Branding isn’t all logo trends and color palettes. A strong brand identity starts with a true understanding of the business – its stakeholders, audience, industry, values, and more. To strategically end up with branding that represents your company, your branding agency needs to put in the work on the front end – a process we call here at Liquid Creative, discovery.

What Is Discovery?

Without a discovery period, a creative team won’t have the necessary insight to represent your brand. We might not have heard of your business before you became our client, so we take time to get up to speed before any creative work begins.

Liquid Creative has clients ranging from specialized athletic trainers to high-end property management companies. Learn how we gather the insight to create distinct brand identities that are a perfect match for our small business clients!

1. Meet with The Business Owner or Marketing Manager

The discovery process begins right as we’re first approached about taking on a new client. Our Account Management team meets with each new potential client to learn about their target audience, marketing and business objectives, and unique selling points. Once we know a little about your business and marketing goals, we’ll be able to let you know whether our branding services are a good match!

If you feel like your branding is going stale or you’ve outgrown your old logo, it may be time to rebrand your business. Check out these 3 signs it’s time to refresh your branding.

2. Conduct Secondary Market Research

After we’ve determined that a new brand identity aligns with your business and organizational goals, our research begins. We’ll dive deep into your industry, competitors, and target audience. Along the way, we’ll be noting your buying process, unique selling point, and value proposition to know what you bring to customers that no one else can.

3. Team Site Visit

At this stage, we want to see your business in action! Liquid Creative has toured construction sites, production facilities, and pizza parlors to get the best understanding of our clients. We’ll get a feel for your space, team, and daily operations to help keep your brand feeling seamless with how your business is run.

4. Personal Interviews with Stakeholders

After determining who your stakeholders are (customers, investors, employees, and more), we’ll create a list of questions to ask different stakeholder groups. We might request to contact your company leadership, customers, employees, or external partner organizations.

Our conversations with these stakeholders provide insights that can’t be found on a website or by talking to an internal marketer. Through these interviews, we are able to uncover what defines your business, as seen through someone else’s eyes. That’s a core piece of building a distinct new brand identity that aligns with your audience.

5. Discovery Download

Now that we’ve researched your market, seen your operation, and spoken to you and your stakeholders, it’s time to get out some ideas. Our team meets up to brainstorm and discuss what we’ve learned throughout our research.

Our discovery download is all about connecting pieces of our research together to get a full picture of your business. What did you identify as strengths that we didn’t see in your competitors? What do your employees love about their jobs that influences the customer experience? We’ll define what we believe it is your company is offering beyond a product or service. What experience does your business provide?

 

6. Creative Team, Go!

Now, we’ve determined an organic brand direction that makes strategic sense in your industry and local market. Your branding identity won’t just be a logo – we know just the deliverables you’ll need to maintain a cohesive new brand.

Our branding services include the following:

• Logo: a mark used to identify your organization or product
• Color Palette: the various colors and accents to be used in visual communications
• Typography: lists which fonts to use in various communication scenarios
• Graphic Collateral: graphic design elements consistently used to complement your logo
• Word Cloud: a list of words that best represent and differentiate your brand
• Brand Rationale: a document establishing the tone of written communications

7. Present the New Brand Identity

After a little bit of magic from our creative team, we’ll present you with your new brand identity. Our process starts by presenting 2 logo concepts, often that show two different directions we can take your brand. You’ll choose the one you believe in the most for us to further develop. With final revisions and some finishing touches, your new brand will be ready to launch!

Most of the time, we present two logo concepts, and the client selects one for us to further develop. After the final revisions are made, the new brand is ready to launch!

Rebrand Example

Check out the branding transformation on the 5 Points of Life marathon!

 

Before

Sketch Phase

Final Rebranded Logo

Distinct Branding that Embodies Your Organization

A brand shouldn’t be feel mandated—it should feel organic, and complementary to your offerings, employees, and customers. Through the discovery process, our team gathers the background, insight, and inspiration to become the creative force that propels your brand towards new opportunities.

Interested in establishing a distinct new brand for your organization? Learn more about our branding services!

 

 

With weekly changes to social media, we’re always glad when platforms give us a guide to connecting with their audience. This week, we’re taking a look at just that. Pinterest’s Q2 overview, Snapchats Friendship Day guide, and TikTok’s Creative Solutions are giving us more insight on how to use these platforms effectively.

Photo by Stephen Phillips on Unsplash

Pinterest Focuses on Shopping From Home and Staying Inspired

In their Q2 Letter to Shareholders, Pinterest recognized that they didn’t grow quite as much as they hoped they would. They chalk up the difference to people going back to in-person shopping. The platform sees themselves as a place for viewers to browse multiple shops in one place and be inspired by the content they see. We can expect to see Pinterest continue to focus on promoting e-commerce and making online shopping easier.

Pinterest also notes that it expects short-form video to fuel engagement in the near future. Idea pins, which functions as click-through video stories, got off to a great start. Adding product tagging to this new feature made them even more inviting, helping both influencers and brands alike. E-commerce businesses should definitely keep their eye on Pinterest in Q4 – we can’t wait to see what they come up with next!

What does this mean for Florida Businesses?

Not sure if Pinterest is right for you? This platform is a great place to host content that holds up to the test of time, inspires your viewers, or advertises your products. Repurpose your blogs, product shots, case studies and more to get started on this platform.

Photo by Snapchat

Snapchat Is For Connection and Friendship

To celebrate National Friendship Day, Snapchat took a poll of its users to see how they use the app to connect with friends.The survey shows that most Snapchatters are using the app to chat with their friends, which has been even more important since the pandemic began. It also reports that 77% of users are using more features within the app than they were a year ago.

The usage of new features is good news for local businesses. After Snapchat’s recent introduction of My Places and business profiles, businesses feel a lot more native on the app. Gen Z has been dubbed ‘The Snapchat Generation’, so maintaining a presence on the platform could be an interesting way to reach that age group.

What does this mean for Florida Businesses?

Maintaining a Snapchat profile doesn’t make sense for every business, but if you’re targeting Millennials and younger, it’s worth considering. These new features show that Snapchat is looking to encourage advertisers by becoming more business-friendly. We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled to see what changes they’ll implement next!

Photo by TikTok

TikTok’s Creative Solutions Guide

Even though TikTok’s relatively new to the scene, it can feel overwhelming when you aren’t familiar with the app. The platform’s newest guide, Creative Solutions, sheds a light on how businesses like yours can make the most out of their app. The solutions you apply to other social media won’t necessarily work on TikTok.

Users are expecting authentic, creative content often. In fact, TikTok recommends posting 1-4 times a day and seeing what sticks! Many TikTok creators film multiple videos in a day, so make sure to write all your ideas down for when you’re ready to shoot. Your content should reflect your brand and what your audience responds to. Make sure you’re thinking about how your brand makes sense on TikTok, instead of just trying to fit in.

What does this mean for Florida Businesses?

TikTok’s Creative Solutions guide is a great place to start learning about content creation. To get started creating your own content, familiarize yourself with current trends on the app! See what’s being featured, what sounds you hear often, and how other businesses are interacting with their audiences on TikTok. Then get brainstorming! How will your business use those trending sounds? What can you show about your business that no one has seen yet? Once you’ve jotted down your ideas, all that’s left is to find your lighting and film!

Ok, now what?

Now that you’re up to date with the latest industry news, it’s time to invest in a team that specializes in all things social media and digital marketing. We can help! Liquid Creative is a full-service marketing agency ready to help your business operate to its fullest potential without missing a beat.

 

In 2021, your online presence matters. A lot of your success depends on having information about your business in places where your audience can easily find it. This week, we’ve got updates that will upgrade your business pages on Snapchat and Twitter. Plus, Facebook comes to the rescue when you’re not sure what to say!

Photo by Twitter

The Shop Module Brings E-Commerce to Twitter

Twitter’s new feature is focused on making the platform more friendly for online shops. The new Shop Module will be an option for businesses to display items for sale on their Twitter profiles. Users can scroll through these products and make purchases within the mobile app. This simple introduction is Twitter’s first step into bringing e-commerce to the platform since 2015.

The Shop Module feature is currently at the beginning of testing, with only a few select brands being invited to participate. Twitter is hinting that this, along with their recent addition of professional profiles, is the beginning of a journey to make the platform more business-friendly.

What does this mean for Florida Businesses?

Twitter Shopping will be something to try in the future if you offer products that can be shipped to online buyers. This is something that can be used together with a Shopify Store, Instagram Shop, or other e-commerce tools. If you’re a service provider or you operate brick-and-mortar, stay tuned to see what other updates Twitter rolls out for businesses.

Photo by Snapchat

Get on Gen Z’s Radar! Snapchat Launches ‘My Places’

Snapchat’s ‘Snap Map’ lets users know where their friends are in real time – perfect for fueling Gen Z’s FOMO. The platform is now inviting businesses to get themselves on the map – literally – with My Places. This update will let users log where they’ve been, suggest edits, and recommend local spots to friends.

So what does this look like on a business owner’s end? Though Snapchat’s blog is limited on details, it looks like these locations can be linked to business profiles within the app. Your pinned location will bring up information about your business – hours, contact information, reviews from Tripadvisor, directions, and your current Snapchat story.

What does this mean for Florida Businesses?

This tool isn’t going to be ideal for every audience, but it’s definitely going to be useful with the younger crowd. It’ll be interesting to see how this useful new feature will compare to non-social platforms like Google Maps. In any case, set up your business profile, snag your location, and start giving Snapchatters an incentive to check in!

Photo by Facebook

Small Business Campaign Ideas, Courtesy of Facebook

Not sure what to talk about online? There’s plenty to say about every small business – Facebook’s new Campaign Ideas Generator is here to jog your memory! This social media update is so fun to play around with – get some ideas for your small business marketing here. When you input your industry and a time of year, you’ll get suggestions for Facebook ads that will work for your business.

The campaign ideas might revolve around a particular theme, a call to action, or an audience you should try to reach. Plus, click to the ‘Data and Insights’ section for some market research about your audience, right from Facebook!

What does this mean for Florida Businesses?

You’ll never be tongue-tied online again! Even if you’re not loving the campaign ideas that Facebook suggests, the data is a gold mine. Learning more about your audience will let you create more compelling campaigns every single time.

Ok, now what?

Now that you’re up to date with the latest industry news, it’s time to invest in a team that specializes in all things social media and digital marketing. We can help! Liquid Creative is a full-service marketing agency ready to help your business operate to its fullest potential without missing a beat.

Ready to go back to school? With Facebook’s new collaboration with Coursera, small business owners everywhere can now learn more about reaching their target audience online. This comes at a time when we see new ways to interact every week! We’ll help you apply your new knowledge with a quick summary of Clubhouse, now open to all, and an overview of Instagram’s new collaboration features.

Photo by Facebook

Facebook 101: Online Marketing Fundamentals

In a response to the changing job market and their own evolving positioning, Facebook has partnered with Coursera to offer new online learning in the digital sphere. Previously, the platform had only one certificate available in Social Media Marketing. The two new additions are in Marketing Analytics and Software Development. These are self-directed courses that are intended to be completed in about 20 weeks.

Though they’re designed to give someone a start in a related field, these courses are a resource to all small business owners and marketers! If you’re not looking for a certification, check out their topics and focus on what interests you most. This is a great resource for understanding how to promote yourself on Facebook and around the internet!

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

Facebook’s course topics range from building a community to measuring your ad’s performance. If you’re not sure where to start, start with this question: What are you looking to gain from your Facebook presence? Knowing your goal is step 1. These guides will help direct you once you know where you’re going.

Image by Vishal Shah

Group Project! New Collaborations on Instagram

Brands and Instagram influencers go together like PB & J. And now Instagram is giving us new ways to collaborate on their platform. With these new collaboration tools, collaborative posts will appear on the main feed or Reels tab with two profile pictures and usernames together, showing who contributed to the post. 

Though this is just in the test phase, it’s exciting for those brands that work with influencers or encourage interaction with their Instagram profile. These posts will be displayed to both sets of followers, which broadens your reach so much more than a shoutout. This feature might become the elevated form of tagging your business – which will give you some free feed content.  

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

This experiment isn’t available to all Instagram users yet – and we’re totally fine with that. We’ll be interested to see how these look, how people interact with them, and what safeguards will be put in place to keep our feeds looking good. While we’re waiting on the results, perform a collaboration check on your own social media profiles. Should you be engaging more with influencers or everyday customers? Do your followers know what hashtag to use when they post your products? What are your competitors or similar businesses in other locations doing on Instagram?

Photo by Nathana Rebouças on Unsplash

Free Period: Clubhouse Is Open To All!

If you never got an invite to Clubhouse, you’re not alone. But the good news is, the Clubhouse app is now available to all! We’ve talked about Clubhouse a good bit in the past but it’s time for a quick overview. Clubhouse is a little bit like a house party in an app. Someone hosts a live audio room that everyone can join. Guests can come and go as they please, but the host has to be there, or else the party stops. If the host makes you a speaker, you can contribute your thoughts to the conversation – otherwise, you just get to listen in. 

So what’s the consensus on Clubhouse? This is a medium that’s all about connecting with people and back-and-forth conversations. For a small business, this might be a great tool to talk about your industry, answer audience questions, or just connect with the local community. It feels spontaneous, welcoming, and a lot more authentic than a lot of social media. The downfall is that it’s all live – your conversation isn’t going to be saved, so only those who tune in get to hear what you have to say. In general, treat these like a radio show or a town hall. Bring enough to say but make sure to jot down the best tidbits to make permanent content later.

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

Not sure how to start the conversation? This is where your other social media presence comes in. Ask your followers what they want to talk about and invite them to connect with you on Clubhouse. Once your first topic is set, you’ll be good to go! In your first conversation, notice what topics you could go on about and save them for next time.

Ok, now what?

Now that you’re up to date with the latest industry news, it’s time to invest in a team that specializes in all things social media and digital marketing. We can help! Liquid Creative is a full-service marketing agency ready to help your business operate to its fullest potential without missing a beat.

 

Ever regret posting something on social media? We’ve all had those moments of realizing an idea wasn’t as great as we thought it was at first. This week, the team at Twitter is having that awful gut-wrenching feeling as they finally admit defeat on Fleets. Meanwhile, Instagram is trying to save you from accidentally posting something that isn’t ready, adding a drafts functionality to their Story posts. And finally, in an idea that we’ll be looking at closely, Messenger is adding ‘soundmojis’, allowing users to reply to one another with audio clips. Let’s dive into these social media updates, starting at the bottom.

Photo by Twitter

Life Is Fleeting, and So Were Fleets

Last week, we reported that Twitter was still trying to make Fleets happen. They weren’t going to happen. Twitter is finally ready to say goodbye to Fleets. The folks at Twitter took quite a few lessons from their flop and we can too. To start, the purpose of Fleets was to reach those people that weren’t already participating on Twitter. Instead, they continued to be used by active Tweeters, often as a way to compliment Tweets. 

Being such an established, unique platform, new users weren’t downloading Twitter to see if their story feature was worth creating a profile. New social media features won’t necessarily attract a new or different audience – they’re more likely to engage the existing users. Looking ahead, Twitter says it’ll keep searching for ways to appeal to non-participants and open up the conversation. They’re also looking into more ways to add media and variety to Tweets, to keep what active users loved about Fleets. 

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

Starting August 3rd, you won’t be able to Fleet anymore – if you ever did. Twitter isn’t backing down from incorporating media, expanding its user base, and making the platform more visual. For now, use your Twitter account to Tweet and listen in on Spaces. There may be new opportunities and improvements coming to the platform soon!

Photo by WFBrother

Stories Just Got A Little Sweeter: Drafts Are Here!

A short-and-sweet new update from Instagram might have a big impact on your engagement! With Instagram’s new Story drafts feature, as shared by social media beta tester WFBrother, you’ll be able to create Stories ahead of time. Once you design your story and go to exit out, you’ll be prompted to save your story as a draft. Within the next seven days, you can access your draft to post it for real.

So why is this simple little feature so great? Social media connoisseurs know the importance of posting times on engagement and views. Now, you can put the time into your Stories and still post right on schedule! Posting at a peak time (like 11:00 am on a Wednesday) can increase engagement with your stories or even drive views to your profile. Set a reminder on your phone and then you’re ready to roll!

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

This feature will be good for posting stories you want to be seen. It’ll be even better for stories you want to see interactions with. So anytime you’re adding stickers, posting multiple stories in a row, or even advertising a limited-time event, go ahead and create your draft ahead of time. You can also tell your users when to expect a new story from you – like when you’ll answer their questions or reveal the results of a poll – and design it ahead of time! This makes all the ways you can engage with your audience through Stories all the more practical for the busy business owner.

Photo by Messenger

Your Own Personal Sound Board: Soundmojis

Drumroll, please! Facebook has been taking on the world of audio recently, with live audio rooms, podcast hosting, and more. They’re also incorporating small-scale sounds in a new way on Messenger. These ‘soundmojis’ will let Messenger users respond with an audio reaction to their conversations. You can hit them with a laugh track, a cricket chirping in awkwardness, or even a clip of Rebecca Black’s Friday to end the week.

Soundmojis feel like the first of their kind delivered to a broad audience. But this trend started long ago. Think back to the sound effects we hear throughout YouTube videos and the more recent rise of ‘sounds’ on TikTok and Instagram Reels. Using the same sounds for humor is starting to become a part of our culture and Messenger is the first to make the trend as simple as a tap on your phone.

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

So sounds are a trend. What do you do with that information? It’s not likely that you’ll rise to stardom enough to be a soundmoji yourself, and that’s okay. However, learning how to work with sounds to talk about your business is a great way to appeal to the internet-savvy audience. Using a TikTok sound they’ve heard before and adding your own spin on it can be a great way to connect and get some laughs. Even the overly specific becomes a little more approachable with sounds we know and love.

Ok, now what?

Now that you’re up to date with the latest industry news, it’s time to invest in a team that specializes in all things social media and digital marketing. We can help! Liquid Creative is a full-service marketing agency ready to help your business operate to its fullest potential without missing a beat.

JS: Hi everyone, it’s Jess Schultz with the Pulse Center of Ocala and the Ocala CEP (Ocala/ Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership). I’m delighted to be here today with my good friend Jen Pagh with Liquid Creative, a marketing agency that has recently partnered with the number one chamber of the year as you move into the Ocala market.

So, welcome to the community Jen .

Tell us a little bit about Liquid Creative and what you guys bring to our amazing market?

JP: Absolutely, so we are Liquid Creative. We are a full-service creative and marketing agency. Liquid actually comes from the idea that we are an agency where ideas flow. So that transcends really well into our mission which is that we propel brands strategically through inspired and purposeful work

JS: I love that description and I love that name. So, a lot of digital marketing agencies are popping up everywhere, because if 2020 taught us anything it was that digital is where it’s at. We all need to be using this.

How does Liquid Creative stack up against all of these marketing companies that are popping up everywhere? How do you guys stand out?

JP: That’s such a good question. Liquid Creative has been around for nine years and we really bring a depth of knowledge and experience and diverse backgrounds to what we do. Our team is amazing. I will say that. We have just such diversity on our team and so we’re able to bring all of that knowledge to our campaigns and be very strategic and creative and have a lot of fun with that.

The other piece I will add on to that question is that we are a full-service marketing agency. So we can run digital marketing campaigns, but we can also do the creative. So we can do graphic design, video content creation, copywriting all of those pieces, and we also do public relations campaigns.

There’s different services that we offer, so when we sit down with a client we’re really able to understand where they’re at, what their goals are, who the audience that they’re trying to reach, and we can tap into those different services that we have and build a campaign that’s tailored to them. Help them right where they’re at and meet their next goal.

JS: I love it. It sounds like you have just about anything a business could need when it comes to promoting what they want people to see. So, that is wonderful. We’re so happy that you’re here. I ‘m happy to know you and I just look for so many wonderful things for you and for Liquid Creative.

In the first half of 2021, we saw a focus on competition between social media platforms. Different platforms were rushing to claim different trends for their own after short-form vertical video and live audio rooms took off. Now that these features are live, we’re starting to see how platforms are carving out their territory within these trending formats. This week, we’re seeing more exclusive content deals and efforts to make content discoverable, to keep you coming back to platforms for more!

Photo by YouTube

New To You(Tube): Discoverability for Creators!

In their latest Creator Insider video, YouTube gave us a sneak peek at an upcoming discoverability feature for the platform. “New to You” will be a new option for viewers to see content from YouTube channels they haven’t seen in the past. This selection is intended to be fresher than what’s normally displayed on a user’s home page, but more personalized than what they’d find on the Explore page.

This takes the user’s interests into account and shows them other creators they might be interested in. For creators, it’s a whole new way to get found and gain subscribers! You don’t need to have a video go viral or be at the top of your category to appeal to new viewers. This emphasis on letting creators be discovered might be a response to how easy it is to discover and be discovered on platforms like TikTok. In any case, it’s great news for small businesses and creators that are putting useful content on YouTube!

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

We’ve talked about the benefits of creating and sharing videos before. YouTube is a great place to host all the videos you create about your business. You can also gain some views and drive awareness about your brand with videos that offer helpful information about your industry or products. With this new discoverability feature on the platform, informational videos could be shown to a much larger audience than before, so make sure your content and thumbnail keep them engaged!

Photo by Nathan Dumalo on Unsplash

Twitter Keeps Trying to Make Fleets Happen

Remember Fleets? Twitter’s story feature is reminiscent of Snapchat stories, Instagram stories, and pretty much any other stories you can think of. Twitter’s release of Fleets and Spaces shows us a new picture for the future of the platform: one where Twitter isn’t just for Tweets. Now they’ve taken a step further to encourage the use of Fleets. According to social media consultant Matt Navara, Twitter is testing a feature that will have users see related Fleets on Tweets that they view.

Since this feature hasn’t officially been announced yet, we’re not sure of all the details. What counts as a related Fleet? Will we see Fleets from accounts we aren’t following? Even without all the answers, we see this as a push for this newer type of content on Twitter. There may even be more integrations between Tweets, Fleets, and Spaces in the future! This also might be enhancing discoverability. If we start seeing Fleets that lead us to new accounts, finding followers might become a lot easier!

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

Twitter has been a difficult space for a lot of small businesses so far. Many smaller accounts never gain many followers, making it difficult to invest in a separate strategy for Twitter. We’re still keeping our eyes on how this feature will play out, but it could make this platform feel a little bit more like Instagram, with multiple types of posts and ways to be discovered on the platform.

Photo by Product School on Unsplash

Trend Alert: Exclusive Content Keeps Viewers on a Platform!

When someone steals your great idea, what do you do to stay relevant? Social media companies are facing the effects of copycat features across different platforms. One of the methods of standing out and retaining users is platform-exclusive content. We’ve already seen this with other tech services: Think of how NBC’s Peacock reclaimed The Office to steal some of Netflix’s subscribers. Now, social media platforms are forming alliances with content creators to keep their edge.

The prime example that we’re seeing right now is a war over live audio rooms, mainly between  Twitter Spaces and Clubhouse. Twitter Spaces gained some steam after delivering android access faster and opening up to all users. Now, they’re solidifying that edge with exclusive content from the NFL, according to The Verge. Not to be outdone with these live sports chats, Clubhouse is launching its own exclusive content collaboration with TED Talks. Clubhouse’s creator programs also encourage high-quality content from smaller personalities on their interface. We’ll have to keep our eye out for how this fight progresses, but we’re noting interesting moves from both sides this week.

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

So what do wars between platforms have to do with you? The different types of content might influence which users prefer a particular platform. If Twitter Spaces gets more sports content, we could see a shift in their audience. This is true for all the social platforms that are battling it out. Before making your decision on where to spend your time, find the latest stats on their user base and make sure it aligns with your target audience!

Ok, now what?

Now that you’re up to date with the latest industry news, it’s time to invest in a team that specializes in all things social media and digital marketing. We can help! Liquid Creative is a full-service marketing agency ready to help your business operate to its fullest potential without missing a beat.

Some new updates this week are reminding us just how much entertainment has changed. As we scroll through our phones and stream on our Smart TVs, we’re seeing a new mix of advertising. This is especially true on YouTube, a platform that’s capitalizing on live events and sports with its new 4K Plus add-on. TikTok is also joining in on the trend with long-form video content. Are mid-roll ads in their future? And finally, even Instagram is making marketing more accessible for smaller accounts with link stickers that anyone can use in stories!

Photo by YouTube

YouTube In High Definition: 4K Comes To The Platform

YouTube has been celebrating its increasing popularity and use on Smart TVs. In their bid to keep their edge as the go-to video platform, they’re featuring a new option for users: 4K Plus. This add-on package will give users access to 4K live streamed events, including network sports content. 4K Plus will also allow for downloads, similar to the DVR experience, and unlimited streaming on the users’ home WiFi.

So why is this a big deal? YouTube has already been taking over the living room as more and more households purchase Smart TVs. With 4K Plus available for about $20/month, sports fans and more are even more likely to cut cable. YouTube ads are a lot more accessible to small and mid-size businesses than network advertising. Businesses also get the benefit of choosing their audiences specifically, rather than aligning with a certain channel or type of content. We predict YouTube will continue amping up content offerings to get new subscribers. This is definitely a platform to watch!

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

Do you have a video that represents your business? If so, get started with a test run of YouTube ads! You’ll have control over which audiences you want to reach and how much you’re looking to spend. Target your local audience to start and dive into the analytics! Build brand awareness in your community with these engaging ads!

Photo by Jenny Ueberberg on Unsplash

Follow For Part 2… Just Kidding, Long Form TikToks Are Here

TikTok has decided that 60 seconds is just not enough for their creators. As users on the platform have resorted to Part 2s and Part 3s, TikTok is upping their maximum video length to 3 minutes. It looks like this comes to help creators share tutorials and creative content, which is often difficult to wrap up in a minute. Will users still leave us with cliffhangers that have us tapping their profile? Probably, but at least we know the trick now.

So what does this mean for the future of TikTok? Expanding into long form content is an interesting move. With other platforms trying to copy the app’s wild success, TikTok is able to stay focused on its own product. They’re responding to the trend of series on the platform, with an eye towards what content people are posting. This move might steal some viewers from Facebook Watch and YouTube as well, since it’ll attract more content for tutorials, reviews, and more.

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

TikTok is holding their own against the older social media giants. This continues to make the space great for advertising, but it also gives small businesses a little more room to talk about themselves. If you’re able to give a quick talk about your products or even indulge in a video meme, TikTok users will appreciate the authenticity and opportunity to connect with your brand!

Image by Georgia de Lotz on Unsplash

Instagram Admits It Has A Linking Problem

Linking on Instagram has long been a conundrum for all account holders. With 10,000 followers, the swipe-up story link becomes unlocked, making things a little easier. Otherwise, links are limited to your bio and ads. But not for long! According to the Verge’s interview with Instagram’s head of product, a new link sticker should soon be coming to all users.

This feature is currently in the test phase, with some verified users with large followings being able to post links on their stories. These work similar to other story stickers that we’ve seen – it displays the URL and opens on a tap. When this is rolled out to all users, it’ll be one more way to incorporate links on the platforms. Here’s hoping that they let us link captions sometime in the future.

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

Be on the lookout for these stickers! With Instagram’s already existing story analytics, we’re so excited to see whether we’ll be able to track our link clicks through this feature. Even if not, this lets you share content like blogs, deals, or specific website pages without updating your Instagram bio.

Ok, now what?

Now that you’re up to date with the latest industry news, it’s time to invest in a team that specializes in all things social media and digital marketing. We can help! Liquid Creative is a full-service marketing agency ready to help your business operate to its fullest potential without missing a beat.

 

After a tumultuous year, our shopping and surfing habits have changed forever. Facebook’s latest report highlights just how impactful our time inside was on the world of e-commerce. And Facebook isn’t just putting together reports; they’re looking to ride the wave with new e-commerce rollouts and integrations across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. 

Photo by Rupixen on Unsplash

This Just In: Staying In Changed How We Shop

2020 was a year for the introverts. When staying in became the right thing to do, we had to find new ways to shop. Facebook’s new report, The Evolving Customer Experience, takes a look at how our small individual habits add up. One of the main themes we’re seeing now is a new control in how customers shop, paired with a strong desire to feel connected to the brands they support.

According to Facebook’s report, 55% of customers are using their phones as their main shopping tool. Pair that with over half of respondents saying they purchase items they stumble upon online. This is a great landscape for digital marketing for small businesses, but make sure your brand is speaking to consumers! Online shoppers are looking for a personal connection, so create online content that shows what makes your brand unique.

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

These aren’t necessarily new ideas. With online shopping on the rise, your digital marketing should be too! Make sure that your content is representing your brand and telling your story – that means organic posts, website, ads, and all! You might be on someone’s screen for less than a second, so make it count!

Photo by Timothy Hales Bennett on Unsplash

Even More Ways to Shop From Home

In addition to their e-commerce report, Facebook is rolling out some updates across their apps to keep online shopping fresh. As reported by Mark Zuckerberg, the first big change is Shops in WhatsApp and Marketplace. Once set up, a business’s Shop will work across the three platforms and can be used to chat with customers before they make a purchase. On Marketplace, Shops will let businesses offer their products up to viewers with an interface they’re already familiar with.

The second update is Instagram’s Visual Search function. This will let you find products listed for sale based on images. So if you love something you see online, you’ll be able to shop for similar products through Instagram! Finally, Shop ads are a new type of ad for Facebook. These will integrate with Shop’s curated collections and could even be specialized by a viewer’s interests.

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

Facebook has really positioned itself as a champion for small businesses throughout the last year. Keeping up with all the new features can be difficult, but definitely give these a try as they roll out! The Shop integrations throughout the three platforms really help you have one unified presence online. We’re excited to see how these ads and features will perform in an atmosphere where everyone is shopping online!

Photo by Facebook

Feeling Inspired Yet? Get Ready To Have A Good Idea

To finish off a week of Facebook news, the platform is hosting the Good Ideas Festival from July 12th to 16th. With all the changes Facebook has implemented for businesses, this is something you might want to tune in to. You’ll also be able to watch video on-demand for a month after the festival concludes.

So what will the festival include? The main events include conversations like generating leads, messaging, and even hiring through Facebook. We expect these talks to be specific to Facebook’s platform, but the marketing knowledge they share could be useful for your overall online presence as well. 

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

Facebook has been one of the standard platforms for businesses small and large. With their continued focus on integrations with Instagram and Whatsapp, they’re becoming even more of a giant in the digital marketing space. Knowing how to make the most out of their tools can really help your online presence, so definitely tune in if you have a chance!

Ok, now what?

Now that you’re up to date with the latest industry news, it’s time to invest in a team that specializes in all things social media and digital marketing. We can help! Liquid Creative is a full-service marketing agency ready to help your business operate to its fullest potential without missing a beat.

 

This week, we’ve got some features we’ve been waiting on from Facebook and Twitter, plus an integration we didn’t know we wanted from TikTok! Facebook is finally making its move on the audio trend with audio rooms and podcast playback. Meanwhile, Twitter is keeping itself a step ahead with a new option for Spaces – saving audio for later. And finally, TikTok’s new Jumps feature allows creators to link to other content right from their videos!

Photo by Facebook

Three’s A Crowd: Facebook Joins the Audio Room Race

We’ve been talking about Clubhouse vs. Twitter Spaces for a while now. Lately, it’s been looking like Twitter has outpaced its competitor, with a lead that Clubhouse might not be able to overcome. But now we’ve got a new contestant here to spice things up. Facebook is rolling out Live Audio Rooms and podcasts, starting with public figures and select podcasts. Twitter took the lead from Clubhouse due to its resources and larger user base. Now Facebook is poised to do the same.

 

The Live Audio Room interface looks pretty familiar – just like what we’re seeing on the other apps. However, hosting a Live Audio Room within a group might make for more tight-knit community conversations. Facebook is also taking notes on where Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces have fallen – they’re starting off strong with better discoverability, donation options to fundraise during a conversation, and monetization for hosts through Stars. Plus, hosting podcasts on Facebook is new; this could be the groundwork for Live Audio Rooms that become podcasts after airing.

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

We can see why Facebook held back until now. Having all their features ready to go is impressive when we’re comparing how fast Twitter and Clubhouse can roll out updates. As Facebook opens up who can host, be prepared with topics, collaboration ideas, and knowledge about your local Facebook groups. Not sure where to start? Take a look at what people have been talking about on Facebook so far this year for some inspiration!

Photo by TikTok

TikTok Conquered Video. What’s Next?

In 2021, short-form vertical video is king. After seeing wild success, TikTok learned the hard way that imitation is the highest form of flattery. The app has continued to hold its own against Instagram Reels, Snapchat’s Spotlight, YouTube shorts, and whatever else I’m missing. Now they’re taking a new strategic step, continuing to set the precedent for high engagement content. With TikTok Jumps, videos can now include links to external content like recipes, exercises, information, and more.

There are a few integrations with Jump available now that you’ll be able to see on TikTok. For example, if you’re sharing a recipe you can use the Whisk integration to easily link it. The content doesn’t just pull up a web page like a normal link would – it gives a beautiful view of the recipe that complements the video the user just watched. TikTok has just started exploring partners to create Jump integrations with, but we see that Buzzfeed’s content, Jumprope’s educational stories, and IRL’s in-person events are set to get integrations soon.

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

There are a lot of ways that businesses can use Jumps! As more options begin to roll out, you could be able to host long-form content elsewhere that’s easily accessible through TikTok. There’s also a huge possibility for this when it comes to influencer marketing. If you can get an influencer to create a video that links to your business, fans might come and pay you a visit!

Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash

Roll The Tapes: Saving Twitter Spaces

Twitter Spaces and Clubhouse have been all about being live. But now, Twitter is allowing users to download their Spaces after hosting them, allowing for the content to be broadcasted elsewhere, reused, and listened to over and over again. These recordings will be like more awkward, unedited podcasts but this new option means listeners can tune in on demand.

Only the hosts of a Space will be able to download the recording. After your Space airs, you’ve got 30 days to download your personal data files from Twitter. Once you’ve navigated to ‘Your Account’ in your profile settings on the app, tap ‘Request Archive’. You’ll receive a zip file within 24 hours, which will include your Spaces recordings and any other data Twitter has on you.

What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?

We’ll stay tuned to see how useful downloading Spaces feels and whether any content creators decide to try it. Who knows, this could be the start of another podcast boom! Saving takes a bit of the FOMO out of Twitter Spaces but makes them more accessible to everyone at the same time. Though your business account might not be able to host a Twitter Space right now, we’ll be looking out to see how this medium continues to grow and what sponsorship opportunities present themselves.

Ok, now what?

Now that you’re up to date with the latest industry news, it’s time to invest in a team that specializes in all things social media and digital marketing. We can help! Liquid Creative is a full-service marketing agency ready to help your business operate to its fullest potential without missing a beat.