by Fronetics | Sep 4, 2018 | Blog, Content Marketing, Logistics, Marketing, Social Media, Supply Chain
Live video is a powerful tool that can help your supply chain business grow its social media footprint, build brand awareness, and generate leads.
Live video is the super-hot new thing when it comes to generating leads and selling. But the supply chain has, so far, been hesitant to embrace it whole-heartedly as a marketing tool.
I can understand how you might find this new content format too “young” or consumer-facing for B2B sales. But at Fronetics, we think if done right, live video can be really effective.
What is live video?
Maybe you’ve gotten a notification on Facebook to let you know that your nephew is live streaming his piano recital, or a college friend is “live” at a wedding. But, let’s face it: Not many supply chain companies are using live video in their social media marketing. So you may not have thought about it in a professional context.
This “it’ trend in social media has really taken off in the past two years, and marketers are starting to jump on the bandwagon. With today’s emphasis on corporate transparency and putting a real, human face behind business social media accounts, live video is a perfect fit. In fact according to the 2017 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, 61% of marketers plan on using live video services, and 69% are interested in learning more about it.
[bctt tweet=”61% of marketers plan on using live video services, and 69% are interested in learning more about it, according to the 2017 Social Media Marketing Industry Report.” username=”Fronetics”]
These are the 4 live video platforms you should be aware of.
1. Facebook Live
Facebook’s live streaming platform lets you broadcast for up to 90 minutes per session, and notifies your audience that you’re streaming live. It also allows viewers to comment and react during your broadcast, and you can read and respond to their remarks immediately.
2. Periscope
Twitter’s answer to live video, Periscope has more than 10 million users, and lets user live stream from their mobile devices and push those streams directly onto Twitter.
3. Instagram Live
Instagram lets users connect to their followers in real time, through its Stories feature. Like Facebook, Instagram lets viewers add real-time comments that are visible to you and the rest of your audience.
4. YouTube Live
Online streaming video juggernaut YouTube makes it incredibly easy to aim, shoot, and post live video.
How to use live video
Michael Stelzner of Social Media Examiner recently interviewed income strategist and Facebook Live-guru Nicole Walters on the Social Media Marketing Podcast. Walters gave listeners clever tips for using live video to build a following and generate leads. We recommend giving the podcast a listen, but read on for our key takeaways.
Walters advocates for spontaneity in live video but suggests having a format or framework to give you structure and ensure that you’re sticking to your goal of generating leads. Her format is in three parts:
Part One: The Opener
In your introduction, which should be about 30-45 seconds, Walters suggests starting with your name, website, and a brief sentence to give your audience an overview of who your business is and what your video is about. Next, be sure to welcome your audience, perhaps with a special shout-out to new viewers, as well as regulars. Walters also encourages viewers to share her video and to interact with her as she broadcasts.
Part Two: Instructional Content
This is the meat of your video and typically lasts up to 30 minutes. Start by introducing the topic you’re presenting on and why it’s important. Walters also suggests encouraging viewers to take notes, with the rationale that notetaking leads to engaged viewers. If you’re launching a product or service (a great use of live video), you’ll want to cover the need you’re answering with your launch and how your product or service will solve it.
Walters points out that while she prepares extensively for her broadcasts, she avoids reading directly from a piece of paper, as it could easily get impersonal and boring. Instead, she gives herself a cheat-sheet of bullet points to keep her on track.
Part Three: Call-to-Action
This is the final stage of your live video, in which you send your viewers to a page where they can either pay or submit information to receive additional, high-value content (like e-books, webinars, etc.). Walters might say, “If you love this and want to dive in and get the details you need, then head over to NicoleWalters.tv. If you click the center of the page, you’ll find the product… I’ll be right here if you have questions. But come back and tell me you grabbed it.”
Live video offers all kinds of potential value for supply chain marketing. From customer engagement and feedback to transparency and brand awareness, this is a tool for the future of supply chain marketing.
Related posts:
by Fronetics | Aug 23, 2018 | Blog, Content Marketing, Logistics, Marketing, Social Media, Supply Chain, Talent
Too many supply chain businesses are devoting inadequate resources and personnel to social media management.
Let’s be honest. It’s time for the supply chain to start taking social media management seriously. Even when we think we’re embracing the future, too may supply chain companies are stuck in the past when it comes to the way they think about marketing — and particularly the role of social media.
[bctt tweet=”A robust and effective social media strategy needs to be just that — a carefully designed and well-thought-out strategy, rather than simply something that an already overworked marketer adds to his or her plate.” username=”Fronetics”]
Case in point: the latest Social Media Marketing Industry Report indicates that for nearly two-thirds of marketers, managing social media marketing for their business is just one of their jobs.
Let’s think about that for a moment. That means that only one-third of the 5,700 businesses surveyed are prioritizing social media management to an adequate degree. For the other two-thirds, the vast and time-consuming task of social media management is squeezed into someone’s job description essentially as an afterthought.
If your business falls into that 64%, this is your wakeup call. Used to its fullest, social media is an immensely valuable set of tools for supply chain marketing. These platforms help brands increase visibility, establish themselves as thought leaders, attract new leads and customers, and much more.
If you’re not convinced (and you should be), take a look through Fronetics’ recent survey report on the benefits of social media for supply chain and logistics industries.
Social media management is no easy task
The thing about social media that so many businesses get wrong is that it’s not an easy task. Maybe you’re a marketer who’s been tasked with managing your brand’s social media efforts — on top of the rest of your responsibilities. It might have sounded like fun at first, essentially getting to scroll and post on Facebook for a few minutes out of the day. But chances are, you’re realizing that it’s a much bigger task than you thought.
A robust and effective social media strategy needs to be just that — a carefully designed and well-thought-out strategy, rather than simply something that an already overworked marketer adds to his or her plate.
For your business to truly take advantage of the benefits that social media can offer, you either need to devote adequate resources to it, or consider outsourcing it.
Is outsourcing right for you?
Supply chain companies are increasingly reaping the benefits of outsourcing their marketing efforts, particularly social media, as it allows them to focus on core competencies and improve productivity. As you consider trusting a professional with your social media, consider these 6 signs that outsourcing might be right for you.
The bottom line: if you’re frustrated that your social media management efforts are not as fruitful as you would like, chances are, you’re not giving them a chance. For social media to work for you, you need to devote the resources it demands — whether in house or out.
Related posts:
by Fronetics | Aug 16, 2018 | Blog, Content Marketing, Data/Analytics, Logistics, Marketing, Social Media, Supply Chain
The latest social media statistics show growth of Instagram, more metrics for ROI, social messaging bots, and video content.
One thing that always holds true with social media platforms: they are constantly changing. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have used 2018 to continue this trend of continual growth and improvement.
[bctt tweet=”One thing that always holds true with social media platforms: they are constantly changing. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have used 2018 to continue this trend of continual growth and improvement.” username=”Fronetics”]
It’s important with all the changes to take a pause and analyze where these changes are taking us. Simple data can point us to the latest trends and show us where social media is heading.
Social Media Examiner’s 10th annual study, 2018 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, surveyed more than 5,700 marketers from across the world in a variety of industries to see how social media is changing. It offers a really comprehensive view of what’s going on in social media in our industry and beyond.
“This industry report also shows you how marketers’ organic activities have changed and what their future plans are with organic and paid social media,” write the report’s authors.
Here are 10 social media statistics from the report that reflect where social media is headed and what B2B marketers need to be paying attention to.
Infographic: 10 social media statistics for B2B marketers 2018
(Made with Canva)
Still want more?
I really recommend reading the 44-page report in its entirety from Social Media Examiner. There are pages and pages of interesting social media statistics that offer valuable insight into how marketers from all industries are using social media.
The report also shows how social media has changed in the last few years and even more rapidly in the past few months. With messaging bots and video content on the horizon, it’s hard not to wonder where social media will take us next.
What social media statistics are most interesting to you?
Related posts:
by Fronetics | Aug 15, 2018 | Blog, Customer Service, Data Security, Data/Analytics, Logistics, Strategy, Supply Chain
Data breaches are all over the news lately, but data analytics may be the key to tighter security — and better customer service.
A growing number of high-profile organizations have been in the news recently for data breaches that put customers at risk, and the trend shows no signs of stopping. Collecting data about customers allows organizations the advantage of personalizing their services, but safeguarding that data comes with major security concerns.
[bctt tweet=”Collecting data about customers allows organizations the advantage of personalizing their services, but safeguarding that data comes with major security concerns.” username=”Fronetics”]
Data analytics, or the way organizations process the information they collect to learn about their customers, is becoming increasingly effective at de-anonymizing large amounts of data and tying it back to specific individuals. While personalized data is a goldmine in terms of marketing and services, it’s also exactly what cyber-criminals target.
But information expert Sam Ransbotham, in the MIT Sloan Management Review, says that de-anonymizing people through data analytics coud be a powerful security tool itself, and can even improve customer service along with way.
How data analytics plays into security
Ransbotham points out that authenticating identity is one of the most important parts of keeping data secure. Whether online or over the telephone, authenticating your identity usually means answering a string of questions first to identify your account and then to affirm that you are who you say you are.
Data analytics, however, offer a better way of authenticating identity. A number of companies in the banking sector have already begun to use speech processing to identify a caller’s voice based on recordings of previous telephone calls. These “voiceprints” can confirm identity almost instantly and reduce the chance of someone stealing a personal identification number (PIN).
Using an automated system of voice-data analysis gives banks the added benefit of being able to adjust their security protocols for all customer service interactions at once. This allows for faster responses to updated assessments of security threats, rather than having to re-train customer service representatives.
Customer service advantages
Instead of making callers identify themselves by answering “security challenge questions,” data analytics allows the security process to take place behind the scenes. Customers experience a more streamlined calling experience that immediately addresses their needs. They save time and are spared the hassle of answering questions to identify themselves.
Security challenge questions are, Ransbotham says, “adversarial by design. … This authentication process must begin with the assumption that the caller is a malefactor impersonating the real customer.” By performing the authentication process behind the scenes, voiceprints help re-define the customer service experience as helpful instead of combative.
Organizations, in turn, can save time on employee training. They can focus on training employees for service rather than security.
Data analytics does not have to involve a trade-off between security and service. Techniques like collecting and analyzing voice data can actually start providing solutions to some of the security concerns that data collection raised in the first place.
As Ransbotham suggests, data analytics has the potential for further applications. Voice analysis can detect speech patterns that indicate if someone is being coerced or suffering from impairment, which could be adapted for security and service purposes, too.
Related posts:
by Fronetics | Jul 26, 2018 | Blog, Content Marketing, Logistics, Marketing, Social Media, Supply Chain
Social messaging apps have taken over the way consumers are interacting with brands. Their increasing popularity means your business needs to embrace this new trend.
No one can deny the reach of social networks. After all, Facebook has over 2 billion active users. But as marketers, we’re noticing that consumers are moving away from social networks and welcoming the popularity of messaging apps with open arms.
Social media is constantly changing, and every new app gives users a new way to engage with family, friends, and brands. With the shift toward messaging apps, your target audience is making the leap, so your business needs to as well.
Messaging apps have a strong appeal: personalized engagement. Brands are able to make a one-on-one connection with every potential customer that comes in contact with their app pages. This is an opportunity you cannot miss!
Companies reaping the messaging app benefits
Yoox Net-a-Porter, a UK-based ecommerce firm with U.S. operations, made the switch to messaging apps after the brand discovered that many of its customers preferred WhatsApp for product details and suggestions and purchases. WhatsApp easily integrated with its order management system and is currently being tested as the company’s shipping notification system.
“Realizing that consumers increasingly prefer to receive information via personal messaging services rather than email, we have been working with WhatsApp to improve the way we use the WhatsApp service with great results so far,” writes Yoox Net-a-Porter on its blog.
And Yoox Net-a-Porter isn’t the only brand making the switch. WhatsApp, a social messaging platform owned by Facebook, reported 1.5 billion active users and over 60 billion messages sent per day at the end of 2017. These numbers, continuing to grow at a staggering rate, make it hard to ignore that brands need to be investing their marketing time and dollars in messaging apps.
[bctt tweet=”WhatsApp, a social messaging platform owned by Facebook, reported 1.5 billion active users and over 60 billion messages sent per day at the end of 2017. ” username=”Fronetics”]
In our latest video, Kettie Laky, our social media director, discusses why social messaging apps are becoming so popular and the top four apps your brand should become familiar with.
Video: Top 4 social messaging apps your brand needs to be using
Takeaway
As with any new marketing effort, trial and error are a big part of the equation. In order to get the most from your time (and budget!), make sure you’re utilizing the best messaging app for your brand. Before committing to an app, ask these important questions:
- Who is my target audience?
- How will the app add value to my target audiences?
- How do I want to deliver my content?
- Do I want to use more than one app?
- How frequently will I be marketing on the app?
These questions can help you find the social messaging apps that will work best for your marketing campaign and start connecting with customers in a more personalized way. These apps making sharing valuable content easier than ever.
What social messaging apps has your business tried?
Related posts:
