Social media marketing is constantly changing and evolving, which is both good and bad. Keeping up with social media marketing trends is practically a full-time job! And so is figuring out the best social media marketing strategies for your brand.

As businesses are planning for the new year, there are several social media trends that appear to be here to stay (at least for now). You should consider these when putting together a strategy for 2018:

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing has exploded over the past few years and there is no sign of it slowing in the near future. Using social media influencers is an excellent way to expand the reach of your brand messaging when you choose the right partners to work with.

Studies show that 74% of people look to their networks on social media for advice on buying decisions. In addition, 40% of people have bought something because they have seen it being promoted by an influencer on Instagram or Twitter.

Finding the right influencer marketing partnerships can seriously get your brand noticed!

Social Media Advertising Costs

Gone are the days of social media posting generating free organic reach. In order to gain new followers and grow your brand via social media, you must have a social advertising budget. Unfortunately, as the number of advertisers on social media increases, so will the cost of social ads.

As people realize that social media marketing provides an extremely cost-effective way to reach a targeted group of consumers, the competition for social advertising results increases. Therefore, to keep up with the competition, a social media advertising budget is a must for 2018.

You Gotta Have Video

Did you know that social videos generate 1,200% more shares than text and images combined? In addition, viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when they read it in text. It’s estimated that by 2019, video will account for 80% of all consumer internet traffic.

Need I say more? It’s time to take video seriously! Social media video marketing needs to be an integral part of your social content strategy in 2018.

Social media marketing is constantly evolving. You won’t know if something is going to work for your business unless you test it. If you need help navigating the trends and reaching your audience, we on the Porch are here to help!

It’s almost the 4th Quarter, and here on the Porch, it’s all about cooler weather, football, holidays and … 2018 plans. The time is NOW to schedule your 2018 winning game plan. We can help you Play. To. Win.

Here are 6 Things to Think About as we head into Q4:

1. Volunteering.

   Folks, the need for volunteers is going into overtime to help hurricane victims. Our fellow Texans will persevere, but still need our help in Q4 and beyond. Over the last five weeks, the Front Porch Marketing team has donated some serious rocker time to help our clients whose teams were affected and to raise awareness for their fundraising and donation efforts. If you are looking to support hurricane victims in Texas and elsewhere, check out TrustedWorld.org. This fantastic organization based in North Texas helps us all keep on helping.

2. Supporting Women.

   Does your playbook include doing business with and promoting women-owned businesses? Look for WBE certified businesses by visiting Women’s Business Council-Southwest. Consider joining this great organization, and if eligible, get certified. Front Porch is proudly certified WBE, HUB, SBE and WOSB and recently attended the WBCS Business Works Expo in Arlington, Texas. We will gladly answer your questions!

3. Working Social Media.

   Are your fans crazy about your brand? Are they visiting your sites, watching you play and win the social media game, reading your blogs and newsletters and wanting more? It just takes one good quarter to make some great plays. Start now.

4. Celebrations.

   4th Q wouldn’t be 4th Q without events that celebrate family, friends and don’t forget – your team. We love it when our clients such as Mister Sweeper celebrate the team and let us help them plan it. Hint: Cinemark. Star Wars. Private Screenings. Make sure you have plans in place now to thank your team for 2017.

5. New Clients.

   Now that the Back to School huddle is over and everyone is settled into the new routine, we want to take a moment to shout out to two new clients who spend every day helping teachers do a great job of educating the children in our communities. Faith Family Academy and Catch Up & Read are North Texas organizations that demonstrate it’s all about having a passion for what you do.

6. and lastly …

   Friends, if you have to pick one of six things to do in the 4th quarter, pick this – Find. Your. Purpose. Like this one.

Our purpose at Front Porch is to rock your world and help you play to win. See you on the field.

I’m always looking for parallels in my life. A single thought that can be applied across all situations is something that resonates with me. These days, I am recognizing the importance of consistency.

Coaching Consistency

My youngest son is a tennis player. Although he is only 10 years old, he is serious about it and quite good. He can hit amazing serves, screaming forehand winners, and beautiful touch volleys that are something to behold. But his coach is stressing the need for consistency on the court. Those screaming forehand winners are beautiful, but can you hit them consistently? Are you putting in the work to get them there?

Last night, I had a bit of a parenting meltdown. After an extremely long day, I walked into my children’s den and found an absolute mess. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back and I lost it. But after I settled down, I realized that there have been little things that had been wearing on me all summer, but I hadn’t been consistent in my enforcement of the rules. I’d been letting things slide.

It’s not always easy to be consistent. It’s a mindful, daily commitment to doing what is best for the long term, even if it makes the short term difficult.

Marketing is largely about consistency as well

Establishing your brand voice and ensuring that you are consistently using that voice, across all channels, at every customer touch point, all day, every day, is absolutely key in marketing.

• A good brand is built over time by establishing trust. Consumers want to know your brand, trust your brand, and depend on your brand to deliver quality time and again. This involves consistency of product and experience.
• You must communicate your brand promise consistently. In your marketing materials. On your website. Across social media channels. Everything  you put out into the world should accurately reflect your brand.
• Your employees have to buy into the need for consistency. In their interaction with customers, in the service they provide on your behalf, they need to be looped into your branding so that they are also consistently reflecting the core values of your company in all that they do.
• Your marketing program requires consistent attention. Social media posting should happen at consistent intervals, on brand and on message. Consistent blogging is key. Your customers want to see you, hear you, and recognize you on a regular basis.

Are you being consistent in your marketing? Are you consistently applying your brand promise, day in and day out, at every touch point? If you’re not sure, give us a call. We are passionate about branding here on the Porch and we will set you straight!

As my senior year of high school approaches, college applications are about to make the cut for my to do list. My summer internship at Front Porch Marketing has given me an alternate perspective on presenting myself to colleges – I must market myself to them. So I have compiled a list of marketing tips that I have learned and will use in my interactions with colleges that are easily applicable to any business and audience:

Tip #1: Social Media – USE IT! USE IT! USE IT!

I have learned that social media is one of the best ways to establish your brand identity and spread your message. Posting regularly keeps your audience’s interest and positions yourself (or your company) the way you want to be perceived by others. Remember, this is the only time that you get to control how other people see something, so use it to your advantage!

Tip #2: Think About Your Collateral 

The collateral we use to market ourselves is an extremely important component. Personal stationary, business cards, and supporting marketing materials should be thoughtfully chosen to represent the image you choose to convey. Color, typography, and material all factor into the emotional connection you will make with your audience.

Tip #3: Foster Relationships

Creating personal connections and fostering relationships in the college admissions process is essential. This is also true in the business world – customers value personal connections to the businesses they frequent. Provide exemplary customer service. Foster relationships. Go above and beyond to make sure your customer is satisfied. This demonstrates your company’s passion for your customers and shows them that you care about them. This will infinitely benefit you and your business.

Marketing yourself may seem like it is mainly about image. And although that is a big part of it, marketing is used to invoke excitement. Think about the way you market yourself and your business and make sure it truly represents the way you want to be seen.

Today, social media is a huge part of people’s daily lives. It is used as a way to communicate, keep up with family and friends, see what’s happening around the world and network virtually with business connections that we may not have the opportunity to meet in person.

Social media is such a major component of people’s personal lives. It should be a sure sign for small businesses that a social media presence is an absolute must to build and grow. It is a way for businesses to interact directly with current customers. It is also a way to reach potential customers.

These days, consumers and clients want to engage with businesses through social media and expect businesses to be present on multiple networks. The key to using it successfully is choosing the right networks and consistently updating content. With all the platforms that exist today, the big question for small businesses is, “Which networks are right for my business?”

At Front Porch Marketing, we are big proponents of social media. It is the foundation of almost every marketing plan we create.

Some of our favorite social media networks on the Porch:

• Instagram – for sharing visual content
• LinkedIn – for B2B companies
• Facebook – presents a huge opportunity for consumer engagement
• Twitter – allows businesses to keep on top of what is being said about their industry and stay ahead of the competition

What small businesses have to do is figure out which networks are the right fit for their company based on their target audience. Each reaches a different set of demographics. Once the right networks are defined, it’s critical to share content and interact with customers in a timely and consistent manner. This creates an awesome experience for the customer and any potential customers who may be watching.

If you are looking to establish, expand or evaluate your social media presence, we can help!

Ah … summer approaches with new business happenings and the sounds of the beach in our ears. We love this time of year on the Porch. The days are long, the sound of little Porch Rockers fills the air and we feel a summer six pack is in order!

Friends, are you ready for summer?

Pull up a chair, will you?

Our Summer Six Pack of New Business Happenings:

Spring has sprung and Q1 2017 branding and marketing is about to come to end, friends! We love the feel of the sun on our shoulders, all the blooming going on around us, and the hopeful smile that the season puts on our faces! We are happy and excited about, well, everything!

Here is what we have to share:

We’re Having a Contest!

As you know, we are celebrating our sixth year in business with our own version of “Pick Six.” Well this month, in celebration of spring and our giving spirit, we are taking the Pick Six to you, our clients and friends! Be among the first six to reply “Please Rock My World” and you will receive six free social media posts for your business on one social media platform of your choice!

• Six Winners
• Six Free Rockin’ Social Media Posts
• Six Expert Rockers posting
• Six Days in April
• Winners will be contacted on April 6th!

Front Porch Marketing Q1 2017 Branding & Marketing Review

April is the absolute perfect time to review your Q1 branding and marketing efforts. Are you meeting your goals? If not, it’s time to quickly re-collaborate for Q2. Here is a refresher on metrics vs. analytics. Call us if you need to take an objective look at your results.

SEO and PPC Benefits

When it comes to boosting traffic to your website, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay Per Click (PPC) are hugely beneficial. Need further convincing? Call us. We would love to chat about it. We are currently rockin’ it for our new clients OLLI at UNT and Women’s Business Council Southwest and loving every minute of it!

Fresh Branding and Marketing Initiatives

Spring into your next marketing initiative with a fresh brand look and feel. Why not update your marketing material creative and messaging? We are proud to partner with new client Owens Machine and Tool Company to do just that for a recent trade show.

Texas CEOs Rock!

Our Chief Rocker heard a refreshing and uplifting outlook on the Texas economy for 2017 and 2018 recently at the 2017 Vistage Executive Summit by Alex Chausovksy, senior analyst, ITR Economics. Also at the Vistage Summit, Roy Spence, co-founder and chairman, GSD&M, shared key insights and lessons from legendary, purpose-inspired leaders he’s worked with over the years. He presented actionable ideas to inform making decisions that support your Core Purpose. Decisions that build a business—and a life—of success.

As Always …

We are grateful for so many things – a Q1 2017 branding and marketing jam, our rockin’ team, amazing clients, faithful advocates, collaborative partners and truly great friends. Thank you for the many referrals! Keep them coming!

Follow us! Join our blog nation here, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Here on the Porch, social media marketing is king. A strong social media plan is key to a healthy, robust presence on-line – which in turn leads to increased brand recognition, increased brand loyalty, more traffic, and ultimately more customers.

Using social media to grow your business can seem like a daunting task. But it needn’t be! Here are our 6 top tips for developing a strong social media presence:

• Have A Social Media Plan for Each Channel. Please people, don’t just create one type of content and blast it across every social platform! Identify your audience and your goals for each platform – they are very different creatures. Ensure your posts are true to your brand and strike the tone you wish to convey. Develop a calendar and stick to it.

• Create Meaningful Content and Deliver it Consistently. Quality content that excites and engages is worth its weight in gold. Make sure everything you post is valuable, relevant to your audience, helpful, and/or entertaining. And get it out there consistently!

• The Key Word in Social Media is Social – Interact! Engaging with other users on a regular basis is key. Like people’s posts. When people comment, reply! Comment on other people’s posts. Retweet. Give people a shout out! Encourage communication and conversation.

• Optimize Your Content with Visuals and Links. Visuals grab people’s attention, so don’t neglect this important piece of the puzzle. Photos, infographics, memes, videos – all valuable tools. Mix it up. Then don’t forget to drive traffic back to your site! Always link back to your products and services.

• Blog, Blog, Blog. We can’t stress this enough. Develop blog posts that are easy to read,  highlighting ideas that are interesting and thought-provoking. Creating original content in the form of blogs is a win-win! Don’t become overwhelmed, blogs don’t have to be long. Just do it!

• Get Your Entire Team In On the Action. Everyone has a valuable point of view and cache of experience, so encourage everyone to help your marketing efforts. Get them to blog and share their expertise. At the bare mimimum, ask them to follow and comment on the social profiles of your company and your clients.

We always say, marketing is more of an art than a science, and that is true! Take the human approach when developing your social media strategy – it will pay dividends!

Valentine’s Day, Saint Valentine, and the history behind it all lies in somewhat of a mystery. Today, it seems as if this is just a holiday created by a card company that reminds millions of people all around the world that they need to purchase something romantic and sometimes expensive for their significant other.

Yet, it’s not true. The biggest misconception about Valentine’s Day is that it’s supposed to burn a hole in your pocket. You don’t need to break the bank to give that special someone that feeling of being wanted, you just need to show them that they’re on your mind.

Let’s rewind back to when we were in grade school for a moment, or for those of you that have young children, this will be quite applicable. Remember, each year on February 14th, you would put on your backpack stuffed to the brim with little Valentine’s Day cards that usually had a piece of candy in them. There was one for each student in the class, nothing exclusive. Although you may not have known all the students in your class, it was exciting to receive a little note from everyone. It was the thought that counted. Now, that’s what I believe Valentine’s Day should be about, the thought behind the message, even if it is just a simple one.

I believe that companies can learn something from this! Companies can promote their business while also providing social media users with that warm feeling of getting a Valentine in grade school by creating shareable content this Valentine’s Day. Since the invention of the “Share” button on Facebook, there are quite a few ways to spread this thoughtful holiday. Imagine a Facebook notification popping up while you’re in class or at work from that person you’re thinking about on Valentine’s Day. Even if it’s a corny message, you’ll get that warm, fuzzy feeling. On top of that, you’ll create a positive association with the brand that made the Valentine that you’re proud to have on your Wall.

Another way to utilize this shareable content in through Snapchat, and my favorite campaign I saw a few years ago was something Taco Bell created. Taco Bell generated simple Valentine’s Day cards, similar to those we received in grade school, but digital, and had a space open for “to:” and “from:” The company really went back to the basic meaning of Valentine’s Day, to send a kindhearted card that showed others that they were being thought of.

So this Valentine’s Day, get back to basics! Thoughtfulness still reigns supreme.

The term “Pick Six” has long been associated with big success:

• In horse racing, Pick Six is a wager in which a bettor picks one horse in each of six races, leading to a big payout.
• In football, Pick Six refers to an interception (pick) being returned for a touchdown.
• In lottery terms, Pick Six refers to the big payout that occurs when six regular numbers are picked.
• In wrestling, Pick Six is a ranking system used by the Ring of Honor to determine championship contenders.

Big. Successes.

And so, in honor of our sixth year in business, we on the Porch formulated our own Pick Six … for business success, big success!

1. We’re picking Brand Architecture. It’s so important. When was the last time you really evaluated your brand? Is it due to be re-visited? We can help you look at it in a fresh way to ensure you are capitalizing on what makes you unique.
2. Number two on our list of picks: What have we been up to on the Porch? We had an extremely rewarding experience (and an absolute blast) at the PowerGen Trade Show in Orlando with our rocking client, TodoModo. Check out our blog about the experience!
3. Number three involves talking, and lots of it. What have we been talkin’ about? Maximizing your marketing! We spoke about that very thing at the Arlington Board of Realtors‘ Meeting January 27th.
4. What we are off our rocker about? The Super Bowl! The Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots will face off in this colossal battle February 5th and we know what we will be serving at our soiree: The Barefoot Contessa’s Parmesan and Chipotle Popcorn, a chili bar (seriously genius idea – thank you Food & Wine Magazine) and Iron Skillet Peach Crisp. A Texas menu if we’ve ever heard one.
5. Highlights from the Porch Team bring us to our number five pick. Our rocking’ interns, Grace and Rachel, have been an impressive breath of fresh air around here – and we are enjoying watching them weigh their next steps, as their graduation dates are rapidly approaching!
6. And our final pick: The power of the referral in gaining new clients. We are continually amazed and humbled that our Porch family continues to grow through marketing and referrals. Thank you for all you do to keep our Porch rocking!

Please keep those many referrals coming. We are so grateful. Join us on the Porch via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Subscribe to our blog here.

Thanks, friends, for riding the sixes with us. Here’s to another wildly successful year!