call and we’ll take care of your privacy so you don’t wind up breaking up with your favorite social media site.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Facebook announces News Feed change

Facebook recently announced a big change to its News Feed. In response to the backlashes it has been receiving — mostly due to allegations of how social media causes depression and affects one’s political views — it has decided to limit posts from businesses and share more posts from your friends on the News Feed.

Potential outcome for Facebook

One of the main sources of revenue for the social media giant is from its advertising program. But with the changes set to take place, there’s a high possibility that users will spend less time on its platform. This would mean comparatively less effective advertising than before, thus fewer advertisement signups from businesses.

While they do admit this move may potentially hurt profitability, Facebook hopes this change will improve user experience, which in the long-run may translate into higher profits.

Reason for News Feed change

Users enjoy learning about what’s happening in their social circles. Whether what’s shared is as mundane as what someone recently baked, or as momentous as a wedding, every day millions of users like and comment about each other’s lives. For this reason, Facebook has decided to spotlight images and videos that are more meaningful to people on a personal level. Such posts have greater power to deepen human bonds.

Weighing the pros and cons of the News Feed change

However, research has found that constant use of Facebook can cause people to feel alienated and inadequate, reducing people’s overall well-being in the long run. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, teenagers are especially liable to “Facebook depression,” as they constantly compare themselves with their peers.

On the other hand, several researchers believe that an individual’s personality has a greater impact on the type of response he or she will have. If you feel your life is very fulfilling, seeing your friend or family member having fun would make you happy. By contrast, if you’re unhappy or feeling insecure with life, seeing other people’s happier moments will depress you even more.

Effectiveness of change

It’s still too early to tell whether this move will change society for the better and, at the same time, salvage Facebook’s reputation of being a platform that helps people connect with each other. Only time will tell.

Besides Facebook, there are other online channels that can improve your business reputation. If you’re interested in building a stronger web presence, contact us today and we’ll help you get started.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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The ultimate guide to manage Google reviews

Strategies for attracting new customers are always changing, and Google is shaking things up yet again. Apart from well-placed keywords and link-worthy content, reviews from sites like Facebook and Yelp will be displayed in the search results.

How Google changed search results
Google’s new search algorithm is designed to lead people to high-quality products and services. For instance, if you search “Acme Group Inc.”, Google will show you something called a Knowledge Panel. Displayed on the right side of the search results, this panel includes information like address, hours, web address and more.

Over the last year, Google has been automatically aggregating and including online reviews to display in the Knowledge Panel.

Which review sites does Google include?
Relevant sites vary from industry to industry, so if you manage a restaurant, reviews from Yelp or Zagat will likely be displayed next to your online listings. If your business is a bit more niche, however, there are a few steps to determine which review sites affect you.

Go to Google and search for the following:

  • “[your company name] reviews” – to locate sites that already have reviews on your business
  • “[industry] reviews” – to determine industry review sites that you should be listed on
  • “[industry + location] reviews” – to find review boards where you can boost your local presence

Then, record all the review sites you found on the first page of each search query and categorize them based on their search ranking and the current rating your company has on them.

Once you’ve produced a comprehensive list, write down an objective for each review site. This can range from getting listed on the site to improving your rating.

To narrow it down even further, focus your review generating efforts on the five most popular websites on your list, especially any that include disappointing reviews.

Getting reviews
Of course, all this doesn’t matter if people aren’t writing reviews about your products and services. With that in mind, here are a few strategies that encourage people to rave about your business.

1. Send follow-up emails
After a customer has made a purchase, it’s a good idea to send a thank you email that includes a request to review your service.

2. Simplify the review process
Many customers opt to skip writing a review because there are too many steps to express their opinion. Simplify this process by having a review site already opened on your smart tablet and asking your customers to comment on your service before they leave your venue.

3. Offer rewards for reviews
Another way to encourage people to rate your business is by presenting them with a chance to win free goods or services if they submit a review.

Though there’s a lot of steps involved in managing your online reputation, starting early will enhance your SEO, attract new customers, and improve your bottom line.

If you need more advice on climbing up Google’s search rankings or tips on social media management, contact us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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How do I kickstart my Facebook ad?

Facebook’s not only for posting cat photos, complaining about restaurants, or stalking your ex, it’s also an incredibly effective advertising platform. From small businesses to big corporations, anyone can benefit from Facebook’s marketing tools. Read on to leverage Facebook to your advantage.

Why advertise on Facebook?

Above all else, the cost-effectiveness of Facebook advertising sets it apart from other marketing channels. The starting cost is as low as 1$ per day, which is ideal for SMBs that want to test small campaigns before investing more.

Beyond its affordability, Facebook advertising is also extremely effective. With 2 billion monthly active users and the ability to nail down your audience to the most specific details — including their interests and online behavior — it’s no surprise that Facebook advertising had the best return on investment compared with other social media platforms according to a survey of social media marketers worldwide.

Before you get started

As with other traditional marketing campaigns, before beginning a campaign, you need to determine your marketing objectives, audience, budget, and how you want your ads to look. Once you have the answers to all those questions, you’re ready to go.

A step-by-step guide to creating a Facebook ad:

1. Choose your marketing objective

  • From your your business’s profile page, click on “Create Ads” from the dropdown menu in the top right corner.
  • Enter your campaign name and choose your “marketing objective,” which is what you want people to do when they see your ads. It could be increased brand awareness, lead generation, or store visits. You can pick only one from three categories.
  • Set up your advert account by selecting your account country, currency, and time zone.

2. Nail down your audience
You can tailor your audience based on locations, ages, genders, languages, their interests and behavior, and the kind of relationship they already have with your page, app, or website. It’s best to be as specific as possible when selecting your audience.

  1. Set up your budget and posting schedule
    Facebook allows you to set up a daily or a lifetime budget. The latter is the maximum amount you plan to spend for an entire ad campaign. Then choose the frequency or the start and end dates in which your ads will appear.

  2. Design how your ads will look
    You can choose how your ad posts will look like to your audience, such as whether they will appear as an image carousel, a single image, a video, a slideshow, or a “collection” (a new ad format designed especially for Facebook mobile). Note that your ad will consist of five parts: an image, a headline, a block of text, a link description, and a call to action button.

    Tips on designing facebook ads that grab people’s attention

    Your ads will appear in people’s newsfeeds, so make sure your content is interesting and succinct enough to grab their attention as they scroll past it. Each component of your ad — the image, headline, link description and call to action — must stand out when surrounded by vacation photos that rarely receive more than a few seconds of attention.

Creating a Facebook ad is simple, yet the beauty of it is that Facebook also allows for more advanced targeted advertising if you know how to take advantage of what the platform has to offer. Talk to our specialists today; they’ll be happy to share a few pointers on how to help you achieve optimal results from your campaigns.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Group voice call on Facebook

2017january10_socialmedia_cSkype used to dominate an area of VoIP communications that serves a special function: group video calling. With apps like Snapchat, WhatsApp and, most recently, Slack nipping at its heels, it comes as no surprise that social network behemoth Facebook takes a slice of the cake with its recently rolled out desktop group voice calling. With this functionality, anyone who has ever participated in a Facebook-enabled conversation should embrace this new development.

No one gets left behind

In group chats, there’s always that one person who gets the joke last, or reads it last, and so feels left out. With Facebook’s group video chat, this never has to happen as every participant in the group can be connected at the same time. The functionality is still in the “small test” phase, which means certain details are still being ironed out. When it fully launches, though, expect a considerable portion of Facebook Messenger users to consider moving their Skype group video conversations to Facebook.

Potentially compelling benefits

Since introducing its audio calling capability in 2013, Facebook has worked hard to keep up with the competition. Facebook’s introduction – and potential domination – of desktop group video calling might signal the end of times for Skype and other players. For one, Facebook and social media user growth hasn’t shown signs of slowing down. Moreover, most users of internet telephony might inevitably see the advantages of using a single platform for their social media activity and online communications.

Possible user reservations

Users who prefer a communication tool that creates zero distractions in their chats might not opt for Facebook when conducting group video conferences. Facebook is, first and foremost, a social media platform, which serves as a springboard for important news updates, personal anecdotes, and funny cat videos. Not everyone will prefer all those distractions while in a business meeting.

Those looking for a clean communications tool might find the wealth of content a bit overwhelming. In addition, employees of small companies in need of a free communications tool might not immediately warm up to the idea of surrendering their Facebook profile as an official point of contact.

If there’s anything Facebook has proven, however, it is the ability to improve upon previous versions by adding or removing details to enhance user experience. Users may not always be pleased with the updates, but that hasn’t slowed down the billion-user company’s popularity. If the newly introduced desktop group video calling function proves efficient, Facebook might persuade even more users to lean towards its messaging tool.

With many options to choose from, the only thing left for people to do is discern which platform best serves their communications needs. For advice on which VoIP platform is best for your business, contact us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Instagram followers: turn them into buyers

instagram-170px-03Because of its image-heavy content, Instagram has become a tremendously popular social platform, as evidenced by its 500 million users and over-a-billion daily engagement. More than being a photo-sharing social network with fun filters, Instagram’s potential to turn your followers into customers is worth exploring. Make the most of your Instagram account with these 5 practical tips.

Ensure your posts are shoppable

This simply means providing a convenient path in which your followers can buy the products posted on your page. With a shoppable Instagram tool, you can direct users to your online shop where they can make an actual purchase. Instagram is, arguably, not the best ecommerce platform to use if you depend on clickable media, but if you know how to tweak the app to your advantage – and provide an attractive presentation of your products – you can turn likes into sales.

Give away discount codes or coupons

Entice followers to engage with you and share content with incentives such as discount codes or coupons. You can do this by running contests with an interesting concept, cool prizes, and a sharing or voting element that encourages participants to share your content with their friends. Better yet, engage followers by tapping into user-generated content via photo contests, resulting in free promotion for your brand.

Come up with a strong call-to-action (CTA)

Instagram doesn’t exactly have the most mobile-friendly CTAs, but don’t let this prevent you from sending followers to your sales page. Whether it’s telling them to go to the link on your bio or simply incorporating a shoppable Instagram feature on your page, specific instructions on how to buy or know more about your product can spell the difference between making a sale and getting ignored.

Post frequently and make the most of all available tools

Post photos using stylish filters, create snappy and quirky videos, or let your followers take a friendly behind-the-scenes peek at your organization using the Stories feature. Come up with a catchy and relatable caption that encourages participation and engages your core audience. Also important: using hashtags on your posts. Any business Instagrammer worth his or her salt knows that a simple hashtag can pave the way for other users to reach your content and, ultimately, buy your product.

Last but not least…

Create captivating content

Remember that Instagram is a visual platform, and as such, users are enticed by striking images rendered in flattering filters, vivid colors, and clear messages. Although other social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are excellent mediums for promoting products, the image-oriented nature of Instagram brings in a wealth of opportunities for promoting your brand. Aside from coming up with likeable posts, crafting a clear and concise caption can lead to a winning Instagram marketing campaign.

With some creativity, visual flair, and a well-defined strategy, these tips can help shape your Instagram feed as an attractive online sales generator. If you need further advice on how you can make the most of your social media presence, contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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