HIGH IMPACT DIGITAL MARKETING @SarahLouise_02

THE SOCIAL APPROACHAn overview of my approach, career and the future of social media.

HIGH IMPACT DIGITAL MARKETING

HELLO.I’m Sarah. I’ve been working in social media for over 3 years now.

From growing up in the heart of the Bebo and Myspace era, graduating Bucks Ad School in 2013,

and having a career in-house and for social media agencies,

I have grown up with social media as much as it has grown up with me.

@SarahLouise_02

HIGH IMPACT DIGITAL MARKETING

AN INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL MEDIA “Don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t want plastered on a billboard with your face all over it.”

- Erin Bury, 88 Creative.

@SarahLouise_02

WHAT IS SOCIAL

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• Let’s just start by saying - social media is everywhere.It’s on your phone, apps, hashtags, blog shares, social likes, brand personalities, customer services, reviews, influencing SEO, everywhere.

Here are the two faces of social media:

• Paid social - This is anything from: Boosted Facebook posts.Twitter ads.Facebook campaigns.Promoted Linkedin posts.Likes campaigns.Instagram sponsored posts.

In a nutshell - Any form of social media that has a budget and targeting behind it.

• Organic social - This means: When social posts are written, uploaded and posted to the page. No budget behind them.No targeting.

In a nutshell - What you see is what you get.

WHAT JOBS ARE AVAILABLE?

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• Agency side: Social Media Executive Responsible for a range of clients.Chance to work on a broad range of social media.

Pros: Working in an agency is where you grow.Cons: Time limited per client.

• In-house: Social Media CoordinatorResponsible for just the one account.Requires other marketing skill sets, skills expanding beyond social media.

Pros: Not limited by time.Cons: There might not be anyone to learn from / grow in your career.

• What names can these jobs have?Social Media Executive Social Media Coordinator Social Media ManagerHead of SocialCommunity Manager Digital Marketing Executive Digital Account Executive Account ExecutiveSocial Media StrategistContent Strategist

@SarahLouise_02

HOW DOES AN AGENCY WORK?

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Step one: Campaign ideas are thought of and created.

Step two: With client approval the strategy is put into place with the work divided out.

Step three: SEO keywords are thought, keeping in line with the campaign goals and outcomes.

Step four: Initial work is done - landing pages are created, blog posts are written, imagery is sourced, templates are created, target audiences are found.

Step five: Social posts are created for the relevant social media channels - keeping in mind the keyword and focus / aim of the campaign.

Step six: Further social promotion and outreach is worked on. The campaign is shared to publishing tools such as LinkedIn Pulse. Outreach takes place to industry bloggers.

Step seven: Reports are created and presented to the client, with a team debrief to reflect on how successful the campaign was.

@SarahLouise_02

WHAT MAKES GOOD SOCIAL MEDIA?

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Good social media appears when: • Your social media channels have personality. • Your social media is creative.• Your social media shows an insight into who it’s audience is.• The social content is interesting / relevant for your target market.

All of the examples here have tapped into an insight of their audience. They know what their audience wants to see and share on social, they know what habits their audience has (ASOS obsessions and ‘the Friday feeling’ after a week at work.) and most importantly, they know how to engage with their audience.

This is what makes good social - putting the target audience at the heart of the social media strategy.

WHAT DO SOCIAL MEDIA REPORTS LOOK LIKE?

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Some of the best reporting platforms and (mostly free) social

media tools to use are:

• Reporting & Scheduling: Hootsuite, Buffer, Tweetdeck,

Sprout Social, Rival IQ.

• Design: Facebook 20, Canva, Pixlr.

• Image Sourcing: Unsplash, CC Search.

• Tracking and Analytics Use: Bit.ly, Google UTM Builder,

Followerwonk.

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THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL MEDIA"Imagination decides everything.”

- Blaise Pascal

@SarahLouise_02

WHAT IS CHANGING IN SOCIAL MEDIA?

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Instagram advertising:• Instagram advertising is now open to all. The social platform that has

remained ad free for so long, has changed it’s tune. This is a huge update in the social media world, and for the first time brands can expand their reach onto a platform that was purely organic before.

Paid vs organic social media: • As all social platforms develop and grow, sadly the divide between paid

and organic social is doing the same. Facebook is changing the rules for what gets seen in newsfeeds. With strict Algorithm ratings, it’s becoming harder for brands to organically reach everyone of their followers. ‘Boosting’ posts (paid social) is becoming the most reliable (and only) way to ensure your message is seen.

Social media affecting SEO:• While social media doesn’t directly influence SEO for your brand, it does

give it a helping hand. A simple Google search of John Lewis will now show social media profiles within the top five search results, along with a live Twitter feed update. Social media channels are indirectly helping your brand rank in Google.

@SarahLouise_02

SOCIAL TRENDS… AND HOW TO STAY AHEAD

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Read these blogs:

• Hootsuite Blog

• Buffer Social

• Sprout Social Insights

• Contently

• Econsultancy

• Moz

• Mashable

• Social Media Examiner

• Hubspot

• Socialbro

• Smart Insights

• Kissmetrics

@SarahLouise_02

WHAT DO I THINK WILL HAPPEN?

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I think... Social media will only continue to be more powerful.

With platforms such as Facebook M being released, how we use social media will change. It will be used more for searches, reviews, and customer services.

Brands will use social media to reflect more of their personality and show a bigger presence online.

As social media apps develop more, it will only add to how powerful social media is. As time passes social media will have a bigger presence and involvement in our day-to-day lives.

Social media isn’t going anywhere. It is here to stay.

@SarahLouise_02

HIGH IMPACT DIGITAL MARKETING

APPLYING FOR A JOB IN SOCIAL MEDIA“The harder you work, the luckier you get”

- Plato

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THE DO’S AND DON’TS

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• The Do’s: Be active on social media.

Blog as much as you can.

Make your Facebook private.

Update Linkedin with any new experience.

Use Linkedin Pulse and share your blogs.

Promote your work on Twitter.

Attend networking events and follow up with people on social media.

• The Don'ts: Don’t slate people on social media.

Don’t share anything you wouldn’t want everyone to know.

Don’t have a profile picture containing alcohol.

Don’t annoy people on social media.

Don’t just post on social media just because ‘everyone is doing it.’

@SarahLouise_02

HOW CAN YOU USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO YOUR ADVANTAGE?

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Ask yourself: • What are your main skills?• What do you enjoy doing?• What would you like to do?• How can you get better at what you do?• How professional do your social media accounts look?

Answer those questions and stand out on social media:• Use social media as your personal portfolio • Use Linkedin as your modern day CV• Follow your favourite brands / agencies on social media

• Write about companies using an ‘ego-bait’ technique

@SarahLouise_02

ADVICE

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My Advice…• Make sure your job keeps you happy, inspired and challenged.

• If you’re not happy in your job, quit (and get a better one.)

• Read and write about anything and everything.

• Use social media to your advantage - use it as a representation of yourself.

• If you have the chance to learn about something new, learn it.

@SarahLouise_02

CONTACT AND QUESTIONS

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Sarah KnightZest DigitalJohn Eccles HouseRobert Robinson AvenueOxfordOX4 4GP

Tel: +44 (0)1865 684999Web: http://www.zestdigital.com/author/sarahknight/Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahLouise_02