The Agents of Change Digital Marketing Podcast

Instagram has over 700 million active users. That means there's less competition than other platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, which presents businesses with a great opportunity to really home in and target their audience without having to spend a ton of money to do so. Instagram has come a long way from the days when they were the new kid on the block and probably best known as a site for future brides to be to look for wedding inspiration. Instagram has added a number of tools to their toolbox to help businesses craft the kind of marketing strategy that best speaks to their ideal audience. Whether it's through photos, video, expanding their reach through hashtags, or the ever-popular Instagram Stories feature, this platform is proving to be a secret weapon in many business's marketing campaigns. http://www.theagentsofchange.com/220

We live in an age where consumers are scrolling fast through social media, so we need to adapt to that in order to capture their attention in quick bites while still staying front of mind. Millennials are perhaps the biggest "mobile junkies" so if you want to reach them, you need to hang out where they are. Some of the best tools out there that you can utilize to accomplish this are Snapchat and Instagram Stories. We need to create a strategy that allows us to get our message across while still remaining true to our brand, but that also piques the interest of and engages our audience http://www.theagentsofchange.com/219

Your brand is your reputation, so you want to make sure you're putting your best foot forward by making yourself known and trusted on LinkedIn. And how exactly do you do that? You follow a few key strategies that will help your profile stand out from the pack. A few things that will have both long-reaching and long term effects for you is to be calculated with your bio. Make sure you're telling a story to everyone who sees your profile so they'll want to keep reading. And don't forget that LinkedIn actually offers some SEO benefits as well, so don't forget that you can post videos, audio, slides and repurpose those blog posts on LinkedIn as well. http://www.theagentsofchange.com/218

How do you get people to know, like & trust you? You build a relationship with them, you tell stories that resonate with them, and you make them feel a connection with you. What's a great way to do that – with video. Whether it's for sales, marketing, or just a more personal connection than a simple written email, video has a power all its own. Video marketing is a gold mine right now because of all the multi-channel distribution options thanks to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc. Don't let the stigma of thinking creating video is tedious, expensive, or doesn't offer the same benefits as other content. And video platforms can also offer some insightful analytics info, as well. http://www.theagentsofchange.com/217

How do you get clients to know, like and trust you, and even send referrals your way? You build a relationship with them. When you gain loyalty through meaningful relationships, you reap the benefits of long term business - and more importantly - referrals which can keep your business thriving for years to come. By devising a relationship marketing system for your business, you are showing your clients that you appreciate them. You achieve that by capturing their attention, articulating your message, continuing to build the relationships out, and providing exceptional customer service. http://www.theagentsofchange.com/216

A few weeks ago, leading up to the Agents of Change Digital Marketing Conference, I did a "Twitter Chat" with the help of my friend Madalyn Sklar, as well as a number of other digital marketing experts. We answered 12 digital marketing questions and had a rollicking good time! However, you can only give so much nuance in 140 characters or less, so I decided to take a few of my favorite questions and turn them into a Twitter-style mailbag episode! http://www.theagentsofchange.com/215

More than 2 billion people use Facebook daily, which makes is a no brainer as far as an advertising platform is concerned. Not only that, they collect so much data for its users that they share with advertisers to help them target their audience in even the most granular ways. But you can't just throw up any ad on Facebook and expect the business to roll in, it takes a little finesse and testing to reach the right target audience that's going to reward you with leads and sales. You need to choose the right objective for your campaign, as well as choose the ad set level, before you even go ahead and create that perfect ad. http://www.theagentsofchange.com/214

It's a tale as old as time. For as far back as you can remember when you were a kid, you made friends by forming a connection with someone whether it be a shared interest or some other common or relatable trait. In business it's very similar. When you've earned trust then you've earned business, and that's laying the groundwork for a sustainable business. When a business or brand relates authentically to prospective customers, it's generally because they trust them and more importantly they share a common interest or even pain point. If you manage to get a group of these fans, then it's like you've cultivated your very own cheering section that will virally tell their friends and family, and so on. It's learning how to mix today's social media with the "old school" way of going out and making personal connections. http://www.theagentsofchange.com/213

Staying ahead of the Google algorithm curve can be frustrating. Just when you think you've made some headway, they change it again. You need to remember that what works on Google today may not work tomorrow, so be prepared. A couple strategies to strongly consider that certainly don't look like they will change as far as Google search is concerned, are making sure your website is both fast loading and mobile optimized. And don't underestimate the power of the customer review. Google puts a lot of stock in how others perceive your business as a means to determine if you rank high in their eyes, so acquiring and maintaining a robust selection of customer reviews is also a great way to impress Google. http://www.theagentsofchange.com/212

Video is a great way to interact with your audience. Finding creative ways to reach your followers on all of the platforms they're hanging out on and redirecting them to your YouTube channel can mean the difference between success and failure. So how do you cater to all of the different algorithms that each platform puts in place to ensure you get maximum reach? The key is trying different things and seeing what works. You have to remember things like using a YouTube direct link won't go over too well with Facebook, and if you do that, you're going to be penalized in terms of the reach they'll allow you. So get creative, use URL shorteners, and always engage your audience so they know you appreciate them. http://www.theagentsofchange.com/211