Author: Martin Communications

TikTok: Generating Leads for Small Business Growth

Looking for a way to get fun, creative, engaging video content out to over 500 million users at the tip of your fingers? TikTok is the name of the game. It’s the hottest, latest, and fastest growing social media platform to get your small business out there in a compelling, unique way. Users create a variety of 15 and 60 second videos ranging from challenges, dances, skits, and more. Since the largest demographic of TikTok is the age range of 16-24, trends pertaining sound clips are constantly filtered through your For You Page (content shown on your page based on your preferences). While most of the content is silly and playful, TikTok has become an advertising gold mine for businesses – just make sure your content is creative, engaging, and on trend.

Research Your Audience

Before you start rolling out a TikTok media strategy, do your research. Find out if your audience uses TikTok. Look into the types of content that would represent your brand and suit your audience. Your online presence can still be relevant even if your audience using TikTok doesn’t fall in the 16-24 age demographic. It’s important to maintain the trust established with your current audience.

Create Your Own Content

As a TikTok beginner, it’s best to keep things simple. Don’t worry about having professional camera equipment – your camera on your phone will do the trick. Content use depends on research and what works best for your brand. If your business uses other social media accounts such as Instagram or Facebook, you might want to consider repurposing content from there to start with. When you get more comfortable with using the app, look at content that is already successful and put your own twist on it (4 Ways to Use TikTok for Business, Broudie, 2020). Hashtag challenges (found on the Discover page within the app), are very helpful in finding existing, trending content that can be used to incorporate with your brand’s niche. The more experience you have with the platform, the more varieties of content you can create.

 Consider User Generated Content for Brand Exposure

As a small business, you probably don’t want to spend money on advertisements generated by TikTok. Instead, create User Generated Content – content made by people rather than brands (A Marketers Guide to Using User-Generated Content on social media, Newberry, 2019). Let’s say your company is tagged in a post about your brand. You can comment and ask for their approval to use their content in your next post (this occurs mostly on Instagram but can be applicable on any platform). Be sure to credit the original creator. User Generated Content is an authentic way to bring positive attention to your brand and can lead to higher purchasing decisions.

In conclusion, TikTok is a social media game changer with the latest, most trending topics of content creation. Its recent spike in popularity opens the door for a new (possibly younger) market of buyers not included in your original social media plan. Now is the time to consider the thriving, new and exciting industry of TikTok. If you’re not sure where to start, consider reaching out to Martin Communications, Inc., for advertising strategies  here.

See below for some useful guides on TikTok use for small businesses and how to generate business leads:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/340216

https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/4-ways-to-use-tiktok-business/

https://www.zenefits.com/workest/tiktok-for-your-small-business-what-it-is-and-how-to-get-started/

https://blog.hootsuite.com/user-generated-content-ugc/

What is E-Marketing?

When it comes to shopping for clothes, appliances, whatever the case may be, it’s almost impossible to visit a website’s landing page and not be asked to sign-up for the latest promotion using your email address. I think we all are familiar with the standard pop-up that reads: “Get exclusive offers when you sign up to our email list” or something along those lines. From there, you start getting promotions from brands you love (or hate). Speaking from personal experience, they really do a number on grabbing your attention in those subject lines (yes, I’ve fallen into the trap quite a few times). On the other hand, these emails can be considered “spam-like” and drive customers away due to high frequency and repetition. This is a form of email marketing. It falls under the large umbrella of internet marketing (encompassing online marketing via websites, social media, blogs, etc.). In simple terms, e-marketing allows businesses to keep their customers informed and tailor their marketing messages. (Ward, 2020)

How Does E-Marketing Work?

Adding a newsletter sign-up option is a good way to send updates, upcoming events, and offers about your company. To grow an even stronger relationship with your customers, special birthday offers on merchandise are often sent out for a more personalized experience. Congratulations! You just earned an increase in sales and a valued, loyal customer.

Effective E-Marketing Strategies

To land a successful email marketing campaign, you can:

• Build a List
  • Keep track of those who opted-in to receiving updates and promotional emails
• Change up Message Delivery
  • Share information such as tips and tricks that are useful and relevant to your business
• Follow a Schedule
  • Make note of the time and day of the week your email is sent out and keep it consistent
• Optimize Email Display
  • Studies show that just under half of all emails are opened on mobile devices
    • Make sure your emails are scaled to fit mobile device dimensions

Measuring E-Marketing Success

When you finalize your email marketing campaign, you can measure its effectiveness a few different ways. Eliminate the subscribers who are not receptive to your emails. Those who do not even bother to click and open your emails can be removed from your list. Another way is to test your subject lines is by sending different subject lines to 10% to 20% of those who subscribed to your email list. The effectiveness of your subject line can either make or break company earnings. You can also survey your customers. Leave the door open to your customers to understand the types of content they would like to read (this could include storytelling – an effective attention grabber).

In conclusion, e-marketing has been (and still is) an effective way of getting information out about your brand. The methods you use to inform your subscribers are completely up to you and how they align with your business goals. Creating a list of receptive subscribers, spicing up your content, sending emails to users at consistent times, and optimizing email display are all great starting points. E-Marketing is a great way to build customer relationships, and most importantly, maintain them.

Learn more effective ways to inform and promote your services by visiting:

Email Marketing: What Is It? (thebalancesmb.com)

The first quarter of 2021 started with a banned commercial, a royal interview, and some social media controversy. Keep reading to learn more.

Aunt Jemima Rebrands to Pearl Milling Company

Aunt Jemima has been renamed to Pearl Milling Company, the company who originated self-rising pancake mix. The new packaging will have the same colors and font but will not include the woman to create an inclusive image. The rebranded packaging is scheduled to be in grocery store shelves this June.

T-Mobile Super Bowl Ad Gets Cut

T-Mobile said their commercial starring Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski was rejected from airing during the Super Bowl due to “a protected rights deal with the official telecom sponsor.” References of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was mentioned, which may have led to why the spot was not allowed that Sunday. Interested viewers can watch the commercial here.

Burger King Upsets Queens

To raise awareness of the lack of women in chef and restaurant kitchen positions, Burger King took to Twitter on International Women’s Day tweeting, “women belong in the kitchen.” Supporting tweets explained their new initiative to help women land jobs in restaurant-related roles but received more backlash than support. Burger King deleted the tweets and released the following statement to apologize.

“We hear you. We got our initial tweet wrong and we’re sorry. Our aim was to draw attention to the fact that only 20% of professional chefs in UK kitchens are women and to help change that by awarding culinary scholarships. We will do better next time.”

Introducing Spotify Audience Network

Spotify’s newest advertising marketplace will let brands tap into the audience of audio consumers. The Audience Network will combine Spotify’s audience generated from music, exclusive shows, and podcasts from its platform Anchor. Brands will also have access to Megaphone, Spotify’s publishing ad platform.

Oprah’s Royal Interview Attracts Millions

Oprah Winfrey’s two-hour interview with Prince Harry and Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle was watched live by over 17 million people on CBS and became one of the most live-streamed events outside of the NFL and Super Bowl. The interview also took over social media, generating 12 billion impressions across major platforms. Watch the full interview on CBS.

Meet a Martin – Lindsay Sowers, Graphic Designer

I have always had a niche for art for as long as I can remember. Art was one of my favorite subjects growing up, and I knew I wanted to turn this passion into a career. I graduated from Kutztown University in 2012 with a degree in Art Education. After about a year of substitute teaching, I realized it wasn’t for me, so back to school I went! I graduated in 2015 from the Art Institute of York with a degree in Graphic Design.

The beginning of 2021 marked four years with MC. I started as a freelancer, grew to part-time, and then was offered a full-time position. MC is an ever-growing company, and I find myself learning new techniques every day to better meet the needs of our clients.

I rock the aunt and dog-mom life to the fullest. Outside of work, you can find me snuggling with my handsome lab mix, Dak, coaching/playing softball, or catching some rays on the beach with friends and family.

Sources: AdAge, AdExchanger, FoodDive.com

Let’s say you’re new to an area and want to find the best pizza joints around town. The first thing you do is pull up Google and plug in “pizza near me,” right? When you click search, you’ll see a list of pizza restaurants based on your location. Advertisers (the pizza shop owner in this case) pay Google to be ranked in the top of your search results based on keywords or phrases. When you finally bite into that perfectly seasoned, crispy, cheesy slice of pizza, rest assured you will remember the name of the restaurant you got it from, and possibly become a regular customer. That is thanks to the power of Search Engine Marketing (SEM). You may have heard this word tossed around a few times in your own research. It involves search engine visibility through paid advertising engines such as Google. If you are a business owner looking for a strong foundation to increase your company’s website traffic, look no further.

Set Reachable Goals for Your Campaign

Reachable, meaning realistic. A realistic goal could be to increase your company’s website visitors by 10%. Whereas, if you wanted to land at the top of a search results page continuously—that’s a little farfetched. The two most important key elements relevant to SEM are: website traffic and conversion rate. Traffic means more visibility on your website, while a conversion rate indicates more convincing content. This could mean spicing up content on your website to make it more appealing to your audience. Or if you are feeling confident with your current budget, you can pay more on SEM.

Research Your Customers

You should have a good understanding of what your customers are using search engines for. This can include things like their own research about a brand, entertainment (content can range anywhere from news stories to video games), or shopping—they can often be convinced to buy something immediately if your ad is compelling enough. It’s crucial to center your ads around your customers’ interests.

Select Your Keywords

Once you have a good idea of who your audience is, it’s important to do an analysis of choosing keywords that identify with your audience. There are multiple research tools available to help you identify these keywords. The most frequently used is Google Keyword Planner. When you have an understanding of what words you want to appear in your search results, you’ll bid for them against your competitors to win your ad’s display on search engines such as Google or Bing.

Conclusion

If you take anything away from this, always keep in mind the attainable goals you want to achieve, the kind of people your market consists of, and the identifiable keywords your target audience would type in the good old Google search bar. If you’d like to learn how Martin Communications, Inc., can provide SEM for your business, click here.

Below you’ll find more information on general SEM understanding, along with a more in-depth guide on landing a successful SEM campaign:

SEM (Search Engine Marketing) For Beginners

What is the very first thing you do when you wake up? Let the dog out? Make coffee? Pick up the phone and check social media? Boom. That’s the winner.

We’re all a little guilty of picking up our mobile devices and falling into a rabbit hole of constantly refreshing our news feed of user-generated content. Social media has become a major trend that has taken off over the last couple of decades to share personal journeys and build relationships. More recently it has become more open for brands to engage, connect, and sell products or services. Companies measure their performance by using social media analytics.

What is Social Media Analytics?

Social media analytics is defined as:

“The approach of collecting data from social media sites and blogs and evaluating that data to make business decisions. This process goes beyond the usual monitoring or a basic analysis of retweets or ‘likes’ to develop an in-depth idea of the social consumer.” (Leidig, 2021)

Map Out Your Social Media Strategy  

The first step in monitoring growth and success of your business is to develop a social media strategy.

Outline your goals. Find out what you want to see more of — increase brand awareness (get your name out there), grow your brands audience (bring in new followers), or boost community engagement (grab attention of your current followers). Wherever you see room for growth will help you determine which social networks (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc.) to manage and the right content to publish. Your social media strategy should data-driven — focusing on the amount of people that see, click, engage, or react to your content.

Discover Your Target Audience

Once your strategy is mapped out, it’s time to master the art of research. If you haven’t already, create strong, personal relationships with your brand and target audience. Find out what your audience’s interests or beliefs are and find common ground among them. Use keywords and phrases that resonate well with your followers. There are plenty of resources and tools available to determine what demographic your products or services will attract. Once you’ve finished your research, compare and contrast with the engagement of your current audience.

In conclusion, implementing your business goals into a concrete strategy can lead to a higher percentage of brand recognition. Once you have your goals set in mind, you are more likely to discover the social networks and content appropriate. Research is a key element in understanding how to attract a stronger following that connects with your brand. The more understanding of your brand’s internal marketing, the more opportunity you will have to highlight the assets of your company and increase market share. What’s something your brand can improve on?

The resources below give insight on how to improve your brand:

https://netbasequid.com/blog/what-is-social-media-analytics-why-is-it-important/

https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-marketing-strategy/

As years pass, it’s important for companies to rebrand to stay relevant with their consumers. Though 2021 has just begun, companies in the auto, fast food, sports, agency, and science industries have announced a change in their identity.

Kia

Kia’s rebrand incorporates a dynamic design to help shift focus to their new electric vehicles and “movement that inspires.” Their new logo, now used on vehicles currently in production and advertising materials, includes a sleeker italic typography. Kia announced their rebranding with an elaborate firework display in South Korea, setting a record, according to Guinness World Records, for most unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) launching fireworks simultaneously.

Burger King

For the first time in 20 years, Burger King rebranded with branding materials from their past to create a more digital-friendly identity. A new color palette, graphics, and font are inspired by a retro theme that reflects Burger King’s core values and food. The rebrand will be used in all aspects of the company, including advertising, apparel, in-store experiences, and food packaging.

League Championship Series

As e-sports gained popularity, League Championship Series (LCS) marketed themselves as a traditional sports league with sponsor ads and pre- and post-game shows for participants. To stand out among other leagues, LCS announced a rebranded logo and two new taglines, “made by many” and “all for the game.” Their new logo adds a modern touch and the letters LCS are formed to form a diamond.

CIA

The CIA announced a digital rebrand to appeal to a more diverse recruiting pool of younger generations. Their updated website incorporates contemporary typefaces and graphics for a modern look, commonly seen in start-up tech agencies, design agencies, and the music industry. Headshots of different ethnicities are placed throughout webpages to include more diversity.

Pfizer

Pfizer made waves in 2020 as their COVID-19 vaccination was announced. As trials went through approval, their branding was going through a trial of its own. The original blue pill logo was replaced by double helix to signal their shift from commerce to science. Pfizer’s rebrand isn’t a result from the coronavirus; in fact, the logo itself took 18 months and 200 different designs to capture the essence of the company.

Sources: AdAge, AdWeek, Motor1, ESports.com, GRS Magazine

Save the Snow Day

There was no better feeling than a snow day as a child. You woke up to hear school had been cancelled, so you sprinted out the door to go sledding and collected the perfect amount of snow to build a snowman. After spending time in the cold, you came home to warm up with a can of chicken noodle soup and cup of hot cocoa.

That won’t be a reality for children this winter.

As children continue school online due to continuing health precautions, the tradition of snow days is in danger. Campbell’s Soup Co. wants to change that with Save the Snow Day, their latest campaign to “preserve the beloved day off.” Parents or guardians who visit SavetheSnowDay.com can take an online pledge to mandate a snow day in 2021. The first 3,000 pledgers will receive a snow day kit filled with gloves, scarves, and items needed to build a snowman.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSj_8mFouus

A Beauty-Ful Partnership

Ulta lovers nationwide can purchase their beauty products at Target starting in 2021. As a new partnership, Ulta mini stores will open in over 100 Target stores. The partnership was created to increase sales at Ulta stores due to declining in-store sale numbers since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Beauty consumers have already started shopping for their personal care and beauty products at Target since one-stop shopping raised this year. Ulta can benefit from tapping into the consumer’s shopping habits changed due to the pandemic,” executive director at Consumer Insights said.

Ulta’s competitor, Sephora, partnered with JCPenney back in 2006 to open a select number of mini stores inside the fashion retailer. Since then, over 574 mini-Sephora stores live inside JCPenney locations today.

Meet a Martin – Nicole Ezbiansky, MPW, Project Coordinator

At a young age I found myself writing children’s books for my younger cousins. Little did I know, my passion for writing was just beginning. Fast forward to 2014, I started undergrad as a Social Work major, but graduated with a Public Relations degree and minor in Professional Writing. In the spring of this year, I graduated with my Master of Professional Writing degree where I learned to write technical documents, grant proposals, and even political news stories. Since joining the team in 2018, I’ve become fascinated with the advertising industry. I enjoy being able to brainstorm with my co-workers, write an ad, and manage workloads all in one workday. I even spend some time as the wordsmith behind the company’s blogs.

I currently live in the Midtown neighborhood of Harrisburg with my boyfriend and our newest four-legged roommate, Wheaties. In my free time I enjoy coffee runs, hiking, reading non-fiction books, and catching up on the newest Netflix series.

Sources: AdAge, MarketPlace.org

The holiday season is here, and what better way to get in the spirit than watching new holiday commercials? Some brands use humor while others take an emotional route, but five stand out among the rest.

5. TK Maxx: The Lil’ Goat

Fashion retailer TK Maxx, sister-store to TJ Maxx, used comedy for their commercial by showing a farmer treating one of his goats to a makeover. The messaging conveys how rough the year has been but that everyone still deserves fashionable gifts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgIigoL1Lro

4. Amazon: The Show Must Go One

The Nutcracker is a popular holiday performance, so Amazon incorporated ballet in this year’s advert. When a young ballerina’s winter show is cancelled due to COVID-19, family, friends, and a little bit of Amazon Prime two-day shipping brought the stage directly to her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQdLD6kk960

3. Shutterfly: Let That Good Fly

If 2020 was a commercial, Shutterfly would be the director. Their commercial looks back at the quarantine activities in which we participated. Whether that be adopting a new pet, cooking new recipes, or learning to cut our own hair, we’re encouraged to reflect on the good 2020 has brought.

2. Coca-Cola: The Letter

This year marks Coca-Cola’s 100^th year of holiday adverts, but we won’t be seeing polar bears in this commercial. Instead, we’re led on an emotional expedition to get a daughter’s letter delivered to Santa Claus.

1. Disney: From Our Family to Yours

From tree shopping to gift swapping, holiday traditions create lifelong memories. When a grandmother sees her granddaughter uninterested in their yearly holiday crafting, she reaches for her old Mickey Mouse toy for comfort. Little does she know her granddaughter is planning a big surprise for her on Christmas morning.

Consumers can purchase a limited-edition vintage Mickey Mouse toy shown in the commercial. Proceeds will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Sources: YouTube, HouseBeautiful.com

Rite Aid Rebrands for the Mind, Body, and Spirit

Companies rebrand themselves to stay relevant and keep up with their audience. Walmart has a modern logo, Dunkin’ Donuts is now Dunkin’, and even our local grocery stores announce a redesign occasionally. This year, Rite Aid began rebranding their stores with fresh designs inside and out. With this new branding comes a new digital campaign embracing both traditional and alternative medicines.

Rite Aid’s updated branding and digital campaign consists of a fresh blue and green color scheme and logo, advertising themselves as “the store of the future.” In-store, the pharmacy department has a new look and now allows pharmacists to walk on the retail floor to help customers and provide suggestions. A natural and chemical-free section will highlight products targeting customers interested in alternative remedies.

The Newberry Commons Rite Aid in Etters, PA, was chosen to be one of first three rebranded test stores during their in-store experience trials: only a short drive from the Martin Communications’ office!

“Can I Please Get a McPlant and Small Fry?”

If you prefer to not eat meat, grabbing a meal at the golden arches may not be your restaurant of choice. That’s about to change. In 2021, McDonald’s will offer the McPlant, a meat-less cheeseburger. The burger will replicate their standard meat cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onions, and condiments. McDonald’s corporation and their meat substitute supplier worked together to create a taste that replicates a Quarter Pounder or Big Mac.

But their menu isn’t the only item getting an upgrade. The McPlant’s branding is ditching the yellow and red packaging to a green box with an image of a leaf. “In the future, McPlant could extend across a line of plant-based products including chicken substitutes and breakfast sandwiches to create a new brand for the chain,” a corporate representative said. McDonald’s joins Burger King, Wendy’s, KFC, and more to provide meat-less meal options for customers.

Meet a Martin – Kelsey Steinmeier, Account Manager

I’m a 2012 graduate of Pennsylvania College of Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in Graphic Communications and a minor in Business Administration. I came to MC in the spring of 2017 as an Account Manager after working for a local print shop for four years as an Account Manager.

Every day, MC provides a daily dose of learning. The fast-paced environment makes for a different excitement each day.

Outside of work, you can find me with family and friends, running around with our soon to be one-year-old son and six-year-old chocolate lab. I enjoy giving my Pinterest boards life in our newly built home, going to the beach, camping, and reading thrillers.

Sources: AdWeek, Chain Storage, Eater.com