Where digital meets travel + lifestyle … A collection of can’t-miss news from this week. Sign up to get the TURNER Weekly Download in your inbox every Friday.
In an age when privacy related criticism of online platforms has rapidly increased, social media marketers have had to adjust or face dire consequences. The key to keeping up? It’s trust, plain and simple, says Entrepreneur’s Keith Quesenberry. “As a marketer, you cannot afford to lose trust in your brand, and social media is a large contributor to brand trust,” he says. Also: don’t be creepy. Quesenberry cites an InMoment report that says found that 75 percent of consumers find most forms of personalization creepy. Keep it professional!
Here’s one that’s near and dear to our heart – the e-newsletter! Is it still a relevant, effective way to reach consumers? Forbes’ Zach Thomas says yes – if it’s done right. “An e-newsletter allows you to gather up all the interesting information about your business or industry and deliver it in a neat, simplistic package to your customers or clients,” he writes. “You can bring up all those interesting points that you pushed out to your social media audience and then expand on them a little – bring in a new perspective or add an extra thought.” Get more tips on how to optimize your e-newsletter.
Instagram remains a powerful tool for brands – and influencers remain a big part of that success. But it’s a crowded platform and it’s tough to rise above the fray. Adweek went straight to the source and got some advice from successful influencers on how to grow your social presence, engagement and followers on Instagram. The “Consistency is good, but quality is better” tip is especially notable. “These days, it feels like we have to throw a picture out there to keep up with the algorithm,” says Amanda K. Waltman of The Brilliant Balance. “However, I’ve noticed that I get better engagement if I take the time to create a better photo to post, rather than throwing something mediocre onto my feed every day.”
One thing’s for sure – Instagram Stories have become powerful traffic drivers for publishers and influencers. Many brands, such as National Geographic, have had success in getting followers to sign up for email newsletters via linked Instagram Stories. They key is for a brand’s Instagram Stories to not appear too ad-like – authenticity and high quality content remains essential. But be careful. “There’s a lot of conjecture that people swiping up or not sends a message to Instagram’s algorithm that people are not engaging with the content and not to show it to as many people,” said fashion blogger Mary Orton.
Are you ready for a physical challenge? That’s right – Nickelodeon is bring back Double Dare.