A Taste of Social Brand Forum 2014

by Madison Boswell, Social Media Specialist There is always something new and fun happening in the world of social media. Last month, I attended a social media conference called Social Brand Forum that covered everything from SEO to vlogging and how it related to overall social media success. In addition to some great social media advice and a wealth of new ideas we got a bonus bourbon education, broccoli references and Pancheros social media examples. I’m not a big note taker, but looking back on my live Tweeting of the event really highlights some of the key points that were really driven home throughout the conference. #1 There is a reason that targeting tools exist on social media. With a rise in the importance of paid social as a part of a successful social media campaign, it is vital to make sure those advertising dollars are well spent. Targeted messages can be targeted to specific groups of people to make sure that the people seeing your message are those that are most likely to engage and eventually purchase. #2 Our world is fast paced, so our marketing needs to be as well. While there is a minimum in place in order for content to rank for SEO, make the most of your words when writing. #3 When writing any form of content whether it be for social, web or print, it is always important to tell a story. Write something that is enjoyable to read and makes the reader want to keep coming back. #4 Search always has to be the number one priority. No matter how great your website looks or how frequently you post on social media, search has to be the driving force behind everything. Those things are never going to prove their worth or matter if no one is getting to your website or social media platforms to begin with. #5 Create reasons for people to keep checking your social media and ways for them to be involved in the story you are telling. It’s important to keep followers up to date with what is going on with your company, but it is not enough to get them to engage and stick around. No matter what industry you are working in or what product you are trying to promote, these takeaways apply to everyone. Stay in front of your audience and gain new followers by focusing on search, great content and storytelling that not just engages, but incorporates your audience into the story.