Showing posts with label gifs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gifs. Show all posts

Monday, 21 March 2016

5 Surprising Ways To Engage Your Audience On Twitter

06:00   , , , , ,  
Maintaining an engaged Twitter community for your brand can be a challenge. With more than 500 million tweets being sent every day, how do you make your posts stand out? It’s all about diversifying your content and surprising your audience with different types of posts.
Let’s take a look at five unusual engagement tactics you can put to use right now.
Ask a question with Twitter polls
Twitter polls is a relatively new Twitter feature with a ton of potential. Asking questions has always been a great way of engaging your audience on Twitter and with Twitter polls this becomes much easier.
All you need to do is click on the poll icon on the tweet editor. Then you can ask your question and add up to four options (emojis included). Although initially Twitter polls were by default accessible for 24 hours, Twitter recently allowed users to customize the time their Twitter poll is open by giving more options from 1 minute up to 7 days.

Twitter poll1


Twitter poll2

Twitter reported a staggering 1.7 billion votes casted since Twitter polls launched back in October which is only an indication of the feature’s potential for driving engagement.

Ideas for Twitter polls

What’s great about Twitter polls is that you can use them in many different ways to engage with your audience. Here’s a few ideas:

Ask for an opinion



Better understand your customers’ needs





Ask for feedback




Ask something fun




Address some real burning issues




 Show it with a GIF
Who doesn’t love a good, funny GIF, right? GIFs were introduced on Twitter a bit over a year ago making taking our Twitter experience up a notch. So do the question “Why use GIFs on Twitter?”, we say “Why not?”. But really:
  • They are eye-catching. Imagine scrolling through your Twitter timeline. You’re much more likely to click on a tweet with a GIF among a sea of static images and text based tweets.
  • They help you showcase your products. Instead of a long explainer video, GIFs can be a useful alternative in featuring your products or showing certain functions.


  • They help you convey your brand’s personality. Whether you are replying to a Twitter mention or sharing some content, GIFs are a great way for your brand to convey a human, fun, casual tone.



They are great for data visualizations. A GIF can help you convey information in “snackable” form, while communicating complex messages in a simple way.


 They can be ideal for promotional campaigns. An animated GIF is a much more shareable, engaging way of tweeting a promotional campaign but also save you some valuable character space.



 Note: Even not technically a GIF, Vines are are another great alternative of engaging your Twitter audience with short 6 second videos. Here’s an awesome example from Oreo.
Reward with Contests and Sweepstakes
52% of people follow brands on Twitter to be notified for special offers or promotions and 38% to take part in competitions. So organizing a simple contest or a sweepstake on Twitter is a great way to keep your followers engaged because, guess what: It’s one of the reasons they actually follow you on Twitter. Take a look at a few ideas for Twitter contests.

User generated content

Sweepstake






Flock to unlock



 Embrace live broadcasting
Live streaming is the future of social media marketing and the reason is simple. As Chris Sacca very accurately pointed out:
All of a sudden, the world’s pockets are full of good cameras and good screens with good data plans and good social platforms to let everyone know you’re broadcasting.
In a few short months since its launch, Periscope has managed to grow over 10 million accounts and nearly 2 million active users per month with engagement being off the charts, as viewers watch the equivalent of 40 years of live video, every day. Live streams can now be viewed straight from your Twitter timeline which means that broadcasts can reach an even wider audience. And if you’re into action cameras, Periscope also integrates with GoPro. How cool is that? But let’s take a look into why live broadcasts are a great engagement tactic for Twitter.
  • Give access to exclusive content. A live broadcast can be a great opportunity for your audience to become part of your story. Show them the people behind the brand, the personality and an exclusive sneak peak behind the scenes.
  • Host an AMA. Being open as a brand is a great way of developing trust with your audience. Periscope can be an ideal platform for setting up informal Q&A session between your audience and a member of your team.
  • Educate. Sharing knowledge is one of the ways to build a strong Twitter community. Broadcasting short webinars, workshops or how-to videos is a great way to share your knowledge, build your authority and interact with your audience.
  • Cover live events. Whether you are hosting or attending an important event in your industry, a live broadcast can help you connect with people beyond this physical space.
  • Showcase your products. A quick, live presentation of your products could go a long way with getting more customers onboard.
Connect over a Twitter Chats
Twitter chats can be a powerful marketing tool for many different reasons. Let’s take a look at how Twitter chats can benefit your brand.

HOW TWITTER CHATS CAN HELP YOUR BRAND
But how can you actually set up a Twitter chat?

Step 1. Get the hang of it

Even though Twitter chats are not necessarily rocket science, there are certain rules and etiquette you need to take into account. So before hosting your own Twitter chat, make sure you are familiar with the concept by attending a few chats in your niche. This way, you’ll be able to better understand how they work and at the same time, research your field so that you pick a topic that perhaps has not been covered yet and is more likely to draw interest.

Step 2. Be wise about the name and hashtag

This is probably the most critical part before launching your Twitter chat. The name and most importantly the hashtag are the ones that set the tone, convey the subject and attract relevant audience as they create expectations on what will be discussed. So before sharing your chat with the world, do some research to make sure that the hashtag you’ve chosen is unique. This way, you avoid noise and confusion with other ongoing Twitter conversations.

Step 3. Pick a time

The time and date your Twitter chat will take place heavily depends on the type of audience you are aiming for attracting. If for example your audience is located in the US, then a US time would be a no brainer. Things can get more complicated if your audience is around the globe but make sure you pick a time that works for most timezones. A Twitter chat normally lasts for an hour. As for the best day of the week, there’s no golden rule really. Except never schedule it for a Friday afternoon for obvious reasons. Before deciding on the day of the week you can do some research on when other chats take place and pick a day that doesn’t clash with other Twitter chats that could be relevant to your audience.

Step 4. Be Prepared

If you are planning to host a Twitter chat on a regular basis, creating a calendar would be a great solution for an overview of the topics you will cover. During the Twitter chat, things can get pretty hectic. So preparing the questions ahead of time, and writing down some answers can save you a ton of time and help you focus more on moderating and engaging with the participants.

Step 5. Promote

Before your Twitter chat, and especially if you’re organizing one for the first time, make sure that you build momentum by regularly tweeting about it or even by notifying your audience via email and targeted tweets.
Another way to expand your chat’s reach and get some interesting conversations going on is reaching out to influencers asking them to join you as a special guest in one of your upcoming Twitter chats. These guys are very likely to share their guest gig with their own network which will lead to more participants for your chat.
Now over to you! Have you put any of these tactics to use? Let us know in the comments right below.

Read More

Saturday, 16 January 2016

Beyond the Buzzword: Gamification

06:00   , , , ,  
Beyond The Buzzword: Gamification

Let’s be honest: All of us can be kids at heart. When it comes to content marketing, gamification offers the play time all of us desire. But gamification is more than just a substitute for recess. It’s ideal for increasing important metrics and creating brand affinity in spades.

The Simple Definition
“Gamification” can be a mouthful to say, but it’s not nearly so complicated to define. Simply put, gamification is the art of making a game out of your content marketing. Apps, interactive tools and even quizzes can fit the gamification bill.
Though not a new concept to the Internet at large, gamification has become a go-to tool for many content marketers. It’s hardly surprising why: Gamification can yield a slew of coveted marketing benefits.
Engagement is the most obvious of these results. Though engagement is a buzzword in its own right, it translates into very specific metrics. Time on site/app, bounce rate and social sharing all fall under the engagement umbrella, and each of these benchmarks can be improved with gamification.
For example, GrubHub offers a classic video game experience while customers wait for their food. Rather than let users exit after purchase, GrubHub Fastfood Runner utilizes gamification to increase the time each customer spends in the app.
Common Mistakes
Before you start designing gamified features, there are a few roadblocks to overcome. First and foremost, consider your budget. In order to pull off a game that users actually want to play, the game must be well planned and well designed.
Unfortunately, this achievement doesn’t come cheap. A clean, functional app will cost $10,000 minimum (though intricate designs can run upwards of six figures). For a full rundown of app design budgets, check out SavvyApp CEO Ken Yarmosh’s detailed advice.
As always, you must also consider your audience. Do users tend to visit your site on the go? If so, consider a game that takes no longer than 30 seconds. If your audience is more charitable with their time, you may be able to increase that. Just be forewarned: Very few games should last longer than a couple of minutes.
Finally, gamification can go south quickly if you don’t optimize for different platforms. While this may increase your budget significantly, keep in mind that mobile now outpaces desktop traffic. If you aren’t optimized for mobile, desktop and tablet, you might as well not attempt gamification at all.

gamification art of making a game out of content marketing

How to Get Started
If you’re convinced that gamification is right for your brand, it’s time incorporate it into your overall content marketing strategy. But what type of gamification should you pursue? Luckily, there are ample opportunities for gamification that work at every stage of the funnel.
  1. There’s an app for thatAs we mentioned above, app design can claim a chunk of your marketing budget. Yet don’t discount apps just because of an upfront cost. After all, apps are one of the most evergreen forms of gamification.

Whether paid or free, an app can result in long-term returns for your brand. For example, addictive games or useful features keep users engaged with your brand during many everyday moments where they need your product or want to kill some time.
Apps are also great for ongoing data collection. When do users open your app, and can you glean any buyer insights based on that information? Do users jump out of the app at a common point? If so, you might have a glitch or needless feature on your hands.
Before you assume apps are only for tech companies, consider that some would argue you need an app as part of your product portfolio. Chances are, if you’re selling something, an app is worth investing in.
  1. Personalization
Gamification doesn’t have to take the form of intricate apps or video games. In fact, most gamified features are little more than interactive building blocks.
Let’s take Blue Nile’s Build Your Own Ring as an example. The online engagement ring retailer encourages users to build their own ring using a straightforward pathway. Users are taken through diamond selection, ring setting and of course, purchase.
This type of personal gamification is a win-win situation for users and Blue Nile. On the one hand, users avoid the overwhelming task of filtering through thousands of rings. It’s especially useful for those who may be new to the world of clarity, cut, color and carat.
Blue Nile receives its own gems, as well. First, the brand gains invaluable insight into user preferences and taste. Not only does this help Blue Nile marketers improve its site and strategy, but it also helps operations and business teams make future product decisions.
Also, gamification allows Blue Nile to build a relationship with its audience. The Build Your Own Ring feature is a registered trademark, giving Blue Nile immediate street cred in the engagement ring arena. What’s more, the gamified feature conveys trust and expertise in a way that simple articles or photos never could.
  1. Interactive Sweepstakes
When it comes to brand sweepstakes, there is such a thing as free lunch. Audiences love an opportunity to win prizes, especially if entry is easy. Gamification can take sweepstakes to the next level, offering a fun factor that most sweepstakes lack.
Take VSP, for example. While eyecare may seem like a relatively humdrum category, VSP has gamified its content marketing. In fact, the brand hosts a gamified sweepstakes every single month. Users simply play a 20-second game to receive an entry into the contest.
VSP also recycles many of its game features each month, which is a smart idea for any content marketer who wants to host an interactive sweepstakes. While VSP’s games may vary from Whack-a-Mole to Memory, it uses the same icons, framework and microsite.
  1. Product Announcement
Obviously, you want any new product to make a memorable entrance. Gamification is a fantastic way to announce a new product or feature in a way that wows.
EA Sports released NFL Madden 15 in just such a way. Its NFL Giferator allows users to pick a football team and GIF (pulled straight from the video game, of course), followed by an opportunity to personalize and share the GIF. Engagement, high pages per visit and social sharing? Yes, please.

cardinals_aellington38_dancespike


rams_rquinn94_bigmanpose


panthers_cnewton1_manofsteel
So… we got a little too “in to” finding the right gamified content examples from the #MaddenGiferator site.
You, too, can create a game that allows users to have fun with your new product. Not only that, but users can have fun with the game long after your product has been released. Just make sure you tweak it accordingly.
One more thing: Please don’t forget a call to action (or seven). After all, the whole exercise is pointless if no one remembers your new product.
  1. Post-Purchase Engagement
Any marketer worth their salt knows a long-term brand strategy isn’t all about first-time purchase. A brand needs repeat purchasers and brand advocates to succeed.
This means engaging users even after their purchase is over. Enter gamification yet again. Gamified features in this scenario are unlocked only after a customer has completed an order.
Domino’s is one of the pioneers in this category. Since 2008, the pizza delivery brand has utilized GPS technology to let users know exactly where their pizza is in the delivery process. This registered trademark process keep users engaged and on the site even after their credit card has been approved.
If you have a long delivery cycle, this feature obviously won’t work for you. However, you can offer other post-purchase gamification. It can be complex (i.e., GrubHub’s Fastfood Runner) or simple, such as automated social sharing.
Now that you have an idea of the wide world of gamification, it should be clear that you really can engage users at every stage of the funnel. Let’s see how that breaks down:
  • Awareness: This top-of-the-funnel stage focuses on attracting new users. Gamification is ideal for this, namely in the form of apps or sweepstakes.
  • Engagement/Evaluation: In the middle of the funnel, users get to know your brand. Product announcement games are perfect for this stage.
  • Commitment: The very last stage of the funnel entails commitment and purchase. Intuitive, well-designed gamification will smoothly transition users into buyers. Consider personalized product-focused games, such as Blue Nile’s Build Your Own Ring.
  • Loyalty: Finally, gamification engages users beyond the funnel with brand loyalty features that unlock after purchase.
Though you must plan and budget for effective gamification, it’s well worth your time for most brands. Plus, who said content marketing can’t all be fun and games?

Read More
Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )