What are Facebook Stories and how can they elevate your marketing?

The advent of social media has completely changed the way businesses market themselves. While big brands command huge departments and mass resources to manage their campaigns, in the age of digital, a single piece of engaging content targeted at the right audience can be just as effective. The ever-evolving toolset offered to businesses by social media platforms means the methods of delivering messaging are more diverse than ever.

One such mechanism that has dominated as of late is the ‘story’, which has been implemented on Facebook, Instagram and more. In this blog, we’ll answer the burning question… ‘what are Facebook stories?’, whilst also giving you some specific tips on how to make the most of them in your social media marketing.

So, what are Facebook Stories?

Facebook stories are a special form of post that allows you to share pictures and videos with your followers, with the catch being you can only see them for 24 hours. After that, they’re gone!

So why is this disposable messaging such an important aspect of social media marketing then? To start, stories appear at the top of newsfeeds whether the individual is viewing on a desktop or a mobile device. This means that they’re immediately noticeable for potential customers; instead of scrolling through long-form posts that blend in with the rest, they’ll see your icon highlighted at the top.

With over 500 million people using Facebook stories a day, there is a huge audience to cater to. If you can manage to draw people in initially and they like the look and feel of the content you’re putting out, then this can prove to be an incredibly effective marketing tool.

How to post a story on a Facebook Business page?

Facebook stories can be created on either a desktop or a mobile device, unlike Instagram, which only allows you to make them on the mobile app. However, the Facebook app offers a more comprehensive set of tools and customisation than its desktop counterpart, so we would recommend using that when making a story.

If you’re managing multiple business pages on Facebook, you first need to pick the brand you’re creating the story for. Then simply head to the newsfeed and click on the ‘+’ sign that borders your profile picture in the upper right of the screen. This will bring up several options, but ‘create story’ is the one to choose for this purpose. Want’s that is done, you’ll be taken to the story creation menu.

The Tools

When you first look at the story creation menu, it can all be a bit overwhelming. There are several options to pick from and deciding which to use is paramount. The first you will see is the ‘gallery’ tab. Here, you can choose from all of the photos and videos that are already on your device.

On top of that, there is a variety of recording options to choose from. You can take new photos and videos, or even make a Boomerang, which takes a number of frames and converts them into a short, animated clip. Polls can be created too, which is a great way to interact with your audience and potentially garner customer feedback.

You can add custom text and edit the fonts and backgrounds, pick backing tracks from a wide selection of music too. Collages are another format to pick, with the ability to choose how many photos and how they are positioned. There is even the option to include your own custom buttons, directing viewers to specific landing pages. In short, there is a huge number of tools to utilise when creating a story.

How to use Facebook Stories for Businesses

Facebook can offer you all the tools in the world, but if you aren’t crafting engaging copy or content, then the stories are never going to produce results. One of the best things you can do is to utilise the unique parameters of the medium. Stories only last for 24 hours, so they are the prime place to push time-sensitive content, such as sales, where urgency is a key factor.

With the options on offer, stories can become a much more interactive type of content for you to test on your audience. Don’t neglect the custom buttons, poll options, and other tools at your disposal; by creating content your customers can actively engage with, the strength of your messaging is boosted and becomes far more effective as a result.

Let the experts help

Making a story sounds easy, but do you know how to craft an effective tone of voice, or edit a clip to make it really engaging? You have to remember that Facebook stories are just one element of social media marketing and, while they can be effective on their own, can’t match the reach of a carefully coordinated campaign. At social Nucleus, we can help with every aspect of your Facebook marketing.

We’ll help you determine which specific audiences to target, determining the best age ranges, genders, and locales for your brand. We’ll also work to create killer creatives, with our team of copywriters and graphic designers who can truly elevate your messaging. If you want to level up your digital advertising, get in touch and organise a consultation with one of our team.

What is iOS14 and how does this affect you?

In June 2020, Apple announced its fourteenth system update to the world at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference. The update caused a lot of stir amongst the wider community. Why? Well, for one big reason.

App Tracking Transparency (ATT).

ATT, put simply, introduced a prompt to users requiring permission for apps to track their activities, such as website searches and the use of other apps. Most users before this update were likely unaware apps had the power to do this. It’s important to remember that Apple hasn’t blocked this feature completely. They’re simply asking your permission now.

Why is this happening?

Well, we don’t know for sure, but what we do know is that the answer is somewhere between Apple wanting to protect users’ privacy, and them wanting to capitalise on a new opportunity for profit.

Facebook has argued that they have their own data collection and that they still retain the dominate market position for advertising.

So, what’s the impact for Facebook advertisers?

You may have noticed that your iOS14 Facebook ads look a little different in recent months. This is because Facebook’s apps, including Instagram and Messenger, can no longer track users due to mass opt-outs. IDFA numbers, which are used to market to very detailed and specific audiences, are now going to be hidden if users decide to opt-out.

As a result of this, personalised ads and performance reports have become severely limited. Your advertising could be less effective, due to a loss of ad personalisation and small businesses are now finding it harder to reach their target audiences.

There could also be delays with reporting from Facebook, in relation to real-time data no longer being supported. It has been reported that it may now take up to 4 days before the report will populate. This includes data such as overall conversions.

This delay in reporting will often mean certain sections are off the mark and are not in line with the backend sales reports. Alongside this, important details and collective data such as age, gender, regions, and placements will no longer be available.

This means another key change is happening… retargeting efforts overall are going to be affected. Audience pools are going to be smaller and less refined, as the details are not going to be as accessible as before.

As a result of these changes, the Facebook pixel will also be affected by this update. Custom pixels will be limited to eight and the data it collects will be more generic.

Digital changes you can make

The good news is, there is a way around these changes. Some immediate actions you can take include

1. Complete your domain verification

Whilst this is recommended anyway, Facebook recommends doing to keep your account and assets safe. This will give Facebook permissions to run through the website and check the its validity Doing this will promote the likelihood of an improved account, a smaller chance of a genuine website being pulled down, and smoother operations.

2. Explore alternative routes for attribution

We recommend exploring alternative routes for attribution and tracking. There have been various ‘quick-fix’ hacks surfacing, but as a successful eCommerce business, you need to be looking at long-term solutions for attribution and tracking. This is the only way you will be able to achieve accuracy within your ads. So, make sure all accounts have UTM embedded within the ad level or manually input them onto each URL script ending.

3. Prepare for no cookies

In light of the iOS14 release, the digital world is beginning to understand campaign performance based on modelling. If implemented correctly, it will encourage smarter decision-making.

4. Platform Diversity

Connecting to your audience is still going to be possible, as that audience is still there. You just need to be able to reach them differently. We recommend a multi-channel strategy, ensuring you have multiple traffic sources alongside Facebook.

Creative changes you can make

Putting the digital aside, there are also some creative changes you can look at making going forward. These include:

1. Make your content product-centric.

With a broader range of users seeing your ads, making your content hugely product-focused is going to be key to getting the right customers to convert. By making our product the star of our content from the first glance, whether this is a video or an image, our most relevant customers are likely to see this and know this ad is of interest to them.

2. Use the target customer in your content (UGC)

We know user-generated content has always been hugely effective and it is going to be now more than ever. By using your target customers in your ad content, your audiences will find your content more relatable and are therefore will be more likely to engage.

3. Copy should address the target customer directly

With us now having to speak to a broader variety of users with each ad than before, it is important that you now use your copy to speak directly to the people you actually want to convert. Treat your copy as a space to get across the key details of your product or service that the right customer will understand and care about.

How we can help

 The good news is, you’re not alone. Millions of advertisers across Facebook are also being affected in the same way.

If you’re still concerned about how these changes will impact your advertising efforts, why not get a helping hand on board?

Our in-house team of Facebook and paid media specialists, copywriters and graphic designers have worked tirelessly here to get ahead of these changes for our clients to minimise the impact on their results.

We’re already seeing these efforts pay off.

Book in a FREE 15-minute strategy call with one of our team and let’s talk about how we can help your business!

When it comes to marketing communications, your brand’s tone of voice is one of the most important aspects to consider. It’s not just a tool used to appeal to potential customers. It’s an integral part of your business that conveys your values and makes your brand stand out to everyone from prospective partners to the rival brands you’re competing against.

In this blog, we’ll cover what a brand’s voice is and the reasons why establishing a strong one is so vital.

What is a Brand’s Tone of Voice?

Before we look at why this is such an important part of your marketing, let’s delve into what a tone of voice actually is. Put simply, your TOV is the way in which your brand conveys itself to the world, both written and spoken. It’s not necessarily about what you say, but more about how you say it and the impression this will have on your audience. To craft an effective, engaging tone of voice, you need to know who your audience is and what they want to see in a brand.

For example, a B2B brand operating in the engineering sector will target fellow professionals who know what they’re talking about. Colourful language, colloquialisms and other techniques you see in broader marketing won’t be applicable here. Instead, a mature, technical tone of voice is required, one that speaks the same language as those who are reading.

This encompasses everything you put out, both spoken, written and even visual content. Whether it’s Facebook ad copy or internal presentations, consistency is key. Your voice needs to be distinctive and present in order increase brand establishment. Trying to be as broad as possible and change the tone of your marketing for different audiences could be a hindrance and set your brand development back significantly.

Why is Brand Tone of Voice so Important?

Personification

Imagine for a moment that the audience isn’t reading your copy on a phone or laptop, but that they are instead listening to a person. If there is no recognisable personality or consistency to what they are saying, do you think your audience is likely to trust them or take on the message being conveyed? No.

When you have a strong, recognisable voice, your audience will build a character and view messaging as a conversation, rather than a piece of standard advertising.

In short, it makes your brand more personable. People don’t want to feel like they’re just getting information relayed to them or, on the other end of the spectrum, that they’re being fed lots of unnecessary filler. By creating a distinctive tone of voice, you’re making it easier for them to relate to your brand and ultimately see themselves become a part of it.

Reliability

We have already touched on the idea of consistency. When building a tone of voice, you have the chance to bring stability to your brand’s messaging. If your audience sees conflicting messaging, then they will view your brand as fractured and lacking any identity.

However, if consumers can see a clear ‘theme’ in your messaging, then this will reassure them that you know what you’re talking about. The importance of consistency in the type of content, ad copy and the way it is delivered cannot be overstated.

Authority

Tone of voice doesn’t just help to make you appear reliable in the eyes of potential customers, it can also make you seem more authoritative. However, this requires both personality and a deep knowledge of the subject or industry you’re working in.

When we talk about authority, this doesn’t necessarily mean bombarding your audience with a lot of jargon and technical talk. Instead, it’s about being confident in your messaging and having the intuition to know when and when not to use specific terminology.

Originality

This is quite basic, but it is still a hugely important part to consider. When you have a good tone of voice, it sets your brand apart from the rest. As we’ve already mentioned, it’s a great tool to help craft a unique identity, making both copy ad and content instantly recognisable as belonging to your brand.

This can be incredibly valuable, as once you have set a tone that connects with your consumer base, it means they’ll remember your brand. You won’t just be a random company in the field, instead, you’ll be a name they link to your industry. The important thing to remember is that, while you can of course take inspiration from competitors, you shouldn’t try to emulate them. You need to craft a truly unique voice that represents your brand.

Communication

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, tone of voice can massively improve your relationship with the audience and how you communicate to them. An effective tone of voice can cut through the endless sea of online content available, clearly conveying your message in a way other brands can’t.

It can also help focus your campaigns and marketing angles. Instead of coming up with loads of content and copy to test that might not produce results, you can follow a theme and slightly adjust what’s working. Don’t be afraid to turn away from the broad appeal, some of the most successful campaigns work because they operate in a niche.

Build a Better Voice with Social Nucleus

Knowing that tone of voice is important and being able to effectively craft one are two very different things. If you’re struggling to convey your brand in the best way through messaging, why not get help from the experts. At Social Nucleus, we work to establish a consistent tone of voice from the get-go that can be used in all aspects of your campaigns, from ad copy to email marketing and beyond. If you’d like to take your advertising to the next level, get in touch and start connecting with your audience now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5-Step Guide to Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses

 

Social media marketing for small businesses can be a tricky thing. For a start, you may not have the dedicated departments of the big brands. If you’re the sole voice of your business’s social media presence, then it can be very difficult to work out a strategy that is both efficient and cost-effective. At times, you might be tempted to think the whole thing is pointless. That couldn’t be further from the truth though; social media is a vital tool in boosting your brand’s optics, increasing acquisition and getting your name out there.

While you might not be able to match the might of powerhouse marketing departments, there are several things you can do to strengthen your current strategy. With that in mind, here is Social Nucleus’ 5-step guide to social media marketing for small businesses.

 

Different Methods for Different Platforms

Let’s start with the basics; don’t put out the same type of content on different platforms. For example, Facebook is a great way of connecting with prospective customers more colloquially. Here, those that have liked your page are looking for product updates, promotions or even just a witty post!

However, if you’re making a post for LinkedIn, then the audience is going to be very different. LinkedIn is the ‘professional’ social media, those using it are often looking to make business connections or find work. Here, you might find avenues for B2B marketing or raise engagement through posts that give a deeper insight into your own business.

You have to consider the constraints of certain platforms as well. While Twitter may afford a lot of versatility in terms of the content you can put out, you only have 280 characters to deliver it effectively. Posts will have to be short and snappy, but you may find it difficult to convey your message with such limited space.

Then you have the more visual platforms, like Instagram and YouTube. Here you’ll have to navigate the difficult realms of photo and video content, which require completely different skillsets. The production value and consistency of posts will determine your success. While you can get away with unstructured posting on Facebook and Twitter, you’ll need a carefully planned routine for these platforms. If your followers are used to seeing a couple of posts per day, plus stories, and you suddenly stop, this is going to negatively affect your engagement.

This might all seem like a lot to take in, but it is only a very brief outline of what you need to do for different platforms. The reality is that it takes a lot of work and time to craft engaging content that leads to conversions, especially on such a wide birth of social channels.  

 

Tracking and Optimisation

This isn’t exclusive to social media marketing, but it is an important point nonetheless. When running any campaign, you need to ensure you are constantly monitoring its effectiveness. There are a variety of metrics to consider like reach, click-through rates and bounce rates.

If an aspect of your campaign is underperforming, then it’s time to review what is and isn’t working and optimise. You may only need to make a few tweaks, but the results could be seismic. Constant analysis and action are needed if you want to consistently hit your engagement and conversion targets.

 

Scout the Opposition

If you’re struggling to come up with ideas, then there is no shame in looking at your competitor’s strategy. In fact, this can be immensely beneficial and is a widely used practice across digital marketing.

A good way to do this is to identify two or three brands you consider to be your top competition and examine the type of content they’re putting out. You need to look for reoccurring themes in the language used and the way the messaging is delivered. For example, if all your copy is presented in block paragraphs, but the competition is using bullet points or listicles to break up the information, this could be an indicator that you need to switch up your style.

Similarly, you’ll be able to see specific keywords or phrases they are using which could spark inspiration for your own messaging. It’s not about copying, or even emulating their strategy, but if your biggest competitors are all using the same language in the same way, then that is something you need to consider.

 

Social Media Management Tools

One thing that will make your job infinitely easier is a social media management application, such as TweetDeck and Hootsuite. Instead of manually creating each post when you need it, these types of software will allow you to schedule whole campaigns well in advance.

They also let you manage every page or brand you’re overseeing without having to log in or out to switch. Using these won’t make or break your strategy, the onus is still on you to create engaging content after all, but they will prove greatly efficient.  

These tools go back to our earlier point of analysing and optimising your content. Some applications will allow you to precisely track your engagement and conversion rates, as well as a slew of other metrics. These are invaluable in identifying campaigns that are running well and those that are underperforming.

 

Know your Audience

This might seem a little basic, but you would be surprised how many brands use generic messaging. While targeting a broad audience with your ad copy and content can produce results, creating specialised sets for certain crowds and angles is absolutely essential. 

Before the start of any campaign, whether it’s paid ads or trying to drive traffic organically, you need to identify potential audiences to target. A good way to do this is to imagine a customer that would be drawn to your product and ask yourself a few questions; where are they from, how old are they, etc. This is a creative exercise that can help visualise the type of person your messaging needs to appeal to.

 

Call the experts!

Just because you don’t have the resources for a dedicated department, that doesn’t mean you can’t enlist professional help when looking for social media marketing for small businesses. At Social Nucleus, we offer a variety of services that can bring out the best of your brand on any social platform. We will craft an effective launch strategy for your ad campaigns based on analytics and information provided by you. On top of that, we’ll work within your budget and regularly update you with key information for your campaigns, where you can improve and recommendations for scaling. Get in touch with us today and take your digital presence to the next level.

5 Ways to Market Your Product as GREAT Value

A question we all ask ourselves as customers is “how do I know that what I’m paying for is worth a lot more than my investment?”. As a brand, it’s your job to answer this question by offering massive value through your advertisement strategy.

You want your product/service to appear good value for money, so today’s post is going to walk you through how to do this in your marketing campaigns.

Value Proposition

As mentioned above, you want to make sure you answer the customers burning question. How can you portray your product or service as good value for money? Firstly, by using the prospects language. You want to address their pain points, establish what they want to achieve and what results they want to see. You then need to decide upon how to convey these points in your ads.

One way we suggest you do this is to use the framing effect. This is when we look at not what is said, but how it is said. You want to find the relationship between context and information as it determines meaning. Let us give you an example. You can break down the cost of your product per day, or per use to make it seem more affordable and better value for money. What sounds better?

“Our skin cleanser is now just £354!”

…or

“our skin cleanser costs just 90p to use each day”

You see the point here? Next time you’re writing about your product or service, break down the cost in any way you can. It appeals so much more to your customers if they can see the cost benefits.

Comparison

They say you should never compare yourself to others, but in the marketing world, you should. Look at what your competitors are doing what their prices are and how they differ to yours. Can you beat their price? If so, tell people! If you can offer the same thing, if not better for a cheaper price, people will jump at the chance to buy your product if it seems better value. By comparing your prices to competitors, you instantly market your product as good, if not better, value for money.

It’s also worth noting that when comparing to competitors, it’s important to state your benefits too. Why should the consumer choose you over them? Sometimes, it’s not all about money.

Benefits and Monetary Value

Following on from our last point, marketing isn’t always about money. You need to make it clear to audiences what the benefits of your product or service are.

If your product is slightly more expensive than competitors, you need to state why. If customers recognise that they are paying more but getting way more in return, you’ll likely improve your conversion rates.

Bonuses

Another way you can make your product seem better value is by introducing a bonus to your deal, but always keeping it relevant to your main offer. Don’t sell your product and bonuses as a packaged price. You want the bonus to appear free.

For example, don’t tell customers that your main the product costs £200 and the two bonuses cost £50 each so your prospect must pay £300. You want to make it seem that your product costs £300 and the two bonuses are free (but worth £100).

Risk Removal

The final way you can add value to your product or service is to remove any obstacles that may stand in front of your prospects. They need to be powerful and allow your customer to trust you. An example of this is money back guarantee. One way to take this even further is a longer money back guarantee. Its proven that having a longer money back guarantee results in less refunds. It reverses the risk for the customer as you are taking part in the risk. This is a way to frame money back guarantees in a positive way.

So, there you have it. 5 ways market your products as good value for money! Think about these techniques next time you start your marketing campaign.

How to Get Ads Approved (and Disapproved) with Ease

If you’re a frequent Facebook advertiser, you will understand the struggles of getting your ads approved (or disapproved). Since launching in 2007, Facebook have adopted a very strict approach to their guidelines. They are very particular on what they approve and what they disapprove. If you’re new to paid ads, this may be news to you. Luckily for you, we’re here to breakdown the myths and jargon and explain to you exactly what you need to do in order to run successful Facebook ad campaigns. 

Words and Phrases we know to avoid

Firstly, there are many words and phrases we can avoid using when advertising on Facebook. Facebook maintain some policies that address discrimination and personal attributes.

You cannot directly discriminate against or demean people based on attributes such as race, religion, gender and ethnicity. This means you cannot mention any of these factors in your ad copy or creatives. This also applies for your targeting. If you target such factors too specifically, it can appear that you are unfairly discriminating against certain groups.

Regarding personal attributes you cannot mention anything to do with self-image, mental health, physical features, etc. When we write our client ads we often avoid using “you where possible. For example:

Where you may normally use “do you want your smile to be brighter?”, we would change this to “want a brighter smile?”. It’s important to remember than many ads are reviewed by bots, not humans. They will often reject ads that contain the words “you” or “your”, even if used correctly. It’s not worth the hassle of appealing this review and waiting even longer for an actual person to have a look at your ad. If you can avoid using these phrases, you will save yourself a lot of time. 

Types of brands we know Facebook doesn’t like

Before setting up your Facebook ad account, you want to be sure that the products you’re selling aren’t subject for an automatic Facebook ad ban. Here are some of the brands or products that are currently not allowed to advertise on Facebook.

1. Illegal products or services – Well, this goes without saying. Anything that would get you arrested or fined for selling in the real world, applies to Facebook advertising. This includes selling age-restricted products to minors. 
2. Tobacco and related products – Cigarettes, vapes or any product that resonates with smoking in banned.
3. Drug and related products – This covers both illegal and prescription drugs. Some CBD brands also have a hard time advertising, as this is also not allowed. 
4. Unsafe supplements – Anything to do with steroids, Human Growth Hormones or any kind of dodgy supplements are not allowed. Facebook’s policy on this is very clear. They get to decide which products are included in the category, so their decision is always going to be subjective.
5. Weapons – This includes weapons, ammo and explosives. It also covers pepper sprays, tasers, non-culinary knives. You can however, advertise holsters, and toy guns as long as your audience targeting is over 18. 
6. Payday loans – Any loan with a term of less than 90 days is banned.

When advertising restricted products, we advise you to be very careful about it. For example, make sure your ads are targeted to over 18 in the UK for advertising alcohol, and over 21 in the states. You must be aware of the laws and target accordingly. 

Power of the landing page

When Facebook reviews your ads, they don’t just look at your ad. They also take into consideration the URL your ads link to. It’s important you set up a strong landing page, to avoid any rejections. This is also important for some businesses such as medical, as you can really showcase your products without breaking any rules.

Here are some URL/landing page characteristics that could get your ads rejected by Facebook.

1. Disruptive content – If your landing page is hard to navigate and requires users to click many buttons just to read your article, Facebook will block it straight away. You want your landing pages to be simple, easy to navigate and easy to read.
2. Irrelevant landing pages – If your ads have nothing to do with your landing page, your ad will not be approved. It can look like your using your ads to mislead traffic to your website. 
3. Misleading URL’s – Similarly to the above point, your landing page’s URL must be of relevance to your ads. If it looks misleading, the likelihood is, it wont get approved. 

New ad accounts

It’s important to remember that if your ads keep getting rejected, it’s likely your page will end up being banned all together. That’s why we stress the importance of the above. There are so many steps you can take to create your ads carefully.

However, if your page has become permanently disabled from advertising, you shouldn’t connect it to new ad accounts. Facebook will pick up on this, and it can lead to more serious bans, resulting in you never being able to advertise on Facebook again. Unfortunately, if your page has been disabled, there’s not much more to do.

In order to avoid this, follow the above steps, know your audience, choose your copy and creative wisely and set up a strong and relevant landing page.

If you still feel that you need help with your Facebook ad account get in touch today. Our expert team are available for a FREE strategy call and are ready to help your Facebook ads skyrocket!

7 At-Home Content Ideas to Try For Your Ads

Lockdown has seen a huge struggle across a lot of businesses to source good content. Photoshoots have been put on the backburner, human contact has been minimised, and creativity has come to a halt. Thankfully for you, we’re here today to share with you 7 (at-home, of course) content ideas you can try to spruce up your ad game until normality is resumed!

Click transition

Click transitions are a hot technique for video ads right now and they’re easier to film than you might think.

1. Set up a tripod with your phone or camera in position 
2. Film the first frame and click at the end – stop filming 
3. Adjust the frame in whatever way you need (change the product, add a product, outfit change, etc)
4. Start filming the next frame by clicking in the exact same spot as you did at the end of the first frame 
5. Use your video editing software to merge the two clips together, switching from the first to the second during the click transition (this takes practise) 

And there you go – a cool new video ad that took minutes to film.

Product on ice

This ‘product on ice’ video is seriously simple to shoot at home and looks mega eye-catching on the feed.

1. Fill a bucket or bowl with ice and place in front of a window 
2. Place the product on top of the ice 
3. Spray the product with water 
4. Film the pro duct use a ‘Sparkle Effect’ app 
5. Export the video and add text/music on iMovie 
6. Test in your ads!

Thank us later for this one…

Reviews

Reviews are always a go-to for creating at-home content. They’re simple and easy to do and are amazing at increasing conversions and social proofing your brand.

Simply sit in front of your camera, switch it on, and talk about your product. Why you love it so much, how it improves customers life’s, and why they NEED it. Try not to ramble. Prepare some points before hand ready to edit into a stunning transition for your ads.

If speaking isn’t for you, you can always write a review. Short and simple reviews with good points are perfect for using in your ad copy.

Product demos/how to

Informative ads always catch attention, increase engagement and boost your conversions. Everyone loves to learn something new, so watching your product in use is sure to gain a few views.

Informative ads often perform better than others. It allows prospects to see the product in use, see how easy it is to operate and encourages them to buy. It adds a certain layer of trust to your ad campaigns and is guaranteed to boost those conversions.

Selfies

One of the simpler options here – selfies. Easy to do but very effective. Using selfies as a form of marketing helps keep your brand relevant to what’s trending. It also helps you stay aligned with visual marketing effectively and allows you to understand how people use photography.

Selfies humanize brands, creating an emotion-driven scenario making your marketing messages more personal and relatable. Simply grab your product, smile and take a snap!

Unboxings

Unboxings are a new and effective way to showcase your products and make an interesting video at the same time. Unboxing videos are extremely popular on YouTube racking up millions of views and the same can go for your ads.

People use unboxing videos for research. They can’t physically touch your products, but an unboxing video is the next best thing. They’re entertaining and engaging and great to test in your ads.

Lifestyle images

Lifestyle images are frequently thought of as the best-performing content. They are suitable for almost all businesses and any advertisement or promotion. Lifestyle images are simply pictures that depict people in a life-related activity. They are so popular because humans respond more positively to seeing people in images than any other subject.

Taking lifestyle images at home with your products is a super easy way to build up a huge bank of content for your ads./p>

So, there you have it, our top 7 at-home content ideas. We hope this post has got your creative juices flowing and provided you with some inspiration to create some smashing ad content from the comfort of your home!

4 Accounts to Get Marketing Inspiration

When the inspiration runs dry, where better to turn to than other marketing personalities. There are so many great accounts out there that churn out amazing content to get the cogs flowing, so for today’s post, we thought we would share with you our favourite accounts to turn to when you need a bit of content or marketing inspo!

Social Savannah

Social Savannah is one of our favourite accounts to delve into when we’re feeling dry on the inspiration front. With over 5 years in the industry, Savannah is an expert in paid social strategies for eCommerce brands. On her Instagram and Twitter platforms, she shares paid social updates, strategy tips, content inspiration and SO much more!

You can find her here – www.thesocialsavannah.com 

Belinda Weaver

When it comes to copywriting, Belinda Weaver is your woman. She is the founder of CopywriteMatters, a copywriting business and community. She shares lots of free copywriting advice through her blog and social channels. She has also created copywriting groups on LinkedIn and Facebook, connecting copywriters all across the globe. If you’re looking to brush up on your copy skills, this is the place to be.

You can find her here – www.copywritematters.com 

AdEspresso

AdEspresso is the advertising focused blog run by Hootsuite. Their blog covers everything you could ever imagine to do with Facebook and Google advertising. It is one of the best resources to keep up to date with Facebook and Google Ads news and tactics to run successful campaigns that convert!

You can find them here – www.adespresso.com/blog 

Ad Alchemist

Another blog that we love over here at Social Nucleus is Ads Alchemist. A blog ran by an anonymous individual who has over 7 years’ experience in Facebook ads. They have launched their own blog giving readers a continuous stream of free, actionable Facebook ads content. Their Twitter page is particularly useful in sharing top tips so if you’re an active user over there we recommend you drop them a follow!

You can find them here –  www.adalchemist.com 

So, there you have it. If you ever need some marketing inspo to kickstart your next project, give these accounts a little attention! We’re confident they’ll give you the boost you need to smash your business goals.

The Psychology of Colour in Advertising

When it comes to content marketing, colour is key. Colour psychology has been around for years. It is an area of research that examines how colour influences our behaviour as consumers. Different colours can impact the way buyers perceive a brand in ways that aren’t always apparent.  It is an emotional cue that can help your audience feel what you want them to feel simply by using different colours and is why understanding colour psychology is so important for the success of your content.

Using the wrong colour choice can negatively impact your advertising and send out the completely wrong message. Today, we’re going to go over the main colours, what they mean for your advertising, and where to use them.

Red

Red is a very powerful and dynamic colour. It triggers powerful emotions, both positive and negative. It often represents our physical needs, whether that’s affection, love, fear or terror. Red is also a very energising colour that can portray friendliness and strength, but depending on its context, can be very demanding and show aggression.

If you’re looking to portray a really powerful presence or to grab audience’s attention fast, red is the colour for you. That’s why you will often see sale signs in red as it creates a sense of urgency. Just a warning, be careful using red, as it does carry some negative connotations. Use it sparingly.  

Orange

Orange is a very warm colour and has similar connotations. This mix of yellow and red represents physical comfort. Orange is often associated with motivation, a positive outlook and general enthusiasm. 

It’s a fun and bright colour, so often suited to a non-corporate brand. Orange is also thought to induce feelings of hunger, meaning it could be a perfect choice for a food brand!

Interestingly, orange has been associated with cheapness, so be careful using orange if you’re going for a luxury vibe.

Brand Example: Burger King 

During their iconic rebrand, Burger King have gone for an eye-catching pop of orange in their new logo which works perfectly given their key intention is to make customers hungry. They also don’t need to worry about about ‘cheapening’ their brand as they sell themselves as affordable, attainable fast food. 

Yellow

Everyone loves yellow. Yellow is the epitome of joy, happiness, cheerfulness and optimism. Anything yellow almost always represents something happy and joyful. It’s been proven that infants first respond to yellow above any colour, proving that yellow is the easiest colour to visually see. 

You should use yellow to lift people’s spirits and confidence but should be used carefully as yellow often has connotations with anxiety, caution and fear. If you know your brand is strongly associated with confidence and happiness, use it. If there’s any room for doubt, avoid it. Find the right balance to motivate your audience instead of bringing them down.

Brand Example: McDonalds

McDonalds’ iconic ‘M’ in their logo is a great example of colour psychology. They want their restaurants to be the epitome of happiness, fun and good food. The yellow colour of their logo helps customers associate these feelings with their restaurant.

Green

Green is a lovely colour of balance and harmony. It’s a visually appealing colour, easy on the eye, which gives us a clear sense of right from wrong (due to the fact that it incorporates a balance of both the logical and emotional). Green is the colour that represents natural life, rest and peace. It’s also a sign of growth, whether that be physical or financial. 

Green is a very common colour used across health and organic brands, as well as pharmaceuticals.  

If you’re looking to portray health, rest, growth, or finance, green is the colour for you. Green does have some negative associations with possession and materialism; however, the positive connotations outweigh the bad in this case.

Blue

Blue is famous for its reflection of trust and dependability. It has a very calming effect on the mind and is often referred to as the colour of reason. 

Unlike the colour red, blue tends to create a mental reaction, as opposed to a physical one, that allows us to destress and calm down. It’s the colour of mental strength and wisdom.

Of course, blue does have some connotations of sadness, coldness and can often make you appear quite distant if used in great amounts. Use this colour with caution and only if it fits your brand. 

Purple

Purple is a colour associated with the imagination, spirituality and royalty. It possesses all the energy and power of red, alongside the stability and trustworthiness of blue, making it the perfect balance between the physical and spiritual. 

If you’re a luxury brand, this is the colour for you. It is often seen as quite a moody colour, and different tints of purple can be used to represent femininity.

Purple is a very intriguing colour, but also leaves space for mystery and new ideas. Creativity is often associated with this colour. However, you should avoid using this too much as it can leave a bit too much room for introspection and distraction. 

Brand Example: Cadburys 

Cadburys is actually a really interesting example as their iconic purple packaging doesn’t necessarily relate to any of the typical emotions related to this colour. They’re an affordable, every day brand using colours often associated with royalty and wealth. This is a perfect example of how iconic brands can redefine the psychology behind colours and often do. 

Pink

Pink often represents compassion and unconditional love. It’s often seen as a very physical and soothing colour, associated with hope and romanticism. It is also the most widely used colour to portray femininity. 

If used too much, pink can be very draining, display a lack of power and even come across immature. Pink is great to use instead of red when appropriate.

Black

Sophistication, seriousness, control and independence are all associated with the colour black. It is a very reserved colour, that lacks any light. It is synonymous with luxury and power and is often well suited to fashion industries.

Black can also be used to shoe evil, mystery and even death, so as you can imagine, using too much of it can create an aura of sadness and negativity. So, use it sparingly. Maybe use it more in your text than visuals themselves.

Gold

Gold is thought to be a rich colour that represents royalty, wealth and money. It has connotations of charm, confidence and friendliness, so is best used for brands that are friendly and conversational. It is more often than not a positive and inspiring colour. 

However, when used too much in one space, gold can feel egotistical, self-righteous and too proud. Try to use this colour sparingly to highlight, rather than be the main centre-piece. 

Silver

Silver is commonly associated with ‘second place’ or second best. It is still seen as a somewhat wealthy and regal metallic but less so than gold. 

It is also a colour synonymous with cleanliness and has become the go-to for modern brands. However, if poorly executed, it can look lazy and lack personality. 

Silver is thought to trigger the emotions of hope and sensitivity. It is believed to be the mirror to the soul. It is this association that also makes silver feel clean and trustworthy. 

Silver feels sturdy and reliable meaning it is often a positive colour in the marketing world.

Now, you should be a colour psychology expert. Next time you are creating your visuals or thinking of your next big campaign, refer back to this article. You cannot know how your audience will respond to your colour choices without creating thoughtful A/B tests to determine which colours generate the most sales.

Still need some help with your content? We have an amazing in-house team of graphic designers who can help you determine the best colours to use for your marketing campaigns.

How to Create Seasonal Marketing Campaigns with a Difference

Keeping your brand fresh and up to date can sometimes seem difficult. Running seasonal marketing campaigns can seem repetitive, boring and very unoriginal. Even if you aren’t a seasonal business, it’s important you adapt your marketing strategy to keep up with the holidays. 

It’s also important you stand out from the crows when it comes to seasonal campaigns, such as Christmas, Mother’s Day, New Year, etc. Today’s post is going to walk you through our top tips to creating a seasonal marketing campaign with a difference, to ensure you stand out from the rest this holiday!

Make it centred around your unique products

If your brand has a unique product that is specifically focused on a holiday, showcase it. Make your campaign centred around this product. Display its unique selling points, explain and push why your customers need this product. It’s also super important you pick the right seasonal opportunity, and this will largely depend on the product you plan to focus on. Do your research, collect data on when customers are most likely to engage with a product like yours and make the right choice. 

Avoid the common one-liners and phrases of the season

I mean, this one goes without saying. Customers are sick of hearing overused one-liners such as “place our product under your tree this Christmas”. BORING. We’ve all heard it before. As a copywriting marketer, you should ALWAYS be thinking of new, catchy lines to use in your marketing campaigns, and to really make a difference, you want something unique to your brand and your product.

Give the campaign a deeper story or meaning – not just about the holiday

The most effective seasonal campaigns tell a story. They don’t just focus on the holiday itself. It tells a story, engages their viewers, draws them in, makes them relate… you get the gist. To really make a difference and stand out, give your campaign a deeper meaning. Map the customer journey and tell the story you want to tell. 

Enlist a charity or partner brand

Over the years, we’ve seen many successful brands partner with charities for their seasonal campaigns, particularly Christmas ones. Enlisting or working with a charity can set your brand apart. By showing that you care about more than just making a sale, will ironically, surely increase your sales. Customers will see you as more than just a company. They will connect, relate and engage with your story and will feel encouraged to purchase. 

Provide an incentive or deal to the customer that’s better or different from the rest

We see seasonal campaigns all the time offering incentives – but in order to make a difference, you need to make your offer unique. Giving a percentage discount on products is extremely overused. To make a difference, you need to do something outside the box, such as, free gifts, competitions, free subscriptions for a year. There are multiple areas you can look at here, but you have to make sure it’s a better and different incentive to your competitors. 

Feeling excited about seasonal marketing again? So are we! We hope this post has provided you with some inspiration to smash your next seasonal campaign but if not, we’re always here to help.

Book a free strategy call with one of our team to find out how we can help your business today!