by Fronetics | Apr 12, 2018 | Blog, Content Marketing, Leadership, Marketing, Social Media, Supply Chain
Make the most of your supply chain leaders’ social media accounts by following these steps.
I’ve written many times before about the importance of supply chain leaders being on social media as the face of their brands. Social media presents a huge opportunity for executives to use their relative industry celebrity to be an extension of their organizations.
So you are ready to commit to a more active social media presence (or you’re going to be ghost-posting for your executive). Where do you begin?
We’ve come up with 4 tips for supply chain leaders to making the most of their presence on social media.
4 tips for supply chain leaders on social media
1) Find the right platform (or platforms) for you.
The first thing to consider is your target audience. If you’re looking to reach a young demographic, for example, Snapchat is probably the way to go, as 45% of its users are under the age of 24. Likewise, if your brand would be well-served by live video (hint: it probably will!), Facebook Live and Instagram Stories offer great possibilities.
Next, think about your personal voice, and what type of content you are likely to be posting. Thought leadership can often best be established on LinkedIn. But that doesn’t mean that Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube aren’t also good avenues to present your voice to the world. Pick the platforms that you feel speak most to your audience and best serve your brand.
2) Use your creative side.
Supply chain and logistics leadership requires a tremendous amount of creativity and innovation. Let these qualities shine through in your social media presence! You have the tools to spark more engagement, increase follower count, and make your posts go viral.
This means using your unique voice to be a storyteller, engage your audience, and create a face for your brand. If you need some inspiration, check out these 7 Twitter accounts.
3) Create space for conversation.
Too many would-be social media mavens fall into the trap of posting the kind of content that doesn’t invite interaction. Instead, be a conversation-starter.
First, take a look at your audience and what kind of interactions they have online. You can scan the pages of other leaders in your niche as a reference point.
You can generate interaction and engagement by showing gratitude, listening to your audience, handling queries, posting thought-provoking content, and posing questions in your posts.
4) Avoid controversy.
This might seem obvious, but there’s a fine line to walk between posting or re-posting thought-provoking content and becoming an inadvertently controversial figure.
Keep in mind that, in the public platforms that are social media, all your moves will be under constant scrutiny from your fans, followers, and people in their networks. This means that while cultivating a personal voice, it’s important to maintain a level of professionalism. And stay away from posting anything that can make you a lightning rod for controversy!
Where do you go to follow supply chain leaders on social media?
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by Fronetics | Apr 11, 2018 | Blog, Content Marketing, Logistics, Marketing, Social Media, Supply Chain
Today’s B2B buyer’s journey involves more internet research and more social media use.
Technology has completely changed the B2B buyer’s journey. The vast amount of information available on the internet has afforded buyers a level of self-sufficiency that renders traditional sales models ineffective. Marketers must leverage the latest trends and technologies to boost their content marketing efforts and turn leads into sales.
According to Demand Gen Report’s 2017 B2B Buyer’s Survey, respondents cited an increasing reliance on peer reviews as a critical influence in the buying journey. Additionally, personalization is increasingly important: 66% of respondents said it’s “very important” that websites “speak directly to the needs of their industry and expertise.”
But in these changing times, how do companies keep up with new technologies and growing trends? Marketers now, more than ever, need to incorporate new types of content (video, live-streaming, infographics, etc.), utilize social media, and update content marketing practices to align with company sales goals.
The B2B buyer’s journey gives valuable insight into how B2B buyers are finding vendors, engaging with them, and — ultimately — deciding to work with one. Supply chain and logistics businesses need to take the time to understand the buyer’s journey, so they know where they need to invest their time and money in order to get buyers’ attention.
Infographic: the B2B buyer’s journey
(Made with Canva)
B2B buyers are looking for information and are using that information to make buying decisions. Companies need to be using social media. Companies need to be creating and curating quality content. It is equally important, however, for companies to realize that content marketing doesn’t shorten the buying process; rather it changes it.
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by Fronetics | Jun 20, 2017 | Blog, Content Marketing, Marketing, Social Media
Live video streaming helps businesses promote transparency, good communication, and relatability.
Live video is the “it” trend in social media marketing. According to the 2017 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, 61% of marketers plan on using live video services such as Facebook Live and Periscope, and 69% want to learn more about live video.
It’s really no surprise video has gained such traction. Platforms like YouTube have made the transition from watching TV in your home to watching videos on your phone seamless. And live streaming, in particular, fits in with today’s emphasis on corporate transparency and putting a real, human face behind business social media accounts. It allows brands to drop their corporate façade and connect to users in a more human way.
And, before you say it, I’ll say it again: Yes, video can work for the supply chain.
So where do you start? Here’s a rundown of some of the platforms you can use, as well as the benefits of live video.
Live streaming platforms
Facebook Live
Facebook Live lets you broadcast in real time for up to 90 minutes per session. Users who have recently engaged (or who frequently engage) with your page will receive a notification that you are streaming live, and they can go to your page to view the video. Viewers can comment and react during the course of your broadcast, allowing you to read their remarks and respond immediately.
Periscope
Twitter-owned and run, Periscope is a standalone platform but integrates very seamlessly with Twitter. It has more than 10 million users, more than two million of which log in daily. There have been 200 million hours of broadcasted video to date with roughly 350,000 hours per day. The service lets users live stream from their mobile devices and push out those streams on Twitter.
YouTube Live
YouTube Live enables YouTube to utilize its expansive creator and advertising network to generate even more video to be hosted and monetized. YouTube makes it incredibly easy to aim, shoot and post live video.
Benefits of live video marketing
There are many reasons why live video is trending. Here are some of the benefits supply chain and logistics businesses stand to gain.
1) Customer engagement and feedback
With live video, users can ask questions and instantly get responses. Having that “in-person” experience strengthens their relationship with your company and brand.
2) Transparency
Being open about your business is a great way to gain people’s trust, and there’s no better medium for that than with live videos. By sharing behind-the-scene processes, product sneak peeks, and other day-to-day aspects of your business, you give users a much-desired sense of transparency. That ultimately will help convert visitors into customers.
3) In-the-know value
Social media users love to feel on top of their information streams, and live video gives them inside, up-to-the-minute scoop. Experiencing the video live, instead of previously recorded, gives your business the advantage of being in the moment with users.
4) Cost effective
Streaming live video is no more expensive than traditional video creation. The tools, basically a good camera, are your only overhead.
GE is doing it right
But don’t take my word for it. Look at the success of GE’s live streaming efforts. The company launched its Periscope channel in 2015, with a behind-the-scenes interview series that gained over 200,000 views.
Another particularly successful campaign was #DRONEWEEK, which gave users an inside look at the facilities creating and testing jet engines, locomotives, and wind turbines. Sam Olstein, GE’s director of innovation, says of #DRONEWEEK: “We’re always trying to tell the full picture of the GE story, which is a complicated one, so any time we can talk about the various industries and variety of expertise and disciplines, we try to find unique and innovative way to do that.”
GE used Periscope to create an approachable, open narrative around their brand. What applications have you seen working for businesses in your space?
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