When we say “best in the biz” we aren’t exaggerating. Over the years, we’ve had the pleasure of meeting and working with some of the most influential creative agencies and organizations in Vancouver. As a final round up for our Social Media class, we’ve amalgamated their social media tips as a parting gift to our first ever UBC class. It’s been a pleasure!
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This first tip comes from the notoriously creative Will Arndt of mod7, a fantastic agency with expertise in games, digital strategy, interface design and interactive narratives. Wil’s tip:
“Less is more: The problem with social media for brands is that they’re too easy to set-up and then too costly to maintain. When working with clients on their social media strategy, we notice a tendency towards creating many channels, each targeted to specific initiatives or campaigns. The problem is that often these channels suck up a lot of money during the campaign and then become neglected. The community that’s created is abandoned and all that goodwill is lost, not to mention the financial investment. One channel is better than many—it’s easier to maintain and grow—and also forces the brand to stay true to its core.”(Wil/mod 7)
The next tip comes from a community institution, The Vancouver Aquarium, among the first big institutions to incorporate social media to reach and engage their community. Director of Communications, Charlene Chiang explains their approach:
“We take a casual approach to conversing with our digital friends the way we would in our galleries. One experience that has been well received is getting to know our digital friends on- and offline. We often invite our digital supporters to events at the Aquarium so we can get to know each other and to deepen our relationships. This may take place at a fundraising event, a launch or a more intimate session. Through a Twitter wall or other social interaction, we then bring the digital world to us. We’ve found this approach to be particularly helpful with influential supporters who are keen to share their experiences with their friends. It helps to bring the social aspect of “social media” full circle.” (Charlene/Vancouver Aquarium)
Next, we reached out to SEO pro, Rick Sloboda of Webcopyplus a company that has improved the search engine rankings of clients ranging from 1-800-Got-JUNK to Lululemon. In the industry, Rick’s company is known for getting results. Here, he explains the importance of including keywords into every aspect of your social media, as it all works for your greater SEO good.
“Be conscious of keywords you should be targeting and include them in social media when possible. For instance, instead of “We help designers with their websites,” we might write something like, “As web copywriters, we help designers with their websites.” It’s a simple tactic that helps companies get found online.” (Rick/ Webcopyplus)
And we’ll leave you with a note about effective branding, from digital master Sandy Fleischer of Pound & Grain. In the world of marketing, solid branding really is the root of success – and it certainly makes our job easier! Explains Sandy.
“In essence, your brand is the experience customers have with you- including everything they encounter in both the physical and online worlds. To ensure a great customer experience happens and is consistent across all fronts, it’s essential to carry your brand and culture forth in everything you do- from your office decor, to your website, FB page and the creation of well branded apps. Multi platform branding is the mainstay of a strong and effective brand.” (Sandy/Pound & Grain)
We couldn’t have said it better. Keep in touch!
