Why You Need a Social Media Management Company

Most business owners understand the importance of a social media presence but often cite three reasons why they don’t spend as much time on it as they should:

1. I don’t have time to visit my social accounts every day

2. I don’t know what makes a good tweet or update

3. I can’t keep up with best practices on all the different channels

That’s understandable! It seems like as soon as you get used to a social media channel, the company changes the rules. Just as you learn to construct the perfect update for one social site, everyone is talking about a new site that you just “have to be on.” Once you get good at posting pictures on your social channels, suddenly it’s de rigeur to post video instead.

It’s enough to make any CEO throw up their hands in frustration and go back to print media forever. This is where social media management companies can help your business shine. Hiring a team of experts who live and breathe social media helps you avoid the frustration of staying current on the latest dos and don’ts and keeps your social channels running smoothly so you’re free to run your business.

According to a study by customer relationship management vendor Constant Contact, small businesses owners spend as much as 33 hours a week on marketing activities. That’s nearly the equivalent of a full-time employee! It’s clear that outsourcing social media is a game-changer for anyone who wants to maximize their social impact without taking a toll on the people running the ship.

Even one social media channel takes a lot of time to run effectively. Here’s just some of what goes into managing just one account:

●  Creating an editorial calendar

●  Writing the perfect update, sometime within a strict character count

●  Responding to messages left on your timeline

●  Replying to private messages from customers

●  Engaging with other thought leaders in your industry

●  Finding great re-shareable content to be a good social media citizen

● Frequent daily monitoring of the account to quickly respond to followers or customers

●  Regular analytics reviews to determine the best content to post, what time of day to post it, etc

Now multiply that by the number of social media channels you have (or want) and you can see how quickly the hours stack up. The small business owners who responded to Constant Contact’s survey report that their time is worth at least $273 per hour -- it’s no wonder why so many see the benefit of outsourcing their social media.

In addition to the obvious cost benefit of outsourcing, don’t underestimate how helpful it is to have someone monitoring your channels around the clock and on weekends. Customers can pop up with comments or questions at any time of day. When you hire a social media management team you can enjoy much-needed time away from your computer without worrying about what’s happening on your Twitter or Facebook timeline.

Perhaps the biggest benefit to outsourcing your social media is the peace of mind of having one less thing to worry about. You can’t put a price tag on that. You can rest easy knowing that if a social site suddenly changes up the rules or an important conversation springs up about your industry, the team is on top of it right away.

Many business owners say the key to success lies in delegating tasks to people who are experts in the field. When it comes to the nuanced world of social media, it’s tough to stay on top of the avalanche of new ideas. Bringing a social media management company on board is the only “best practice” you need to know! 

Source - Social Media Management Company

Mobile Now Exceeds PC: The Biggest Shift Since the Internet Began

If you’re still struggling to leverage the website to support goals, you have some catching up to do, as the landscape has recently experienced a tectonic shift.

Mobile Exceeds PC Internet Usage for First Time in History

In early 2014, the landscape in which businesses operate changed forever when Internet usage on mobile devices exceeded PC usage.

It has taken considerable time for businesses and brands to embrace the potential of the Internet. Today, most recognize the Internet as a vital foundation for everything from operations to marketing and sales to logistics, CRM, and customer service.

Still, many businesses and brands struggle to truly leverage the digital landscape to meet the expectations of their customers. Many more will struggle with the migration of audiences (customers) to mobile.

The time has come to seriously consider integration of mobile-friendly versions of all mission-critical assets: applications, data, the website, communications, demos, sales materials, customer service, etc.

What Are Consumers Doing on Mobile?

How do consumers use mobile devices to access the Web? According to Online Publishers Association/Frank N. Magid Associates:

• 99.5 percent access content/information
• 63.1 access the Internet
• 62.1 percent check email
• 49.2 percent listen to music
• 46 percent play games
• 41.7 percent download and use apps
• 15 percent make purchases
• 15 percent read a book

Shift to Mobile Impacts B2B Significantly

If you imagine that the mobile usage is merely a reflection of consumers logging onto social media, checking email or conducting search, or shopping, think again.

Executives lead the way in mobile adoption, validating the theory that digital assets for a business or brand must serve target audiences 24/7, and not just during business hours.

Meeting your customers wherever they work is no longer a luxury – it is a necessity. If you wish to convert interaction to action you must compel the decision-maker.

B2B Decision-Makers Rely on Mobile Devices

Mobile is preferred over the PC for executives conducting research during and after office hours, according to the IDG Global Mobile Survey 2014.

• 92 percent of executives own a smartphone used for business.
• 77 percent of executives use their smartphone to research a product or service for their business.
• 93 percent of executives will purchase that product via the Internet using a laptop or desktop.
• 86 percent use their tablet and 72 percent of executives use their smartphone to conduct research for products or services for their business.

Executives rely upon mobile devices (tablets and smartphones) to conduct business research more frequently in the evenings than any other time of day.

Mobile as a Competitive Advantage

Whether your day-to-day focus is business management, marketing, sales, SEO, social media, advertising, software development, or customer relationship management, the mobile device has increasingly become the preferred tool for work and communication. How quickly and effectively an organization plans, develops, and adapts to deliver quality mobile experiences will likely become a competitive advantage.

Some organizations may continue to view mobile as an “add-on” or supplementary effort when planning for digital interaction with customers. However, those who embrace the shift in behavior and deliver what their customers want and need to make a purchase decision will likely be the ultimate winners.

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Twitter appoints Katie Stanton global media chief

SAN FRANCISCO: Twitter Inc has appointed Katie Stanton its new media chief, placing the former Google executive at the heart of its crucial relationships with Hollywood and the global media industry, a source with knowledge of the move said on Monday. 

Stanton, formerly head of international strategy, fills in for Chloe Sladden, who left the online messaging service as part of a recent management shake-up that also included the departure of former chief operating officer Ali Rowghani. 

Twitter has reported lackluster user and usage growth for the last couple of quarters, and its stock price has nearly halved in the last six months. 

Stanton will now oversee Twitter's continuing efforts to court TV networks, Hollywood studios and other media companies around the world. The service in recent years has become a popular platform for promoting the content of media companies, and for viewers to interact around programs and live events. 

That in turn drove advertising and revenue growth. 

Stanton's new role as vice president of global media entails working with media companies around the world. That expands on Sladden's US brief and builds on Stanton's previous role, which involved expanding Twitter's operations outside of the United States, the source said on condition of anonymity because the appointment has not been announced. 

Stanton, who formerly worked for the US state department, already leads Twitter's relationships with foreign media companies such as the BBC and Brazil's Globo, and sits on the board of French conglomerate Vivendi. 

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