Category Archives: Social Media

Timing is key in social media

We’ve all heard the old adage that “timing is everything.” And that’s true regarding posting on social media, as well. So what’s the best day/time? Here’s some advice from social media experts Edgar and Neil Patel:

Facebook – Shelf life of 5 hours

With it’s changing algorithms forcing businesses to use more paid ads

in order to get seen, it’s tempting to give up on it. But it’s still the giant social media platform, with more than 2 billion users. And, the average user spends 50 minutes/day on Facebook!

Neil Patel found that the best time to post on Facebook for engagement (getting people to Like, Share etc.) is early afternoon. Posts done at 1 p.m. received the most shares, while those that popped up around 3 p.m. get the most clicks.

Use Facebook’s handy Schedule feature to time your posts.

Twitter – Shelf life of 18 minutes

Twitter is a busy landscape, so you want to be posting frequently.

Sharing is an easy way to do that, but you want to save your newest/most valuable content during the optimal time – which is 12 p.m. – 3 p.m., Monday – Friday, according to Hubspot.

To maximize link clicks you can post anytime from 12 noon to 6 p.m. Like Facebook, Wednesdays are a busy day, especially from 5 p.m.- 6 p.m.

some studies say between 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday – Thursday. But, several studies found early birds are busy between 5 a.m. – 6 a.m.

LinkedIn – Lifespan of 24 hours

As a professional networking website, LinkedIn is most engaging during the

week, and a study shows that Tuesday – Thursdays are the best days to post. A TrackMaven study of 17.5 million social media posts found that 9 a.m. on Wednesdays is the best time to post. Analytics company AddThis looked at data from 14 million users and found that the most Clicks and Shares happen between 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. on Tuesdays.

Instagram – Experts disagree, with estimates of 2 – 24 hours

Instagram does its own thing, with its own algorithm. They reorder posts based on timelines and previous engagement with the brand, among other

factors.

So, it’s best to experiment and find the best time to post for your brand. Instagram is one of the most engaged social media platforms, with 35% of users looking at their feeds multiple times a day.

Engagement tends to be higher during the week – some studies say between 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday – Thursday. But, several studies found early birds are busy between 5 a.m. – 6 a.m.

Pinterest – Years!

That means that you can create a pin, and it’s still searchable, and used and re-pinned two years later. Unlike other platforms, Fridays

and Saturdays may be the best times to pin, says social media scheduling platform CoSchedule. This makes sense, since people often use Pinterest to plan projects (and weekends are a good time to plan for the coming weeks).

Times of the day are vastly different, too:

8–11 p.m. with a 9 p.m. peak
2–4 a.m. and 2–4 p.m.
1–3 p.m.

If this seems like a lot to keep track of – it is! Experts agree that it’s best to focus on several platforms and do a good job with them before expanding your horizons.

You can also utilize social media scheduling platforms like Edgar and CoSchedule https://qa.eclincher.com/blog/social-media-management-marketing-tools.

If you’d like help in getting started, or assistance in creating that vital Social Media Editorial Schedule, give me a call at 301-514-1102 or by emailing me.

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Check out these summer marketing ideas

July 4th fireworks are over and Labor Day is a month and a half away. But there are some lesser-known holidays you can tap into for promotion ideas to beef up sales during these sizzling summer days.

Sunday, July 15, is National Give Something Away Day

What could you give away at your business? If you’re a restaurant, perhaps an appetizer or desert? Retail shops could give customers a small but fun item with each purchase. Professional services like marketing @ Work could give away free advice! Hey, not a bad idea!! In fact, if you call 301-696-8886 or email me and mention that you saw this post on my Facebook, LinkedIn or Blog by July 31, 2018, I’ll give you a free 45-minute consultation!!

July 18 is World’s Listening Day, and this year’s theme of “Future Listening” calls for reimagining a personal and universal future through listening. Participants are encouraged to examine their hopes, dreams, ambitions and fears for the future and reflect on the question, “What does your future sound like?”

What better time to listen to your customers or clients by letting them know you care about their opinions. Create a short survey on your enewsletter and ask what they think about your business. What would they like that you’re not currently providing? What could you do differently or better?

Show your clients some love on National Friendship Day

The first Sunday in August, which this year is the 5th, is National Friendship Day. Reach out to your friends and customers by offering a special on a meal for two, flowers, tasty treats or a friendly home decor item. Think beyond the box with offers on services, as well.

Also, post on social media using #NationalFriendshipDay to encourage others to join in paying it forward, and offer a special in honor of the importance of friendships. More lovely quotes are available here.

Tuesday, August 21 is Senior Citizen’s Day

Are you a restaurant, service, or business that markets to seniors? Let them know you appreciate your business by offering them something special. Last year Bayrunner Shuttle gave away T-shirts to senior passengers.

What are your summer promotion ideas? Please share them here or on our Facebook page.

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Awesome Free Business & Marketing Webinars Courtesy of the SBA

Lots of media coverage surrounds National Small Business Week, which is being held from April 29 – May 5. This annual event is hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration to recognize the nation’s top small businesses, entrepreneurs, small business advocates and champions.

More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and we create about two out of three new jobs in the U.S. every year! Many of my readers run small businesses, or work for small businesses, so give yourselves a pat on the back.

This year, we all receive a bonus as the SBA and SCORE Association team up to host a free, 3-Day Virtual Conference during National Small Business Week. The conference will take place Tuesday, May 1 – Thursday, May 3 between 12:30 pm ET – 6:30 pm ET each day.

Registration is free to the public, which is a big deal since even virtual conferences can cost $500 – $600! You can participate in all or some of the webinars and have the opportunity to meet other business owners and chat with industry experts. The Virtual Conference offers all the best parts of an in-person conference, but without the hassle and expense of traveling!

Webinar topics include

• How Changing Consumer Behavior Impacts Your Business – May 1 at 1:00 PM ET/ 10:00 AM PT
Technology allows you to understand consumer behavior better than ever. Join this webinar by Anastasia Kudrez of Google to learn how these insights can help shape your digital marketing plan, and what you can do to position your business for success.

• Addressing Discrimination and Harassment in the Workplace – May 1 at 2:30 PM ET / 11:30 AM PT
In this timely and informative seminar from Paychex, experts will discuss workplace discrimination and harassment – including sexual harassment. You’ll learn about employer liability under federal law, as well as the elements required to establish an affirmative defense to harassment claims. They’ll also cover specific policies and procedures for handling complaints, investigations, and retaliation, that can help protect your employees and your business.

• Get New and Repeat Business On Autopilot with Email Marketing – May 1 at 4:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM PT
Your business thrives on bringing in sales from new and existing customers. Wouldn’t it be great if you could bring in those sales more frequently without having to spend a lot of time doing so? This webinar by Constant Contact will show you some simple ways to repeatedly reach customers with email marketing. P.S. Marketing @ Work is a Constant Contact Partner.

• Creating and Sustaining a Strong Social Presence – May 1 at 5:30 PM ET / 2:30 PM PT
You want to use social media for your business, but where should you start? Vistaprint’s Sarah Nunes will explain why you should be on social and some easy-to-use tips and tricks for small business owners to improve or create strong social media campaigns.

• The U.S. Economic Outlook and Its Impact on Small Businesses – May 2 at 1:00 PM ET/ 10:00 AM PT
Join Visa’s Vice President of the Visa Business and Economic Insights team, Bruce Cundiff, as he shares the near-term outlook for the U.S. economy including the health of consumer spending, housing prices, and more. You’ll learn how consumer spending preferences are changing, what stock market growth and volatility mean for consumer spending, and what all of this means for small businesses.
• Managing Your Finances in the Cloud – May 2 at 2:30 PM ET / 11:30 AM PT
Did you ever wonder what advantages moving your company to the cloud could offer? Have you ever thought about making the switch but weren’t sure how or why? This session by Intuit will uncover many reasons why businesses are making the move and discuss some best practices in how to use this technology to keep your business relevant and nimble.

• Grow Your Business in 2018 – May 2 at 4:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM PT
Join this webinar by Square to learn how to use small business technology tools to streamline your work and give you back valuable time.

• Simple Steps to Choosing the Right Financing – May 2 at 5:30 PM ET / 2:30 PM PT
Choosing the right source of financing for your business’ growth is more complicated today than it used to be – and because of all the different options available, it requires a more savvy borrower than ever before. Join this webinar by OnDeck to learn which financing options are right for different types of businesses and how likely you are to get approved.

• Hug Your Haters: How to Embrace Complaints & Keep Your Customers – May 3 at 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT
In this webinar sponsored by Chase, Jay Baer, founder of Convince & Convert, reveals brand-new, proprietary research into why and where your customers complain and why the rise of customer complaints is actually an enormous opportunity.

Sharing Your Story Through Video – May 3 at 2:30 PM ET / 11:30 AM PT
Today’s consumers can watch video content whenever and wherever they want. This creates an opportunity for businesses to re-imagine the role of video content in their marketing strategy. Join this webinar by Google to learn best practices for connecting with consumers through online video.

• Pop & Play: How Opening a Pop-Up Shop Can Help Launch Your Retail Brand – May 3 at 4:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM PT
What do Amazon, Chobani, Hermes and a taco truck have in common? All four recognize the magic of the pop-up shop. In this webinar by Kimco Realty, find out how a pop-up can help you bring your brand to life, create a one-of-a-kind customer experience and tell your brand’s unique story to a built-in audience.

• Fusion Marketing: The Next Generation of Marketing – May 3 at 5:30 PM ET / 2:30 PM PT
Award-winning inventor, entrepreneur and author Lon Safko examines this new concept of “interconnecting” your traditional and digital tools. You will look at your marketing efforts in a completely new way. In this webinar, you will learn how to get exponential results without spending a dime more.

And if you’d like advice on marketing your small or medium-sized business during National Small Business Week – or any time – contact me at [email protected], 301-696-8886.

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