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Apricot Services led a breakout session to share some Content Marketing tips at Breathe Christian Writers Conference. Enjoy viewing our Prezi now, and dive in to this ongoing blog series compiled from our notes.
Apricot Services led a breakout session to share some Content Marketing tips at Breathe Christian Writers Conference. Enjoy viewing our Prezi now, and dive in to this ongoing blog series compiled from our notes.
Every January all the experts make their predictions on what is the next big thing in digital platforms, best practices, and market shifts. So does anyone ever follow-up to see if they’re right?
Sellpoints checked in with numerous experts to see if their predictions on 2015 digital marketing trends have actually caught on. These digital mavens were asked two questions:
Read the full article here and don’t forget to let us know about any digital trends you’ve seen come to pass.
A few weeks ago we discussed Facebook’s algorithm changes. The social media titan recently released an article explaining how they are trying to adapt with the feedback they’ve been receiving. How should they strike the balance between your friend’s updates and content from public pages?
We’re liking the looks of these changes. According to the article, the most recent Facebook algorithm change will allow content from public pages to rank higher in your newsfeed if it is a page you care about and interact with more often. No more need to worry about missing content from your favorite Authors, blogs, or other sites.
So what do you think? What makes a page you follow valuable enough to show up in your newsfeed?
To keep up a successful digital platform, you have to press into the tension between a steady audience and the ever-changing trends of the digital world. Not really sure how to strike that balance? It can be overwhelming to keep up with algorithm changes, industry standards and trends, new and changing technology, and the needs of your audience.
Recently, we found a great article from Forbes on the digital marketing trends they’ve seen so far in 2015. Neil Patel has some great thoughts on where things might be heading. We’re already exploring what these trends mean for our clients. What might they mean for your platform?
If you’re looking for some help with strategy in this ever-changing digital world, don’t hesitate to contact us.
This may be the question facing your church or non-profit. As digital marketers, of course we’re not going to say no. But apparently neither is Christianity Today.
In an article they released a little over a month ago, CT explores how social media can be harnessed as a great tool for leadership of a congregation.
Discussion in the church has centered around whether social media is good or bad. Our thought? It’s neutral. As the article describes, “Social media is a tool. A tool in the wrong hands is dangerous. A tool in good hands is extremely useful. Churches and leaders that remain absent from social media are not able to use this tool to expand the Kingdom.”
At Apricot Services, we want to see churches and non-profits learn to wield this tool to the best advantage. Are you a church leader who doesn’t know where to start with your church’s social platform? Maybe we can help!
Read the three ways they believe social media benefits church leaders and let us know what you think.
Photo credit: Sean MacEntee, Creative Commons
Here in the Apricots world, we’ve recently been wondering about recent Facebook algorithm changes and what that means for serving our clients. If anything, trying to reach your audience has certainly become more difficult. You may feel that your social media strategy has become obsolete. So is jumping the Facebook ship in the best interest of your platform?
This isn’t a new discussion. We are reminded of a Forbes article that was released nearly two years ago.
Recently, we debated the benefits of focusing our efforts for a client through Google+. Unfortunately, where the algorithm may work more in the favor of those trying to promote their platform, the audience just isn’t the same. At least not in the engaged manner they are on Facebook. For this client, the answer was yes, Facebook is worth the hassle… and the added cost of promoting posts to reach the same size audience as before.
The answer is not likely uniform for all however. Have you found your social media promotion to be a struggle since Facebook’s algorithm changes? Drop us a line. We may be able to help.
Great Forbes article on Digital Marketing
People are tempted to think that digital =’s instant results. Not so much. Statistically companies are spending about as much on digital these days as on ‘old’ media. It’s critical to know the why’s and how’s of your spend… as the article’s author puts it “Digital Marketing is no longer a cloud of smoke and mirrors where no one knows if the dollars spent are producing results.” That is the beauty… instantly calculable ROI in most cases, agility in tactics, and real-time reach.
Here’s the 3 Digital Marketing Mistakes:
This Tech Crunch article explores the future of publishing er… platforms… wave of the future?
“Platform Or Publisher? Whatever You Call It, It’s The Future Of Media”
Photo: techcrunch
“The main challenge today is to help relevant content cut through all the clutter and rise to the top in a meaningful, pluralistic and diverse way. The answer to that innovation challenge doesn’t lie in just a publisher or platform model. Rather, the new hybrid models and the old pure platform and publisher players that have evolved seem to be in the best position to face these new exigencies.
So will this be the time for a new breed of content providers in the form of “platform publishers,” “publisher platforms,” “platishers,” or “pubforms?” Call it whatever you want. But it’s the future of media.”
Author/Consultant Ron Potter has a great blog you should read… His recent post has pertinent implications for social media. Social media is a great place to catalog life, communicate with the reaches of the universe, and re-connect with old friends. For authors and companies, it’s become a powerful tool to connect with readers/customers. And it enables dialogue.
Social media has allowed a shift where authors and companies can dialogue directly with the consumers of their products. We often use this word interchangeably with ‘discussion’… Ron defines well the difference below. Key takeaway here for marketers: Listen to customers with the intent to understand. When we understand readers/customers, we can better serve them with content and products that they want to engage with. Too often, we listen to customers on social media with only the intent to respond. And customers don’t want to be responded to… they want to be understood.
Ron writes: “Dialogue is a wonderful experience. Unfortunately, most of the time we end up discussing topics. The word discussion has the same root word as percussion; Banging the drum; Beating on the table; Clanging the symbol. Discussion is “won” by percussing the loudest or most persistent. Not the best way to reach conclusions on difficult or contentious issues.
So why do we discuss rather than dialogue?
Because discussing is taking a side, defending your beliefs, getting your point of view across, winning an argument. Dialoguing is being open to others ideas; opening up your mind to alternatives or innovative ideas that haven’t been discovered yet.
Image Source: Ky, Creative Commons
When we listen with the intent to respond, we’re preparing for discussion. We’re loading up our ammunition to either counter or reinforce any and every given point that is being discussed. We’re getting ready to beat our drum louder
But, when we listen with the intent to understand we’re preparing for dialogue. We’re getting as clear as we can about the issues, belief and assumptions and goals of each participant. The best way to accomplish this is through curiosity. There are many things in our lives that we’re curious about. When we’re curious about a topic we listen deeply, we probe to improve our understanding, we read as much as we can about the topic, we want to know why and when things happen, we want to know the meaning behind the causes.
When you’re facing a tough decision with strong opinions on each side, start with curiosity. Listen with the intent to understand. “
– See more at Ron’s blog here
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