Where did all the teens go?

One of the most popular social media sites are asking themselves where did the teenage demographic go? They have seen a decrease in users from the second to third quarters of 2013. Facebook conducted research to determine and finalize why this has been happening. They dropped from the second to third quarter with participation and activity within the teen category.

They have determined that this target has moved onto other mobile apps such as: Vine, Instagram, Snapchat, Foursquare and more. Vine ownedby Twitter has grown 639% in the last quarter according to a research group. The application SnapChat has been proven more popular then LinkedIn and Vine among this target market.

Overall this demographic has switched over to a mobile device rather than a computer or laptop. Facebook messenger app has seen more growth then Facebook itself. What can Facebook do to regain the teen’s attention?

From my own experience, I have the majority of the apps mentioned above and the reason I choose to Snapchat someone or Instagram is because it is fast, efficient and simple. It has one aspect you can do, for example those who don’t know Instagram is a photosharing application. You can put filters or crop pictures with captions…that’s it. You scroll through your news feed to see what other people have been posting and may even comment or like on one. SnapChat is a photo sharing application as well but with a twist! You take a photo and send it to the contacts you wish to see it for a specific amount of designated time. Once the person you sent it to opens the “snap” the time counts down until it hits zero which is when the picture disappears for good. The contact can screen shot the picture which then would be saved to their phone but at that point you will be notified who screen shot it.

 Facebook embodies many types of communication. It not only allows you to share, like and comment on photos but incorporates Twitter with being able to update statuses and Foursquare by checking into current locations. It’s a hub to do everything. Facebook can use this to their advantage. Who wants to have multiple apps doing multiple things when you do it all in one place? Teens are starting to put Facebook on the backburner. Facebook needs to show the easiness of sharing information or come up with a new way to communicate that these other apps don’t have.

Does Pinterest have your interest?

Pinterest...

What is Pinterest anyway? It's one of the newest social media platforms to take off in the business marketing industry. It's a photo sharing site that allows users to upload, save, share, create and manage images. Pinboards are the themes that organize the pictures on ones profile. Re-pinning is when you take someone else's image and pin it to one of your own boards. Like Facebook, there is the option to "like" someones pin. A person's main page will be reflective on what they have posted, re-pinned, liked or shared. For example on my Pinterest account it shows a lot of fashion products, food items and, things that the people I follow have pinned or liked.

Businesses can create pages to target their main audience online directly. A great example are the clothing companies that have Pinterest. Aritzia has links to their main page along with where you can purchase products online! Once seeing something you like on their Pinterest account theres no need to browse their website but click right on the link to purchase it.

Looking at a 2012 article about Pinterest vs. Facebook , it shows how Pinterest surpasses Facebook in regards to shopping and inspiration. "69% of online consumers who visit Pinterest have found an item they’ve purchased or wanted to purchase as compared to only 40% of online consumers who visit Facebook." Pinterest was significantly greater then Facebook when asked where consumers get inspiration on what to buy.

Has Pinterest gained your interest yet?

If so, here is a great idea to increase awareness and interaction with online consumers: as Cynthia Sanchez suggests, create a Pinterest contest to engage consumers in a fun way! Not only is this an interesting concept but it can benefit your social media marketing in multiple ways. Creating a contest can bring more traffic to your website, blog, or other social media channels. If your contest relates to another source it can drive traffic to both parties. Not only will it drive traffic but others will be able to see the interaction your consumers are having. Pinterest is a place where people show their love for a product and by asking your consumers for feedback or to participate will give them the opportunity to show what they love about you! Of course in a contest there is always a winner, gaining access to the people who participate is going to give you information to contact the winner (like an email address etc).

Pin to Win Sweepstakes Example Taken From Cynthia Sanchez "Oh So Pinteresting" Blog

Pinterest has specific rules about contests that are not to be ignored. Not to worry, using other social media sites to access your Pinterest contest can help you to get around those rules. For example: Pin it to win it!.

Check out episode 33 from Cynthia Sanchez on more about Contests on Pinterest.

Social Media Journal Entry One

        What does 2014 bring for Social Media Marketing?

The addition of online marketing has changed the way companies spend their marketing budget. Digital marketing has increased in importance and is therefore gaining more budget. Not only is there Facebook or Twitter to advertise on but Google, Websites, Blogs, YouTube, Tumblr and more. The social media world is forever evolving. Can companies keep up? What does the upcoming new year, 2014, bring for social media marketing?

According to Forbes, there are 7 things we all should prepare and look out for. They are as follows:
1. Content Marketing will increase
2. Social Media will need to be more diverse
3. Emphasis on images
4. Simplistic is the way to go
5. Must be Mobile
6. Higher use of Ad Retargeting
7. Social and SEO intertwine more

Social Media has become this complicated thing that can be simplified to those 7 things to look for. If your content is relative to your consumer, if it is constantly updated to maintain interest, if there are pictures to grab attention, if it is accessible in the right formats for your target, then your social media marketing will show you results. Companies should already be doing all these things. Think of social as an on going campaign. It needs to be accessible, creative, captivating and constantly updated to ensure repeat browsers.

The predictions that Forbes had all make sense when you look at the results of social media this year. There has been an increase in content marketing. Content marketing has become more important. This is a way for a company to really relate and understand its consumers. Trust and rapport can be built using content marketing. It gives the opportunity to address issues and answer questions while showing that they are worthwhile and honest. Having proper, engaging content can lead to browsers becoming buyers or activists for your company.

Spreading your content on multiple platforms increases awareness and gives diversity to your content approach. Not everyone uses the same channels. The more mediums your content shows up on the more the consumer sees it and responds too. A negative side to this is that if businesses try to be on all platforms they can, the content can loos its creativity and effectiveness. I suggest you pick the top three that your target use most and have the best content for those channels.

Images are a great eye catchers. The first thing I notice on a new website or blog is the picture related with it. Having image based content is an interesting, alternative way to grab the consumers attention. Images can be quick and easy which is going to gain attention faster.

People are being exposed to more media, ads and content then before. Having simple marketing can be just as effective as in-depth marketing. As Forbes article looks at, take a look at a top company like Apple. The marketing strategy is very simple.

Majority of people have either a phone, tablet, computer or multiple of each. Making sure that advertisements and content is mobile friendly will be very important coming into 2014. People are constantly on their phones. Those who do not adapt will loose out on the opportunity to reach consumers that their competitors may be able too.

Retargeting lets your consumers see your content once they have already seen it. It narrows down the people who may not want to access it. The more they see it, the more they will remember!

Social signals help consumers to see that a company is trustworthy. Sharing content, liking pages, and so on will be able to increase the organic ranking. Google will notice that more people are visiting one site over others. Having SEO and social intertwine is going to help target customers more efficiently.

Although these things are in effect right now, some are in the trial process and as time goes on and results increase they will be modified in the hopes to be perfect. Those were some tips to look out for if your not already heavy into social media marketing!