Where You Should Post Pugs In Costumes (And Where You Shouldn’t)
LinkedIn took a divisive stance last week, declaring that their platform is not the place for photos of dressed-up pugs. The professional platform is pushing themselves as the ideal place for B2B marketing with a new campaign and relevant resources. Meanwhile, YouTube is rolling out their Shorts beta to the U.S., making them the perfect medium for short-form dog content. Not to be outdone, TikTok balances their whimsical content with business tools, including a new auto-reply feature for business accounts.
LinkedIn Gets Down to Business Promoting B2B Marketing
We know that LinkedIn is the professional social media platform. LinkedIn is reminding us that they’re not just the place for finding a job or sharing business-related articles: They’re the best place for your B2B marketing. Their newest campaign highlights that when someone is on their platform, they’re ready to think about their business problems, making this the perfect place to reach professionals. They’ve started off the campaign by providing some ways to add value to your LinkedIn presence, including discussing industry trends, telling your organization’s story, and sharing career advice.
While they continue to solidify their role as a professional network builder, LinkedIn is also looking to increase our understanding of paid campaigns on the platform. They’ve created a campaign planning worksheet that goes through the different types of sponsored content you can use to advertise. It also tells you which metrics you can expect, and divides them into groups based on which objective they relate to, such as brand awareness vs. conversions. For more information about how to market your B2B business on LinkedIn, check out their B2B articles!
Though they have placements for all sorts of advertising, LinkedIn seems to be recognizing the engaging power of video ads. Their video ads guide suggests pulling in your audience with a demo or exclusive offer, using an animated video with captioned audio, and including a call to action following concise copy. If you’re thinking about placing a video ad, LinkedIn provides even more strategies on their best practices page.
What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?
LinkedIn didn’t really need to tell us that pugs don’t make sense on their platform. But it is a good reminder that LinkedIn is the perfect place to meet professionals when they’re already in a business mindset. That means B2B companies should be investing in their LinkedIn presence, even if it’s just with organic content for now. Become a resource for your clients by providing blogs, resources, and advice that’s relevant to them. Create a group to get professionals in your industry talking in your space. When you’re ready to try out a paid campaign, LinkedIn has the resources to get you up to speed for the best results.
The Newest Member of the Short-Form Content Family: YouTube Shorts
After being tested abroad, YouTube Shorts are finally available in the U.S.! This new video content extension focuses on quickly creating short-form content on a smartphone. The new feature comes with editing capabilities directly from YouTube that allow multiple segments, speed adjustments, music, and on-screen text. Shorts also allow creators to remix audio from other Shorts, with promises from YouTube to allow sampling from YouTube videos and their music library later on. Shorts will be available in their own row on the platform starting now. The new feature is rolling out gradually throughout the U.S., so look for it over the next few weeks if you’re not seeing it on your homepage quite yet.
Getting a sense of déjà vu? Us too. Shorts are sounding a lot like TikTok and Instagram Reels. TikTok hit on a sensation that goes all the way back to Vine trends. By allowing people to build off of previous content, they got to the heart of what makes a meme: references to an original joke. Now everyone wants to get in on the trend of shareable video memes, and YouTube is the latest to try their hand.
What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?
We’re starting to have to think about what is the best place to post these short mobile-friendly videos. TikTok is the original platform and continues to be skewed to a younger demographic. Instagram Reels are a great option if you have an established following, and Instagram is likely to recommend your content to people who might enjoy it. So where does YouTube Shorts fit in? We’ll have to see. Though the editing tools look pretty basic compared to the more established platforms, YouTube is the go-to for long-form video. Their embedding options and sharing tools are top-notch, which means your content can be repurposed. And having your content recommended to viewers who might then visit your channel page is an interesting way to spread awareness. The jury is still out, but start experimenting to see if this is a place where your content works!
Subject: Automated Responses, From: No*****@****ok.com
TikTok has added a new feature for business accounts that you might not have noticed. You can now set automatic replies that will be sent out to users that message your business account. They’ve even taken it one step further by allowing you to set a general welcome message and different automatic responses to keywords.
To access these settings and set some automatic replies, open the Business Suite and navigate to Message Settings. There you can select the Welcome Message or Keyword Auto-Reply options to start customizing your responses! We see this working for frequently asked questions and simple information about your business. In many cases, you may not need to reply after a keyword auto-reply works its magic. This new feature means that it can be simpler for a user to message you “hours” than to search for your business’s website!
What does this mean for Gainesville Businesses?
If you’ve got a TikTok account set up for your business, take some time to draft your auto-replies this week. Typing out these messages up front means you’ll have a consistent, speedy response to anyone who reaches out. Scroll through your previous messages and see what information people are looking for, as well as what keywords to use. Finally, set a friendly welcome message to start the conversation quickly. With just a little bit of preparation, you’ve got an automated information directory linked to your TikTok account!
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.
