Social Media: Follower Count Does Matter!

“THE SIZE DOES MATTER!”

We’ve all heard this phrase at least once in our lives, and it’s true… In social media of course (where else were you thinking?). Almost every company thinks that a successful social media is the one that has the best content, but this is just a part of what makes it successful.

Most of the efforts in content marketing are frustrated and disappointing, equally for small or big companies, because they don’t reach anywhere near the expected results.

Every day we sadly see blogs without updating, abandoned fan pages or twitter accounts, web sites as abandoned as my dreams (kidding!), because “community managers” gave up on them after the failure of what it seemed the best content marketing in history, which supposedly, should attract those potential customers and do the conversion into tangible sales.

So what’s the catch?

What makes the difference?

The answer is that the complete success of your social media content is determined by the critical mass of audience and the strategies of social media and networking growth you apply.

Let´s look at the info-chart:

Looks reasonable now, isn’t it? So in conclusion, if you want to spend less in paid advertising and increase scope, get ASAP the most quantity of followers or friends, increase your networking and let the audience make your advertising for free.

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Stop Cyberbullying in it’s tracks!

While beginning in AIM chat rooms and MySpace, cyber bullying has spread to every social media platform. By definition, cyber bullying can take place on any electronic device from any platform, including text messages, social media, websites, chat rooms and forums. The computer screen provides a divide between the attacker and victim that allows the exchange of hurtful words.  Cyber bullying can be extension of bullying at school or strangers trolling accounts. Either way, it should always be addressed. There are a variety of resources, many of which are provided by individual social media platforms, to prevent and report online bullying. When discussing cyber bullying it is important to remember two things:

It is never the victim’s fault.

The victim is never alone.

How to Stop Cyber Bullying on Social Media

1) Do not respond to the bully. Instead, save screenshots and print these pictures as evidence of the attack.

2) Report the attack to the social media platform:

• –Twitter
• –Facebook
• –Instagram
• –Tumblr

3) Block the user.

4) Tell someone. Never carry this burden alone.

*If it is a threat, get the police involved. They have the resources to readily support you and identify the attacker.

If the bullying continues, stay focused on your emotional and physical safety. Continue following these steps and speaking with friends or even professionals about your experience. The Internet will never be a completely safe place, but you and your support system can stay committed to creating a better environment for your online activity through privacy settings and reports.

Preventing Cyber Bullying with Your Child

Team up

You may want to “friend” or “follow” your children on social media, but they might feel hesitant and worry about embarrassment (like photo comments). If you don’t want to force your child into sharing their profiles with you, ask an older sibling, cousin, babysitter or aunt/uncle to monitor the website.

These trusted (and perhaps “cooler” in your child’s eyes) individuals can monitor on your child’s profile and activity. If these family members or close friends are more familiar with social media platforms than you, they may be checking online behavior more regularly and attentively anyway.

Recruit adults (or responsible high schoolers) that will take this role seriously. Review what kind of behavior you’re on the look out for and ask for updates.

Have a conversation

Prevention always starts with education. Approach the conversation in two ways:

1) First, tell your child that if he/she is a victim of cyber bullying, you want them to talk to you. Do not make any promises on actions (“I promise I won’t tell their parents) because you do not know what the future could bring. Just simply state that you are always their first resource if they need any help.

2) There’s also the chance that your child could be a cyber bully. In this case, there is something your child is struggling with that either you or another trustworthy adult can help with.  Bring up this possibility and say, “If you find yourself saying anything hurtful online- even if you think it’s a joke- I also need you to stop and talk to me.” Keep the conversation serious, but remember that you will need to be approachable about this matter in the future.

Understand Your Child’s Online Habits

You should stay updated on what type of accounts your child has. Emphasize that your child should only “friend” and “follow” people they are close with in real life. Every account should be set on private and abide by each social media platform’s age limits.

Establish Online Rules with your Child

1) They cannot have a social media account without your knowledge. Either you or another trusted person can monitor these sites and approach your child with questions.

2) Set boundaries like privacy limits or parental controls. Do this together so there is a clear understanding of expectations.

3) Your child cannot message/post, share or like/favorite anything that could hurt another person’s feelings. The standards you have for your child in real world exist in the digital world as well.

To learn more about defining, understanding, preventing and reporting cyber bullying, visit: http://ift.tt/wgzGge.

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Who To Follow – October 2015

Here are this month’s accounts to follow on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. Click the images to follow the featured Twitter and Instagram accounts. For Snapchat, open the app and scan the Snapcode to add the user automatically. Add any submissions for next month in the comments section!

Platforms

Who to follow on Instagram

@harlowandsage

Harlow, Indiana, and Reese might be the cutest pups on Instagram! Perfect for when you need a pick me up!

@mytherapistsays

You've seen these accounts before, but mytherapistsays ranks on top with fresh content and big laughs.

@mydaywithleo

This is an amazing photography account, inserting cut-out photos of celebrities on unsuspecting people!

@hankandtaylor

Five-year-old hangs with Taylor Swift for all sort of activities. With more followers, he might get a real picture!

Who to follow on Twitter

Jomny Sun

Jomny, an aliebn confuesed abot humamn lamgauge, comes up with hilarious scenarios and observations about Earthlings.

DrakeDancing2

After the Hotline Bling video, this parody account hasn't stopped making hilarious remakes.

Bridger Winegar

On her way to social media stardom, Bridger gives it to you straight for original and relatable jokes.

chuuch

Chuuch's awkward, raw, and unpredictable comedy will always make you pause while scrolling on your newsfeed.

Who to follow on Snapchat

Kylie Jenner

See exclusive selfies and videos, often with her sisters and boyfriend Tyga.

Huff Post

Get behind the scenes footage and play games with Huff Post employees.

Liz Plank

Watch this Senior Editor at Mic attend political events and root for social justice.

Taco Bell

Explore the menu, new music, and have fun with the Taco Bell Snapchat Team.

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Brand Fails: McDonald’s Instagram

Instagram boasts 300 million monthly active users engaging with 70 million photos per day. The platform’s popularity attracts brands from local “mom and pop” shops to the top of the Forbes 500 list. However, it’s misleading to measure social media success by the number of followers and number of likes. At first glance, McDonald’s account seems ideal. The brand’s 771K followers makes it the most-followed food Instagram account in the world. And, McDonald’s posts regularly with a defined style and voice that matches Instagram’s values for artistic, rather than sales, content.

 

Yet, the Instagram comments section is riddled with insults that tarnish McDonald’s social media presence.

 

McDonald’s can’t photoshop the comments section, which graffitis every colorful, high-quality picture. Visitors’ comments range from questioning the meat products, facility cleanliness, and quality of the menu items. The foul words and comments not only litter the page, but pick fights with the few brand ambassadors. While the Instagram page reflects poorly on the customer base, and therefore the company, the comments at least provide entertainment:

“HUMAN POLLUTION FOR PROFIT! Cool!!!”
You guys are the devil I hope you know that”

“MCDONALDS BURGERS ARE MADE OUT OF PINK PASTE Artificial flavors and glue disgusting I can’t believe people eat this crap”
“This s*** looks disgusting! Dry a** chemical burgers who would eat this s***”

“BEWARE MCDONALDS CONSUMERS: THE ONLY ‘SWEET CATCH’ YOU’LL BE GETTING IS TYPE 2 DIABETES. CHICK FIL A IS BETTER!!!!”
“feedback: I can eat in n out for better stuff”

So why does McDonald’s have so many followers? McDonald’s reports that 36,000 establishments serve about 69 million people a day. That’s only 22 followers per location. From that perspective, it’s a dismal amount of followers. Take for example Shake Shack, a burger joint with 70 locations worldwide. With 194K followers, that’s 2,771 followers per location. Given McDonald’s scope, the Instagram following does not reflect its business outreach.

Content acts as another component to McDonald’s brand fail. Again, look at Shake Shack’s approach. Green screen backgrounds and props don’t compare to Shake Shack’s authentic photos. The account shares fan pics (crediting the photographer’s Instagram account) as followers tag friends, make plans and support Shake Shack. While the average number of engagement doesn’t compare to McDonald’s, the follower’s sentiment promotes the brand rather than defames it.

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What Makes a Successful Kickstarter or Indiegogo Campaign?

Dreaming of surpassing a Kickstarter goal by thousands of dollars? It’s possible — there have been many campaigns that have caught fire on Kickstarter, raising several percent above their original goals. So, what makes a campaign extra successful? We take a look at specific details that can bring a campaign over the top.

1. Strong Image and Video Component

Opening with a strong visual component is crucial for getting users interested in what you are offering. Try to have visuals that are as communicative as possible so users can immediately get an idea of what the product is, what it’s special features are, and why they need it.

We love this hilarious video from Invisibo invisible condoms and the totally dramatic, eye-catching video from Automata. Automata continues their strong start with a page that is full of images; some are sleek and polished, others provide background on the development of the film series. This dynamic pairing gives users a look into what the process was like, which can make or break support.

2. Great Perks

The Hughes sunglasses campaign raised 325% funded as of July 30th. They have great videos and tons of images that show all of the aspects of the sunglasses, but most important, they structured their perks in such a way that encourages more buying. The perks were at an affordable price point that also pointed out how much a user would be saving off retail price: buy 1 pair of sunglasses, save $65! Buy a dual pack, save $150!

Listing all of the amazing aspects of the product and then following up by informing users that if they support during the Kickstarter, they’ll actually be saving money is definitely a way to motivate people to support!

JewelBots coding friendship bracelets (which raised $140k while their original goal was 30k) takes a similar approach, offering limited “Early Bird Specials.” Users save $20 if they grab the special, and the limited quantity prompts them to act fast (case in point: all of their early bird specials are gone and they still have 7 days to go).

3. Personalized Stories

Adding a human element to campaigns is a way to engage with users and make them feel good about support the campaign. HidrateMe water bottles, which raised a 600k (!!!!) included a section in their campaign that was all about learning more about the creators behind the bottle.

The team at HidrateMe

They included photos of the team working in their office, making silly faces, and eating lunch together. This human element is so important for establishing a connection to not only the product, but to the people behind it. If users see your face and personality and really like you, they are more likely to want to support you!

4. Add Authority

As you start your campaign, you should also be making a conscious PR effort. Being able to list the magazines and publications your product was featured in will build trust and legitimacy for your product.

ZNAPS MagSafe adaptor for mobile phones raised $1.5 million dollars! They not only have great animations, graphics, and visuals, but also product a huge list that shows all the places the product was featured. This helps to quell any reservations users may have about the legitimacy or quality of the product.

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Makeup Artist Success Stories on Social Media

How can a makeup enthusiast from “small-town nowhere” go from occasionally posting videos on YouTube to becoming a makeup artist mogul?

The power of social media and dedicated followers certainly helps the ascent to fame for many successful makeup artists today. Beyond admiring their beautiful looks, we can also learn a few things about how to successfully gain and engage with followers online.

Here are makeup artists we’ve found who have fabulous social media savvy — whether you’re looking to improve your own social media skills or  if you’re just looking for new makeup tips, these accounts are the perfect place to start!

GossMakeupArtist

Wayne Goss is an Australian make-up powerhouse who knows exactly how to title his videos to draw viewers in. “Contour and Highlight Like Kim Kardashian,” “The Most Amazing Foundation Tip You’ll Ever Learn,” “5 Mascara Mistakes We All Make – And How to Correct Them!”….Goss is a big believer in buzzwords and hype, but it works for him. He has over 2 million subscribers as well as a line of make-up brushes. He is smart about engaging his YouTube followers by varying lengths of his videos from watchable 2-minute clips to longer tutorials for more dedicated users.

@Shades_Of_Beauty_

Rumah Saad showcases beautiful Arabic-influenced makeup styles, with creative eyeliner styles and super colorful eyeshadow looks. She has gained a following on Instagram of 56.2K people who love her dramatic wings and inspiring looks. Rumah’s following is continuing to grow because of her strategic use of hashtags to draw in dedicated makeup fans. She also lists and links to all the products she used in a given photo, giving followers a sure resource for re-creating looks should they want to.

@ MakeupByShayla

Shayla is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist who has gained 1 million followers on Instagram, her own exclusive false lashes sold by FlutterLashes, and a series of popular online make-up classes. She is slaying the game, and in fact, has her own hashtag — #SlayLa, a play between her name and the slang “slay.” She uses her Instragram account as a platform for sharing information about her online classes and inspiring make-up looks but also her fashionable outfits and workout routines, which results in a well-rounded account that has diverse content for many types of users to engage with.

@Mac_Daddyy

Angel Merino, also based out Los Angeles, has started his own makeup line called Artist Couture which is bolstered by his online fans. Angel is a believer in rocking his own makeup looks, which makes his glowing face certainly stand out. He is known for his extra-glowy contouring skill that result in air-brushed-esque perfection. Angel uses social media to stay connected to his fans, give them personal updates, and sassy videos. He is the king of Instagram video editing, which draws in a lot of attention; a well-edited, fast but informative makeup tutorial is a perfect way to catch users attention and satiate their curiosity about how a certain look came together.

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What is the future of social communication?

AIM/Chat = past.  Texts and Social Media comments = present. 

It is amazing how technology has evolved and improved over the years, but the curious amazement of it all is the speed with which our mode of communication has changed. Honestly speaking, not even the so-called “experts” can accurately map the future of communication, if the past and current rates of technological evolutions are anything to go by. At best, they can guess and speculate.

What is the future?

One cannot help to imagine how much improved communication & technology has changed our lives and transformed communities and businesses within a very short span. However, this doesn’t mean that the present form of communication, i.e., text and social media comments are the best. Sometimes we still struggle to understand what one is saying – it’s hard to pick up on tone and meaning in comments/text still. One of the questions you might ask yourself is: what is the motive of this text/comment?

Without going into many details, the future of communications will most likely involve deeper levels of interactions to take care of intrinsic meanings. How this will be done is not yet very clear, but there are clues. Already, there are prototypes that are designed to help us express ourselves more remotely.

There is some light at the end of the tunnel…

A good example of the next era of communication is Apple’s Smart Watch, which will allow users to do things like feeling another person touch the screen as well as feel the heartbeat of another person while communication. Another example is being poked on Facebook.

If you currently think that being poked on the social media is annoying, a time will most likely arrive when you will actually feel someone poking you to sit up straight. In other words, the future of communication will try to make as much use of telepresence as possible.

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Two useful apps to manage your Social Media

MANAGE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA AS A PRO

All those who publish content on various social media know how tedious it can be to manage all these media at once; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+, Youtube… Open and close a minimum of 6 tabs per window on your computer, as well as opening and closing their apps on the tablet and the phone, copying and pasting the same or different texts in every social media can be exhausting and confusing; we realize we need some sort of social media control when we start accidentally posting our personal problems within the company Facebook or Twitter account and we wonder “Why there has not been any Likes or Replies from my friends?… That’s not my profile picture!”

Thanks to technology, today we can manage all our social media with 2 very useful apps we can get for free, saving our personal and professional life.

1. IFTTT

In words of the creators, IFTTT (“If This Then That”) is a service that lets you create powerful connections with one simple statement:

This formula you see up here is named “Recipe” in which you have two Ingredients: the Trigger (this) and the Action (that), with which you can make your own customized “Recipes” mixing Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other 138 different Channels, each Channel, has its own Triggers and Actions.

For example: “If I use certain hashtag on Facebook (trigger) then it will be published on Twitter too (action)” or something more complicated like “If I publish something on my personal facebook account with the hashtag #ilovemycompany (trigger) then it will be published on the company’s Twitter account, the Facebook fan page and will download as a file into my Pocket (action)”.

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2. EVERYPOST

Ok, If you need an easiest and simple app to manage your social media, Everypost is the app you are looking for. Post multimedia content across multiple social platforms, customize your content per social network or just write and forget about the limitation of 140 characters.

Everypost differs from other simple apps by offering the opportunity of posting simultaneously on Facebook (personal account and business account), Twitter, Google+ (personal account and business account), Pinterest, Tumblr, LinkedIn (personal and business account), Mail and Dropbox.

No more endless apps, taps, clicks and confusion! Thank you IFTTT and thank you Everypost, now we can make unlimited simultaneous actions between all social media we currently use, with just one app.

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