How To Choose the Right Influencer for Your Brand

Influencer marketing can be overwhelming. In 2019, everyone is trying to become an influencer, and Instagram is saturated with individuals vying for attention or free products. With this environment, it can be tricky to determine who are the best influencers for your brand.

You are searching for that perfect person who serves their followers genuine, beautiful content. Much like a dating app, it takes time to find the perfect match – they have to fit your niche and understand your audience. They have to have great engagement. Ultimately, they have to love you, for you (see where we’re going with the dating app analogy?)

 

Speaking of the warm and fuzzies, February is the perfect time to fall in love with influencer marketing and start your journey towards getting engaged…(*ahhhem, clears throat) we mean getting an engaged audience.

All puns aside, we have the insider tips and tricks for choosing the right influencer for your brand. Today, we’re sharing that wisdom with you.

Audience and Engagement

Much like location, location, location, with influencers, think engagement, engagement, engagement. Recently, social platform algorithms have shifted to favor engagement, placing this metric top-of mind for brands. The goal is to garner a large quantity of genuine comments, likes, and shares.

You have to understand that a big reach does not guarantee good engagement. Make sure that you are not only looking at the number of followers an influencer has, but the quality as well – trust us when we say, it’s not always love at first sight.

The first step in determining an influencer’s engagement is to assess their audience. You can do this by reading past comments or viewing their followers’ accounts. Are most of the comments from bots or brands? If so, swipe left. Are their followers real people? Swipe right. You are looking for genuine comments and followers that frequently show interest and admiration.

 

Niche and Authenticity

When starting the influencer search process at CBC, we determine a specific niche that acts as a blueprint. Ask yourself, what type of brand are you? This could be lifestyle, travel, beauty, fashion, food, etc. Once this term has been chosen, dig deeper. Are you organic food? Sustainable fashion? Affordable travel? These keywords will help you target influencers and refine the original search.

Unfortunately, social media can be a breeding ground for inauthenticity and needs some weeding out. Don’t settle for people who only sponsor products to be paid or who post cookie cutter content. Check to see what types of sponsored content someone has posted in the past and pay attention to the image and copy. You want an influencer who truly loves your brand and would purchase your products on their own. A tailor-made collaboration will get you more bang for your buck and potentially create a long-term partnership (cue the wedding bells).

 

Campaign and Scale

Conducting a search for influencers depends greatly on the type of campaign you need them for. The budget and overarching ask greatly impact the feasibility of a partnership. If the campaign calls for video content, make sure you are sourcing influencers who have production skills or a team that can help them. If the campaign has a small budget, focus on micro-influencers who tend to have a smaller reach, but a highly engaged following.

It is important to set these campaign guardrails early so that you have a range to start your search. There are multiple influencer categories to consider: celebrity, macro, micro, nano, and the average consumer. Each subset offers a different type of promotion, budget, and overall target for your campaign.

 

Matchmaker, matchmaker….

It’s cuffing season for influencers, and they are on the prowl looking for the perfect brand match to jumpstart their 2019 content. Which makes it the perfect time to add influencer marketing to your strategy too. Choosing the right influencers for your brand doesn’t have to be a game of “hard to get,” and the experts at CBC are here to help you every step of the way.

 

Looking for more help with your influencer marketing strategy? Send us a love letter here.

What You Should Know About CBC’s 2019 PR & Content Programs

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Holiday Hosting in the Hamptons: CBC Hosting House 2018

To kick off the holiday season, we headed to the Hamptons in November with a group of 20 influential media to immerse them in all things holiday hosting. At CBC’s annual Hosting House, top brands taught us how to bring a little cheer to our holiday entertaining and shared helpful tips and tricks to make hosting a breeze.

 

 

Day 1: Welcome to The Hamptons!

Our group’s first stop in Water Mill, New York was the Parrish Art Museum, a landmark modern art museum known for its focus on local work.  It was the perfect location to not only welcome media to the area, but also introduce them to Tea Forte, a gourmet tea company that keeps design at the forefront of their brand.  The group enjoyed an educational tour of the Parrish’s current collection before heading over to the Topping Rose House for a quaint lunch with Tea Forte.  Editors learned about the design process behind Tea Forte products and some fun facts about tea.  By the end of our 3-course meal, complete with tea pairings, everyone was timing their steeps to create the perfect cup.

 

 

Following lunch, media arrived at their beautiful Water Mill home for the next few days, decked out with holiday lights and décor.  First on the agenda was learning the art of making the perfect bed with Boll & Branch.  Media gained insight into the sustainable background of ethically sourced bedding and took part in layering the softest sheets with perfectly matched flannel duvets and knit blankets, for a bed that looked divinely inviting.

 

 

Before anyone could tuck themselves in, it was time for a lively dinner with Bose!  Their on-site product team led media through the capabilities of the new Bose Home smart speaker and soundbar, demonstrating how to make the perfect dinner party playlist – a must have for holiday entertaining and playing those favorite, festive classics.

 

 

Day 2: Tis the Season

Our group started the day bright and early with a Stonewall Kitchen pajama breakfast.  Yes, you heard correctly…nothing like an old fashioned pj party to get you out of bed.  Editors lined up to build their Insta-worthy waffles at our breakfast bar, complete with a wide range of fun toppings.  The Maine blueberries and maple syrup paired perfectly with everyone’s LL Bean plaid flannel PJs to create a picturesque taste of winter in the Northeast.

 

 

Fueled up from breakfast, it was time to dig in to holiday décor vignettes with Home Depot and Behr Paints.  Media were given an overview of the season’s hottest trends in paint colors and table settings. For a hands-on experience, everyone had the opportunity to get crafty with chalk paint and festive materials to make seasonal wreaths and shadowboxes, ensuring their own home décor for the holidays was on-trend.

 

 

When the clock struck ‘happy hour’, it was Coravin’s time to shine with an around-the-world wine tasting.  Editors were amazed at the ability to pour a glass of wine without uncorking the bottle, allowing for the freedom to taste a nearly endless array of varietals without compromising the quality of the remaining wine.  Imagine the possibilities!  Wine tasting is our new favorite house party theme.

 

 

Following our global wine tasting, we sat down to a one-of-a-kind #pinksgiving with Ocean Spray.  The iconic purveyor of all things cranberry recently launched Pink Cranberry juice and celebrated by creating a jaw-dropping meal of pink décor, pink foods and pink drinks.

 

 

Day 3: A Sweet Farewell

Hosting House closed out with a grand finale at Levain Bakery, hosted by Canon.  The editors got their hands dirty in the kitchen at Levain, making the bakery’s famously gooey chocolate chip cookies.  After popping them in the oven, we hopped next door to Wainscott Main Wine & Spirits, where the group learned about the latest products from Canon – the Ivy Portable Mini Photo Printer and hdAlbum app.  Media took turns printing fun copies of their favorite photos from the memorable weekend, all while enjoying delicious pizza and wine, courtesy of Levain and Wainscott Main.  Of course, they couldn’t leave without testing the fruits of their labor in the cookie kitchen before hitting the road back to New York City.

What would be your favorite part of the trip? We’re thinking those cookies sound pretty scrumptious… If your mouth is watering just like ours and you are curious about how to get your brand involved in an upcoming HOUSE program, contact us here.  

 

IGTV: Is Long-Form Video Here to Stay?

As you may know, video content is the hottest trend in social media right now. A territory dominated by Generation Z who have grown up as digital natives – never experiencing what it was like to navigate with a map or listen to a Walkman. (Feel old yet?)

According to a recent Pew Research Center study, 85% of teens say they use YouTube – making it the most popular social media platform. That means beating out all other digital behemoths like Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram. And an Adweek study found that half of Gen Z-ers “can’t live without YouTube.”

The overwhelming popularity of video content is changing the social media landscape as platforms try to replicate YouTube’s formula for success via long-form video. The question remains, can they do it?

 

 

Call Me on Your Video Phone

With Americans’ trust in mass media at an all-time low, digital natives are turning away from mainstream sources such as TV and radio to seek real connections from real people. The vlog (video blog) popularized on YouTube appeals to consumers who crave authenticity. Vlogs offer a window into people’s lives — and are just flat-out entertaining.

On social media, video helps us communicate in a more personalized and nuanced way than just a simple image or text-based post can. This is why marketers are increasingly switching to more video-centric content strategies for brand promotion. Social video content removes the middle man, directly connecting the consumer with the creator of the media, and this, my friends, is the future of entertainment and marketing.

 

Long-Form Video Gaining (Remote) Control

Let’s take a look at Instagram. What began as the perfect place to post photos of your latte art has developed into ephemeral glimpses into daily life with Instagram Stories. Inspired by Snapchat Stories, Instagram implemented their own Stories feature in 2016 to allow users to post photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours.

In the last few years, audience viewing habits on social media have shifted from short, bite-sized videos to longer videos. In Q1 of 2018, 54% of smartphone video consumption was spent on long-form video content (20+ minutes), dethroning the short-form videos (5 minutes or less) that reigned king just 2 years ago.

So, Instagram decided to answer to that trend by expanding into “TV”. Not exactly like the black box in our living rooms with a remote control and TV guide, but a solve for the new way users want to watch TV – on their phones, vertically. Introducing, IGTV.

 

 

What’s the different between IGTV and Stories? It’s basically the long-form video version. Where Instagram Stories displays vertical video segments in 15-second increments, IGTV offers users the ability to upload vertical videos up to one-hour long. You can find IGTV in the Instagram app at the top right corner by your DM’s, but you can also download a dedicated IGTV app from the App Store. Users can navigate through IGTV with tabs such as, “For you,” “Following,” “Popular,” and “Continue Watching” to discover videos from their favorite creators.

Recognizing this trend (and realizing they can rack up more ad dollars from displaying multiple mid-roll ads), YouTube updated its recommendation algorithm to prioritize longer videos. Facebook has also found that longer videos garner 79% more shares and 74% more views, so the company has changed their News Feed algorithm accordingly. The launch of IGTV shows that Instagram wants in on the fun (and $$$) too.

 

 

To IGTV or Not IGTV? That is the Question

Still in its infancy, the success of IGTV is yet to be determined. Just after Instagram’s announcement, many business journals and news outlets were excited about the prospect of IGTV. Forbes claimed that, “IGTV may very well change the way that TV is consumed for future generations.” It could potentially inspire a complete transition to mobile entertainment, an idea that users under 25 could really get behind. While Instagram has not yet announced monetization of videos or advertisements (AKA influencer bread and butter), the eventual integration of this could reinforce IGTV as a top target for influencers and marketers.

Despite all of the positive press, the most widely mentioned critique of Instagram’s newest innovation is that it’s just a knock-off of YouTube. (Of course, Instagram Stories started off as a knock-off of Snapchat Stories, but have since taken on a life of their own and surpassed Snapchat in popularity). Adweek has criticized the shortcomings of IGTV as a YouTube competitor, citing user experience issues that make it all too easy for distracted viewers to navigate away from long videos. Plus, since IGTV never had a soft launch with premium content from brands and creators, many users lack clarity about how to best use this feature, treating it as interchangeable with Stories or Instagram Live.

“We have to wait for people to adopt it, and that takes time,” outgoing Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom said in a recent interview with TechCrunch, explaining the slow pace of IGTV’s growth.

 

 

Although adoption has been slow, some media companies are excited to be the trailblazers of IGTV. DigiDay analyzed the future of IGTV with a case study of magazine publisher Meredith’s decision to pilot 10 new long-form series for the application. Meredith with be drawing funding from advertisers to sponsor shows such as a Travel + Leisure series about travelling Insta influencers and a Real Simple series about commuter beauty tips. The Meredith take on IGTV is relatively simple: why not test out a new social media opportunity? If it takes off in the next 3 quarters, then they’re ahead of the pack, and if not, Meredith has still expanded their content repertoire, which can easily be repurposed for other platforms.

The future of IGTV may still be hazy, but its creation represents a new emphasis on long-form video for both social media platforms and the brands who use them. Whether your brand is experimenting with IGTV or sticking with tried-and-true options like YouTube, long-form video is a can’t-miss opportunity to connect with today’s audiences thirsty for more content.

 

If you’re ready to expand your long-form video efforts, the CBC team is here to help! Our revolutionary content studio, Sidebar, produces engaging video content optimized for social media. Intrigued? Let’s talk.

Falling for Santa Barbara All Over Again: CBC Fall House 2018

When you hear the phrase “California Dreaming,” people are usually referring to the incredible coastal towns of Montecito and Santa Barbara. This past month, we got to live this sun-soaked dream in these truly idyllic settings for CBC’s 6th annual #CBCFallHouse.     CBC hosted a group of 20 editors and influencers at Fall House […]

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On Wednesdays We… Wade in Pink?

How did we help Ocean Spray launch their new Pink Cranberry Juice? We took 14 editors and influencers to wade in a pink cranberry bog of course!

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Laws Behind the ‘Gram: FTC Regulations

Influencer marketing is continuing to change the social media landscape one #ad at a time. This is why keeping up on FTC regulations is critical for your brand’s marketing strategies. Today on the blog, we go deeper into the laws behind the ‘gram:

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Brands that Hit the Sweet Spot

Foods, sweets in particular, are interlaced with our memories and carry a great deal of nostalgia. With that in mind, it’s no wonder that brands have capitalized on consumer’s love for childhood treats and achieved sweet success.

But, how exactly did they do it? Three steps: these companies know the value of brand strategy, they consistently seek out ways to stay relevant, and they fully understand the power of “aesthetic” in the digital age.

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Fit Fam: Introducing CBC Fit House

The drive west from LAX to the desert town of Indio, California is like going back in time. The initial bustle of LA traffic is overwhelming, but halfway through your journey the pressure of the city dissipates. The slow pace and rising temperatures of the desert take over. Surrounded by date farms, expansive golf courses, and the never-ending plains of Coachella Valley, it’s easy to see why the area is an oasis for city dwellers.

Here we hosted a group of health & fitness media for our first-ever CBC Fit House, a HOUSE program focused on clean eating, wellness and cultivating a “fit” lifestyle. We brought like-minded health and wellness brands together in a gorgeous Luxury Retreats home and we spent three days exploring and sweating (in a good way!)…

Day 1: Work Out Like Kanye

We kicked off the program in true “Fitspo” fashion, starting with a healthy “build your own poke bowl” lunch sponsored by GoPro. We were lucky enough to get a sneak-peak at its new HERO6 Black camera, now available to the public. With voice-command technology and easy editing via the QuikStories app, our group was excited to use the camera throughout the rest of the experience to document our adventures.

Next, the group got (harder, better, faster) stronger with BodyArmor and Donamatrix trainer to the stars (yes, Kanye West and the Kardashians included). The workout pushed us to our limits, but the weather was perfect and the BodyArmor drinks kept us going. With low calories, high electrolytes, and all-natural flavors like Blueberry Pomegranate and Peach Mango (a personal fave), we were happy to work up a sweat. Plus, we hear Mookie Betts, MLB American League MVP front-runner, is also big fan. That’s the only proof we need, people! #goredsox

 

 

Day 1 wrapped with a cocktail hour set against a beautiful desert sunset beyond the palm trees.  We rounded out the evening with a delicious dinner at Lulu California Bistro. Thanks to our amazing hosts at Greater Palm Springs for the evening downtown!

 

Day 2: Schwinn & Savasana

The group hit the ground running (or rolling, we should say) with an exhilarating bike ride, sponsored by Schwinn, down the Box Canyon Trail. While Schwinn is known for its cruisers, the media had the opportunity to test out its desert-ready road and performance bikes.

 

Following the bike ride, it was time for a healthy lunch with POM Wonderful, prepared by local chefs at New Leaf Catering. It was the perfect way to fuel up (but not feel too full) before heading to a relaxing yoga session on the house lawn. After some much-needed sun salutations, we relaxed by the pool and sampled some new ice cream flavors from Halo Top Creamery (many of its new flavors are dairy-free!).

 

 

 

We then got to partake in a special visit out to the Canndescent grow house, where we got an inside look at the “cannabis cultivation” process from start to finish (don’t worry – recreational use is legal in California!). Canndescent’s unique approach to branding and “the art of the flower” makes cannabis more accessible to the masses by categorizing different strands by “feeling” such as Calm, Cruise, Create, Connect and Charge.

 

Day 3: Got Milk?

To make the most of our last day in the desert, we headed out for a Jurassic Park meets Disney World off-roading Jeep excursion with the California Milk Advisory Board. The canvass-topped red jeeps and the bumpy ride had us feeling like we were headed into the Outback. After our adventure and hike through Joshua Tree, we went back to the house to enjoy a final milk-fueled breakfast as one big happy Fit-fam.

 

Our first ever Fit House was one we’ll be talking about for years, and we couldn’t have had such a successful trip without the wonderful brands and media who were a part of it. Maybe next year Kanye will stop by….

 

 

 

Want to see more? Check out #CBCFitHouse on Instagram for all the social media activity from Fit House.

Experiential Marketing and the Electric Spark

Experiential Marketing. We hear the word tossed around at marketing conferences, in PR pitches, and in Adweek articles, but what is it exactly? Our VP of Experiential PR, Noelle Guerin, is here to explain the ins and outs of experiential marketing, a strategy that engages an audience with a real-life invitation to experience a brand and everything it represents. And not to mention, something CBC has been doing since before it became a buzzword.

 

Charleston Experience in Charleston, South Carolina

The Power of Experience

The travel industry was built on experience – just look at the print publications that are surviving and thriving (Travel & Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, Coastal Living). Across their glossy pages, these publications offer a promise of experience, highlighting companies such Airbnb, a company that has made travel more accessible and affordable. The younger the generation, the more desire there is to be seamlessly integrated into the fabric of a destination and “travel like a local.”

Millennials are savvy consumers and have found out how to go where they want to go in an easy and affordable way. What does this have to do with experiential marketing? Everything. It’s the exact ideology we tapped into in the first place when designing our approach. How do we create events that bring a brand to life? How do we give press, and eventually consumers, an emotional connection to a brand that they can touch, feel, and interact with in an authentic way?

 

Fall House in Santa Barbara, California

 

That Electric Feeling

I have thrown the word “experiential” out there in more new business pitches than I can count. When I started my career over fifteen years ago, I would see brand heads go wide-eyed as soon as I mentioned it, because it was new and innovative. In a lot of ways, “experiential” became the philosophy of Cercone Brown Company.

Our HOUSE programs are often referred to as “experiential” – I mean it’s part of my job title for goodness sakes – but the truth is, it’s not JUST the HOUSE programs. Everything we do within the agency is seen through an experiential lens. It’s how we think and create.

 

FIT House in Palm Springs, California

 

Summer House in Nantucket, MA

 

I have often been accused of actively drinking the Kool-Aid (insert eye roll over industry cliché here) in client meetings. You’d think I’d be jaded at this point by people speaking with passion about their brand but it’s quite the opposite. I couldn’t continue to do this job if I didn’t have a burning desire to bring a brand’s story and vision to life. I firmly believe that the only way to do that – the ONLY way for media and consumers to understand your brand fully – is to give them an authentic experience with it. Believe it or not, this isn’t just limited to consumer brands.

I’ve worked on everything from broadcast technology platforms to healthcare companies (and everything in between) and the only way to create a loyal consumer is to give them a deeper understanding (i.e. experience) of the brand. It doesn’t have to be the physical (tasting, testing, feeling; though it helps), but it could just be the emotional expression of the brand. Every brand has a competitive space and the ones that are creating experiences for their audience stand out and thrive in this landscape.

 

Derby House in Louisville, Kentucky

 

Bringing Brands to Life: What’s Your Lightning in a Bottle?

As an agency, we always thought in an experiential way – we were doing in-market retailer summits for Timberland long before “experiential” was a thing. When we first started our HOUSE Programs with Summer House, we were working to fit outdoor lifestyle and fitness brands into the beautiful setting of Martha’s Vineyard. Now, we bring a variety of brands, from General Motors to New Balance, to the island of Nantucket as well as 30+ press and influencers to experience these brands in a real and authentic way. It works. They get it. They leave the island as brand believers, which is so much more than just one piece of coverage.

Over the past twelve years we have expanded our HOUSE programs and currently provide fourteen per year, each with their own “theme” and set against beautiful backdrops such as Palm Springs, Napa Valley, Aspen, Charleston and many more. This formula works and we have perfected it over the years to ensure that our brands are receiving maximum exposure and amazing content.

 

Aspen Experience in Aspen, Colorado

 

After fifteen years, I’m not sure I can be 100% objective but when I see what we bring to life for brands like Ocean Spray, Buick, Omaha Steaks (on the client side) or the incredible content that we create all over the United States, I feel fairly certain that not many do it better. The energy you feel between staff, crew, brands, media, and influencers is a clear indication that we’re doing something right. The on-site EXPERIENCE is electric and it makes all the hard work that goes into it worth it. To me, that is why experiential marketing is essential for all brands. When your brand can incite a feeling – an electricity in another person – that becomes your lightning in a bottle.

 

Culinary House in Sonoma, California

 

Interested in exploring one of our Experiential Marketing programs? Head on over to our website for a deeper dive into what we do.

CBC Uncorked: What is Your Least Favorite Marketing Jargon and Why?

This month’s CBC Uncorked question had us leafing through our file cabinets, scanning our email subject lines, and thinking before we speak during conference calls.

 

What question could be so powerful, you might ask. We asked our fellow CBC coworkers:

“What is your least favorite marketing jargon and why?”

 

Prepare yourself to laugh at the answers below and let us know your least favorite phrase, in the comments!

 

Circle back… (but I think I may use it!) 😳

– Robin

 

Maybe just office jargon in general, but it’s a tie between ‘getting your ducks in a row’ and ‘turnkey’. UGH.

– Annie, PR Specialist

 

Ping. Are you trying to get ahold of me or mimicking an arcade game?

–Jared, PR Associate

 

Out of the box. We shouldn’t have to say ideas need to be out of the box – they just should be.

–Jen, Director of New Business

 

Low hanging fruit. It’s just not right. We aren’t apple picking here.

– Andi, Brand Associate

 

Take this offline. It’s just a procrastination tool.

– Whitney, Brand Manager

 

Ping. I don’t like ping.  We don’t have Blackberries anymore, we’re not really “pinging” anyone.  We’re emailing, texting, maybe calling.  But not pinging, it’s outdated.  Maybe only if we’re actually playing ping-pong.

– Franny, Senior Brand Specialist

 

VIRAL. As it is used in “viral video” or “let’s make it go viral” …because I’m sorry to burst your bubble people but you can’t MAKE something go viral. It’s something that happens on its own due to unparalleled creativity or evoking of an emotional response. Just like Regina George once said, stop trying to make fetch [viral] happen. It’s not going to happen.

– Gina, Digital Marketing and Content Strategist

 

LOW HANGING FRUIT. I guess it’s more PR jargon. But it’s just gross.

– Erin, Digital Marketing Senior Specialist

 

It has legs. It’s so … creepy! It sounds like a spider that’s going to crawl away. BLEGHH.

– Kelsey, Digital Marketing Specialist

 

It’s not specific to marketing but ‘ping me.’

– Kerryn, Senior Manager, Brand Integration

 

Below the radar.  Just lame.

– Len, CEO

 

Mainly used in PR but ‘Low hanging fruit’ because I’m immature and laugh every time someone says it.

– Chloe, PR Associate

 

Buzz-worthy.

– Brooke, PR Manager

Outsmart the Geeks with These Algorithm Hacks

If you want to expand your reach on social media, then understanding each channel’s newsfeed algorithm is a step in the right direction.  Think of each algorithm as a set of rules that the system follows when organizing content.

As digital marketing specialists, we could write a novel on the subject, but for time’s sake we’ve listed some highlights and quick tips to make you an algorithm expert. Let’s start with the social platform that has made “algorithm” a household word…

Facebook

<1% organic reach

Ahhh, trusty old Facebook. As one of the oldest social platforms (created in 2004), one can imagine the number of changes it has seen. Facebook has updated its News Feed display algorithm countless times over the past decade, but it made especially big waves with its announcement in January 2018. See our blog post about the new Facebook update for a detailed breakdown of how they are trying to bring Facebook back to ‘the people,’ but a few main takeaways include:

  • Strategically boosted posts and Facebook ads are more essential than ever.
  • ‘Meaningful Interactions’ will rank higher, another reason to create authentic, engaging content.

Instagram

~10% organic reach

You may remember that Instagram’s feed started out chronological, and then moved to an algorithm in 2016 (to the dismay of many users). Since then, the platform has added new capabilities (stories, highlights, follow tags, etc.) and recharged its algorithm to keep up with the demand for authentic content. If you’re looking to optimize content for Instagram’s current formula, here are some highlights:

  • Facebook owns Instagram: Similar to what we just covered, meaningful engagement ranks your content higher.
  • Stories matter: The algorithm takes story posts’ activity into account. Keep up those real-time updates!
  • Time matters: How fast can you respond to comments and messages? How long can you keep their eyeballs on the prize? The quicker you are and the longer they watch, the better.
  • Strategic hashtags: Remember, people can follow hashtags as well now, so consider using something “popular” that still fits your brand. At CBC, we like to create lists of relevant hashtags to have on hand for our client’s content and make additions as new ones arise.

LinkedIn

If you’re starting to feel a loss of control over when and where your content is displayed, then take solace in the fact that you still have the ability to choose “Top” versus “Recent” content in your LinkedIn homepage feed, thanks to its Sort functionality option.

LinkedIn is a great place to share company culture and industry insights, and users are automatically served Top posts, arranged by LinkedIn’s algorithm. So, consider the following if you want your content floating to the top:

  • Relevance: Tailor content to your LinkedIn audience. Always think: Do they care about this news? Is it helpful? If LinkedIn users “Hide” your post, it will negatively affect position.
  • Big surprise… engagement matters! LinkedIn will let your content hang out for a while and register any likes or comments before moving it up or down the feed. So, ask a question or pose a tip! Adding a call-to-action is always the best way to increase engagement.
  • Go beyond the newsfeed: Participate in LinkedIn groups that are relevant to your organization. Join conversations that are already happening about your industry. Share posts from other people and brands. All of this will increase your reach, thus helping your post’s initial score.
  • Be on time: Since we know LinkedIn lets your content hang in the timeline at first, you should aim to hit users at primetime. Some say 8pm is the magic hour, but check your analytics to be sure.

Twitter

Twitter’s algorithm can be a little confusing due to multiple parts, so buckle up. Twitter technically still displays all tweets in your timeline in reverse chronological order, but you might have to scroll to get there. In 2015, it began introducing such updates, and currently, you still have the option to manage timeline preferences.

There are three sections; let’s break them down:

  • Ranked Tweets: Twitter uses an algorithm to determine what is most relevant to you.
  • ICYMI – In Case You Missed It: These may also be relevant according to the algorithm, and they are from several hours or days ago.
  • Reverse Chronological: Newest on top.

And here are a few tips so your content ends up in those top two sections:

  • Broken record here… engagement matters! Consider both ends; post tweets that elicit replies, and make sure you reply back to followers.
  • If at first you DO succeed, try again: Repurpose content that has been performing well. You can check out Twitter analytics and determine which tweets were most successful.
  • Video, Video, Video: Visual content gets noticed. Videos are six times more likely to be re-tweeted.
  • Strategic Hashtags: Similar to Instagram, find specific/relevant tags that work for your brand. It can also be helpful to jump on trending hashtags.
  • Timing: Similar to LinkedIn, consider time of day so that your initial tweet receives the most eyeballs.

 

There you have it, in a large nutshell. Algorithms rule the social world, so it is important as marketers to ride the wave and dive in headfirst. Learn all you can, in order to be visible – great content should be seen. Follow the rules, just like an algorithm!

Minimalism: The New Guy in the Brand Toolbox

Minimalism: it’s like taking a long swig of refreshing water after a sweaty spin session. Minimalism has us feeling good in 2018, cutting out unnecessary clutter and clearing out the junk in our basements. The public has caught onto the trend, but what about brands? As strategic visual content is an essential element for digital success, we see brands approaching their content through all sort of different angles. Our POV? Sometimes less is more.

What is Minimalism?

Minimalism is a mindset, design concept, and art movement; an all-in-one “lifestyle” approach that only explores the essentials and is the perfect fusion of simplicity and authenticity. Take it from Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, AKA “The Minimalists”:

“Minimalists don’t focus on having less, less, less; rather, we focus on making room for more: more time, more passion, more experiences, more growth, more contribution, more contentment. More freedom. Clearing the clutter from life’s path helps us make that room.”

Minimalism is taking over in 2018 and it’s important for brands to notice. Interested in applying this concept to your developing brand? Follow our tips below.

1. Reach into your Art Box… 

The beauty of minimalism is that the viewer is not burdened with an overly-complicated message. With minimalistic advertising, the message is clear and concise. Minimal text, color, and often-times monochromatic design make up these commonly clever images. KISS (Keep it simple stupid) is the key to minimalist success, where the artist eliminates all unnecessary information and uncovers meaning.

Takeaway: Think about minimalism as it applies to collateral: packaging, menus, website layouts, brochures, print and digital ads, etc. These materials should focus on uncluttered imagery, recognizable iconography, and direct copy.

2. Think of social media as your virtual art gallery

Let’s face it. Social media has become a digital gallery right down to the curated pictures and clever captions … the only piece missing is the free wine and cheese. Specifically, on Instagram, users strategically design their feeds to be minimalistic, using a precise color palate, filter, and perspective. The appeal of these aesthetically-pleasing accounts goes beyond the fact that they are nice to look at – they also show discipline, artistry, and a strong sense of identity.

Takeaway: Pick a distinct “theme” on your social media channels, and create a collection of images that display a recognizable brand image, without distracting add-ons.

3. Establish minimalism as a state of mind

Minimalism is a lifestyle and adopting it in all aspects can contribute to the overall “health” of your brand. Think about the value you want to add to your business and cut down on the products and applications that don’t help you achieve it. This type of minimalism helps to rid your brand of excess in order to focus on what’s really important –identity, customer satisfaction, and growth.

Takeaway: Everything about the way your brand runs and presents itself should be simple, intentional, and focused. Simplify the user experience, choose social platforms that align with the vision of your brand, and focus on growing customer relationships by engaging in meaningful conversation.

To us, it seems that the fad of minimalism is here to stay – and rightfully so. As marketers, it should always be our goal to simplify messaging and user experiences. To apply this thinking, remind yourself to “Always question if ‘more’ is really the answer. Sometimes, ‘enough’ is better.”

What We Learned at SXSW Interactive

In March, CBC headed to Austin, TX where we were immersed in 5 days of marketing panels, discussions, experiential brand activations, events, and more! We like to think of it as Disney World for digital marketing professionals. Our V.P. of Brand Integration, Robin Mack, shared her experience and some key learnings from this year’s 2018 SXSW Interactive conference.

Robin tests out the hot seat at Bumble’s activation all about female empowerment.

 

As a founder of CBC’s SIDEBAR Studios, I’ve been in the trenches researching all aspects of content marketing. Where it’s going and how we can help our clients succeed in this area. As a first-time goer at SXSW, it was incredibly validating to hear industry perspectives on the importance of content, visual storytelling and the rising role of micro-influencers in today’s marketing landscape. All things we are preaching at CBC.

I’ve outlined my key takeaways from lectures featuring incredible speakers from brands such as Revolve, Kate Spade, Instagram, William Sonoma, CNN and so many more.

 

  1. Influencers have solidified their place as a highly impactful way to introduce and convert customers. A shift to the micro-influencer is where brands are seeing the highest engagement. These are influencers with >50K in followers. They are experts and advisors in their field and have greater than 20Xs the number of conversions than “celeb” influencers.

Revolve and Beauty Barrage talked about the power of micro-influencers.

 

  1. Visual storytelling is driving ROI and science supports it.91% of audiences prefer visual content to long-form text. Visuals transmit to the brain 60,000 times faster than text and increases comprehension by 89%. So, if we told you, audiences only read 20% of the content delivered to them, you better have strong visuals (photo & video) for them to retain a good understanding and positive first impression of your brand. Therefore, a narrative through visual storytelling (i.e. video) is the most impactful way to connect with consumers. Industry best practice suggests pushing out 12-14 types of visual content pieces per campaign.

Photo 1: When Twitter House encourages bathroom selfies, you comply. Photo 2: The Bose activation was taking visual storytelling to the next level with VR sunglasses that trigger sound based on what you’re seeing.

 

  1. Take a channel-specific approach to reach your audience. Instagram vs. YouTube vs. Facebook speak to customers in different ways and cater to different engagements. Create and optimize content for each channel to effectively engage consumers and hit successful metrics. For example, Instagram Stories is a place to be more real and vulnerable whereas YouTube is a place for higher production and entertainment.

Photo: Kate Spade’s team showed how they customize their content strategy for each channel. Like these puppy social sharables only lived on Facebook to promote click-throughs to product.

 

  1. Audiences want real.Engagement spikes when brands act authentic and show vulnerability. Content does not need to be overly produced or perfectly curated. Transparency goes a long way with consumers and increases brand affinity. When you use influencers, conversion happens when they are allowed to creatively collaborate with brands and drop the branded script. Allowing this type of creativity produces novelty which engages the brain and stirs emotion in the mind of the consumer; emotion ignites the memory solidifying your brand impression.

 

These insights substantiate that in our ever-evolving jobs as marketers, content is critical. I’d even go as far as calling content king in a mixed bag of marketing.

Overall, the conference reminded us that it’s so important to take time away from our incredibly busy marketing jobs for personal and professional growth. In every lecture, I found myself learning new things and it was truly invigorating and inspiring.

Check out some more photos from our SXSW adventure…

 

Robin Mack

VP of Brand Integration

CBC Uncorked: Who is your [Social Media] Spirit Animal?

CBCUncorked is back with another unfiltered, unedited question of the month:

For the month of March, we asked CBCers to scroll through their social feeds and tell us who they chose as their “social media spirit animal” and why. Social media spirit animal can be defined as a social account (person, place, animal etc.) that you feel sums you up in some way. Read through our answers below to find out about our online alter egos.

 

“Rachel from @AdultYoga b/c she is weird, randomly dark, and always hysterical.”

– Kelsey Damrad, Digital Marketing Specialist

 

 

“My dog @frankedoodle. Because the most stressful thing in his life is catching anything that moves (which he never does) and lives life without a care in the world.

– Jen Newberg, Director of Business Development

 

 

“Real spirit animal: Sea Otter. Social media spirit animal: @olliebopz, Fur boss.”

– Blair Curzi, PR Specialist

 

 

“@ronniefieg, without a doubt. Not only is he a streetwear design/collaboration legend (Kith), but his love for cereal led him to also develop an unreal, boutique-style cereal bar (Kith Treats). Streetwear and cereal are two of my favorite things, so the fact that he is killing the game with both makes him my idol.”

– Jared Ravreby, PR Associate

 

 

“I can’t pick just one! I love @erinoutdoors because I love outdoor adventure travel. But @overheardnewyork reminds me of everything I miss about home. And @newyorkercartoons just makes me laugh.”

– Franny, Senior Brand Specialist

 

 

“Tie between #gracesbedhead (an ode to Grace Joy, @PureJoyHome’s daughter) and Nora of @jessannkirby”

– Kerryn Connolly, Senior Manager, Brand Integration

 

 

“This may be the hardest question I’ve ever been asked. But it would probably have to be a three-way tie between @BusyPhillips due to her unapologetic, unedited and #nofilter personality on Instagram, @kaitlynbristowe because she gets my love for puns, wine, and inappropriate jokes (+ her and Shawn Booth are #couplegoals) and @WallyBenjagram because of his flawless ability to strike a pose, any time, any place.”

– Gina Uttaro, Digital Marketing and Content Strategist

 

 

“@girlwithnojob – Yes, I have a job (thank you CBC), but she is Jewish, likes to eat a lot and sings in the bathtub…I’d say that we are pretty similar.”

– Andi Wollin, Brand Associate

 

 

“Can it be a brand? Mine would be @Fahertybrand. Farhety Brand to me stands for free-spirited, authentic, summer, sun, laid back, fun and celebrating life’s simple things. Also comfort and kindness.”

– Robin Mack, VP of Brand Integration

 

 

“@studioplants is the houseplants and tips account of Jeannie Phan – illustrator and cat lady. She’s the reason for my recent Philodendron purchase (and why it isn’t in the trash yet), along with the numerous other plants sprouting up around my home. I love her suggestions for plant care and accessories, the beautiful photography and an occasional snoozing Odin.”

– Alex Hanson, Senior Graphic Designer

 

 

“My social media spirit animal is @alisoneroman – the author of the Dining In cookbook (featuring the chocolate chip cookies seen all over Instagram). She loves cooking and entertaining her friends, traveling, champagne, she’s a *little* disorganized AND I feel like we would be best friends. Best part is she’s constantly instagramming delicious food (those cookies!) and that’s all I really need.”

–  Annie Draper, PR Specialist

 

 

What’s your [social media] spirit animal? Tweet us @cerconebrown.