Instagram Chief Says Edits App Coming Soon, Will Be Available for Free
Hi all!
Instagram “edits app” coming soon! Make sure to click on the links in the article that describe the App’s features, etc. Everyone should read this one….
The overall landscape of digital Marketing is changing at a very fast pace. Effectively Marketing your brand into the future will require an understanding of what consumer trends are doing. This article is for those of you with a desire to lean into learning ongoing Marketing trends a little deeper. This one explains Connected commerce. I found it interesting.
Instagram Adds WhatsApp Connection Sticker for Stories
Hi all!
READ THIS ARTICLE….everyone. Not just because this is a VERY useful feature (IMO) for driving your brand and future (or current) Salon business, but also because it does a good job of explaining how Social Media usage is slowly moving toward DM activity for connection to customers/clients.
This article is a “must read” for everyone. You should be researching and learning (ongoing now) EVERYTHING about AI technology, as it now makes its way into every part of our online lives. For your “Marketing”, it’s going to change a LOT of things.
Report Looks at Key App Trends, Including the Shifting Social Media Landscape
Hi all!
This breakdown of a much larger report (see below) in SMT’s nicely abbreviated article is a good read. “Trend” articles are always helpful IMO. Fairly short and with good information.
If you are a hardcore marketing fanatic, there’s a link to the source website in this SMT article….where you can request the entire 90+ page report (you have to provide your information to get the full link).
TikTok Plans to Cut Off US Users Entirely if Sell-off Bill Is Enacted
Hi all!
This article comes with ZERO opinions on the whole subject from myself. I would simply encourage all of you to follow this situation closely over the next few days (on whatever news platforms you prefer) IF you are using TikTok for your personal Brand Marketing efforts.
What types of things limit my distribution on Instagram?
Hi all!
Two things: First; this link will take you to Instagram, and specifically to the “Instagram for business” resource area. All of you should be connected to this resource on Instagram since it’s an ongoing internal guide on how best to utilize the platform for marketing success. Second; this article/infographic is a great example of things you can read up on that will help you get better results from using the platform.
10 marketing predictions for 2025 as new era of productivity dawns
Hi all!
First marketing article share of 2025! This site (Marketing dive), will require you to sign up for their newsletters to read the entire article. I subscribe to Marketing Dive (with many others) and would recommend doing so, but remember, it is always your choice. This is LONG article, but it is full of very good information for your consideration heading into 2025. Your personal Marketing efforts can be more effective if you are up to date on the latest news, trends, etc when dealing with all things “Marketing”.
YOU SHOULD BE USING PINTEREST IN YOUR MARKETING EFFORTS. That’s just my opinion of course.
Read this article (published by Pinterest) that lists the trend predictions for 2025. MAKE SURE you click on the “Pinterest Predicts” link in the first paragraph!
You may even find it helpful in tailoring content for your other platforms going into the new Year.
7 top campaigns from 2024 and the tactics that drove success
Hi all!
This is a longer article and will require a time commitment to get through (especially if you explore each campaign featured to get a feel for “why” it was chosen). These articles are always helpful (IMO), to expand your knowledge base for your own Marketing efforts. While I wouldn’t duplicate any of them, they all contain ideas that could be incorporated into your own posts.
Top 10 graphic design trends to experiment with in 2025
Hi all!
Although this is an article from a company that makes money doing graphics, etc….it still has some great ideas. It’s short and worth the time to go through. Complete with graphic examples.
Everyone should go through this current Demographic chart, it’s short and easy read (make sure and click on the chart tabs too). Knowing your audience for each Marketing tool/platform can only make you more effective at growing your own Brand.
TV advertising drives brand results: Here’s what the numbers say
Hi all!
Television advertising to build your brand? read this to find out more about “why” this could be something to consider. There are a few local broadcasters with all levels of advertising packages available. Always good to be aware of ALL your brand-building options.
I get it, you don’t use “Threads” for your Marketing (Meta’s version of X, former twitter). But 275 million people use the platform now…..it might be time to reconsider. Check out this article.
YouTube Adds Poll Stickers for Shorts, Ad Category Blocking for Channels
Hi all!
Do you have a YouTube channel to promote yourself and your brand? Why not? YouTube is one of the LARGEST, most-used “search engines” in the world. For everything “Beauty”, you can bank on thousands of people in your own backyard using Youtube to research things they may be interested in trying (Beauty-wise). POLL STICKERS could be incredibly useful to promoting engagement on your YT content as well, providing potential customer leads for you to reach out to. This article explains the Poll sticker feature and a couple other things as well. Good read FOR ALL
Social media platforms are using what you create for artificial intelligence. Here’s how to opt out
Hi all!
This is VERY important article and everyone here should read it……all of it. BTW, I’m not suggesting that anyone follow the advice here….only that you should all be aware of this process.
The link below will take you to SMT’s website and an article focused on upcoming TikTok shopper trends for 4th quarter Holiday. There’s a link in the article for the full guide, and you’ll need to enter your email to get it, but it’s worth doing IMO.
The article is geared for the EU market…BUT, it’s relevant to the US as well. There’s good info in the overview that SMT’s article provides, and a call-out that the Beauty Industry is trending heavily into the Holiday Gift season (which I thought was interesting too).
3 “Trending Now” updates to help you keep up with the latest trends
Hi all!
Google’s “Trending now” tool can be a significant help in pairing your marketing up with the trending google search terms at any given time. Using the tool, you can choose a geography (like Boise), and a time period, then see all the most popular search terms during that time. For example, in Boise over the last 7 days, the most popular searches were related to the 2024 summer olympics. Now imagine using keywords in your #hashtags or other social identifiers that would help your posts show up to people searching “olympic-related” results. Just the tip of the iceberg on how this tool can be used year-round! THE ARTICLE HAS A BLUE ‘TRENDING NOW” LINK….that will take you to the tool (safe link)
TikTok is a great tool for building your brand and connecting with the demographic that frequents the platform, (if you’re not what that demographic includes, then please research that topic as well). This is a pretty big feature “add” in our opinion, as it allows you to now create and add a thumbnail outside of your video clip….which can help to grab someone’s attention in a very specific way. Good article here from SMT!
Meta Is Testing Automated Creative Variations for Reels
Hi all!
This is a solid article that everyone should read. “Reels” can be a very effective business page tool for growing audience…and this possible new feature is worth understanding.
TikTok users continue to grow and evolve: Here’s what the numbers say
Hi all!
If you are using TikTok for your marketing, kind of using it, or just thinking about it….this is a very interesting article that I recommend for everyone!
Instagram beats TikTok for video-based user acquisition, survey finds
Hi all!
Read this one.
As you decide how much time to devote to your marketing efforts…the bigger question should be “which platform” will bring the best ROI (return on investment) for the “type” of marketing you prefer. IF you love making and sharing videos…then the information in this article will be helpful IMO.
Data Suggests Threads Is Seeing More Daily Users in the US Than X
Hi all!
I’m sharing this because I think realtime platforms (like X and Threads) can be amazing brand building tools for Beauty Industry professionals. I’ve been using Threads for a while now (for my own personal stuff) and consistently see more content coming from people/brands I follow. This is a short article with info that can be helpful as you choose which platforms you’re going to dedicate time to. Will Threads overtake X? Hard to tell at this point…..but it’s good to stay informed as this process unfolds.
An interesting article…and please make sure you read down past the list they created as there is another section on “How to use social media influencers to build your brand”. This is a worthwhile read IMO
Pinterest Shares Insights Into Optimizing Social Platform Algorithms for Positive Engagement
Hi all!
I always like to find and share articles about using Pinterest in your marketing. IMO, it is still the very best platform to host a Look Book (or similar depending on your brand’s business goals). The platform still has an enormous daily user-base. This is a worthwhile read for all.
How Lowe’s loyalty program is the ‘spine’ for personalization efforts
Hi all!
The article being shared today is far more about the general “concept” than Lowe’s actual program. The idea of “Loyalty programs” has been around forever but as businesses get smarter about tailoring them to specific demographics, they become a more powerful tool for building brands. The Beauty industry is the perfect place for creative loyalty programs/campaigns….. Read, the article to get the feel for the concept, then use your creativity and your own business goals to see how you might be able to incorporate this concept.
Instagram Experiments With More Frames Within Carousel Posts
Hi all!
This article is about how Instagram is doing some initial “limited” testing with expanding the number of frames you can include in a carousel post. It’s short and would be interesting if it gets pushed to an “all users” feature at some point.
Why Snapchat is pitching its platform as an alternative to social media
Hi all!
This is a worthwhile article for two reasons; First, because Snapchat continues to be an effective advertising platform for the demographic they serve….and it’s important to stay on top of what they’re doing. Second and more importantly IMO, because Snapchat says they are not increasing their spend budget to market themselves to users this year, BUT, they are rebranding their platform as an “alternative to Social media” in the advertising efforts…. (maybe you saw their ads during the Super Bowl). The point here; the way you brand yourself, your services and your experience value to your customers can be far more important than how much you spend doing so. Time will tell if this strategy pays off for Snapchat. The lesson from the article though, is still a strong one.
News outlets are collapsing as advertisers flock to social media platforms. It has major implications for society
Hi all!
I’ve included this article for you because I believe it’s an important part of your Marketing efforts to stay connected to the pulse of what is changing with regards to how many get their daily “news”. Consider this, “News” also includes updated health trends, fashion changes and general topics that all fall within the scope of the Beauty Industry, and what you provide as professionals. If more people are relying on social platforms for their news….then consider yourself part of delivering news and information to your customers, clients and followers……make sure that information you share is accurate and well vetted. Do this to become a “trusted” source of Beauty industry information. Doing this well can certainly become a large part of attaching clients to you in a more effective, long-lasting way.
This is a very good article for all of you to read. It’s not very long, so it won’t take much time. I feel it provides some very good insight into possible scenarios for future marketing hurdles. Help keep your marketing efforts effective by better understanding what your audience may or may not find compelling to follow as social media habits change.
All seven steps are important….but steps 1,2 & 7 are the most important (IMO).
Many Americans find value in getting news on social media, but concerns about inaccuracy have risen
Hi all!
The beauty of the “Beauty industry” is that trends change constantly…..in a way, your marketing efforts should contain the equivalent of “news updates” to those who follow your brand. If this is something you find value in, this article has some great insights.
4 Ways Social Platforms Could Look To Integrate Generative AI
Hi all!
Articles that deal with the continued growth and integration of all things “AI” are worth reading (IMO). This is a shorter article that i thought had some decent information.
MrBeast Uploads Clip Directly to X for the First Time as the Platform Leans Into Video Content
Hi all!
The reason I’m sharing this article is encourage all of you to stay on top of all major platform news and updates. This article speaks to X (formerly twitter) and their push to increase earning potential for creators/influencers video content. If you are currently (or have interest in) “monetizing” content as part of your brand’s income streams, then this article should prove interesting.
Inside the creator marketing trends expected to go viral in 2024
Hi all!
This is a longer article but it is worth reading. It contains some decent insights into 2024 Marketing trends and it never hurts to be as informed as possible when planning your own brand strategy going into a new year.
TikTok Launches 2024 Marketing Calendar to Assist in Your Planning
Hi all!
First Marketing update article for 2024. If you click on the blue “content planning guide for 2024 link” in the article, it’ll take you to the TikTok for business website where you can download the calendar(s) directly.
Content Marketing Checklist for 2024: 24 Steps to Online Success
Hi all!
This in-depth article touches on some very good points and advice. A great content strategy will help you grow your brand in a faster, more effective way.
This is a longer article but I would highly recommend reading through it.
These articles are always good for some insight but remember as always to do your homework and that results can vary depending on the content/audiences you’re working with.
Snapchat Launches Snapchat+ Gift Memberships for Christmas
Hi all!
I’m sharing this article primarily to make you aware of Snapchat+ (if you’re not already familiar). I believe it holds interesting opportunities for small businesses (and individuals) to connect and sell (service/products) to clients in a unique way. Enjoy!
Leveraging Discord for Social Media Marketing Success
Hi all!
I use Discord for my Coding activities, so I’m familiar with the platform and process. If you’re interested in something else for your marketing pursuits, this will give you a starting point for considering Discord.
TikTok Shares Insights Into the Performance of Ads for CPG Brands
Hi all!
If you’re using TikTok to build your own branding and presence, this is a good article. If you’re NOT using TikTok, this is “still” a good article for you to read!
This is a LONG article. I read through it this morning and it took about 15 minutes, but it was excellent. It is also broken into categories, including by “social platform”. You can jump around to the topics that interest you most but I would suggest reading the whole thing.
Meta Expands Broadcast Channels to Facebook and Messenger
Hi all!
Messaging in general is trending “up” for connection to audiences across all platforms. While this may or may not be an option for you to explore, (especially if you have goals of being an influencer in your industry as well), it is still important to keep up on where marketing is headed. Good article for all IMO.
How Meta, TikTok ad-free tiers could impact advertiser budgets
Hi all!
This is “Industry news” more than a Marketing tip. The article is longer but worth reading as this “business model” for Social platforms is inevitable. You should understand how it will affect using social platforms to market your brand in the future. It might even be a good thing……..
Google Expands Access to Social Media Links in Business Listings
Hi all!
This is why staying up to date on marketing trends and updates is so important:
A few months ago, Google announced that they would be adding a feature to Google Business listings where you could add “social links” to your business profile (a very exciting new feature for many reasons). At that time, Oliver Finley’s google business page had not been granted access to the feature as it was a gradual roll-out.
Google business pages ARE THE MOSTR IMPORTANT tool available to you for building your brand. If you have an established (and verifiable) address that you do business from, you may be eligible to create and use a google business listing (please do the research for yourself).
This article was helpful for me as well, because I was checking in regularly to see if the feature was available for OFA, this article reminded me to check again and the feature was available! I was able to add our social platforms to our listing and I felt like the article would be good to share with all of you.
This is a great article with a lot of interesting insight…….the author’s opinions of course…but sill, full of curious thoughts for the future of marketing a social media useage.
Brand interactions evolve on social media: Here’s what the numbers say
Hi all!
I appreciate these short, but interesting platform-usage style updates. They are the author’s opinion of course (based on the research they’ve done) but still very worthwhile to read through. Marketing strategies change almost daily/weekly and if you want to maximize the “time” you invest in growing your own online presence, why not be as educated as possible on every changing trend as they happen?
X Shares Its Vision for the Future of the App at Its First Client Council Meeting
Hi all!
X (formerly Twitter) should be a consideration for your Marketing mix. “X” users are a unique demographic mix IMO….and perhaps a tier of clients you wouldn’t normally connect with via Facebook/Insta, etc
With this in mind, you should know more about the platform, how it works and where it’s headed in the future. This article may help a little with the “where its headed” question.
5 SEO Trends That Have Dominated Online Search in 2023 [Infographic]
Hi all!
If you’ve read our Marketing textbook, you already have a decent idea of what SEO is and how it works. This article covers some interesting SEO ground and is an easy to read Infographic.
Gen Z is more likely to be OK with targeted ads — here’s what the numbers say
Hi all!
Great article here. Get through the first few paragraphs as they are relevant….but it’s the “Influencer + Gen Z” info (towards the end) that I think is the most interesting part. Enjoy!
Be tuned-in to how your clients (of all ages) respond to various marketing tactics.
As social media platforms weigh up user experience vs. monetization, marketers struggle to keep up
Hi all!
This is a longer but valuable article with very good updates and information that I believe will be valuable for all of you. Staying on top of platform growth, changes and challenges is “key” to maximizing the time you spend marketing yourself.
YouTube Will Now Let You Add More Links To Your Channel Profile
Hi all!
Really short article on a new “expanded” feature for your YouTube channel. Definitely worth reading so you’re aware of the benefits this update to the platform could be for your own Marketing.
Social media: What the platforms are for and how they work
Hi all!
Nice and short article here. It doesn’t go into great detail about how to use each platform, but it does a good job of listing the basic demographics for each platform….and lists quite a few lesser known social tools you might consider experimenting with to help grow your reach (to potential clients).
Twitter traffic is ‘tanking’ as Meta’s Threads hits 100 million users
Hi all!
Just some industry news that I feel everyone should be aware of. We have our “Threads” account for OFA now and I have my personal account as well. Interesting super-growth here……
Instagram Will Now Let You Add Up to Three Collaborators on Posts and Reels
Hi all!
PLEASE READ this article. This would be an interesting way of “networking” with fellow professionals on your Social platforms.. The ability to “share” with another collaborator on Insta has been around for a couple of years, this new feature just allows up to 3 now.
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THOUGHT FOR ME WAS THIS: this would be a great feature for two or three friends (all professionals) to cross-share each other while promoting their own brand (thus expanding audience reach for all collaborators involved). The possibilities are endless.
Creative marketing is a key to success IMO. LEARNING TO USE EVERY AVAILABLE TOOL ON EACH PLATFORM WILL BE A HUGE ADVANTAGE TO YOUR BUSINESS GROWTH.
Love them or loathe them Facebook groups can be a lifeline for rural communities
Hi all!
Facebooks “groups”….what can I say except I think they’re a great idea for client building in our Industry. From our own experience though (like our alumni group page), if you don’t maintain them well (we’re guilty), they quickly become irrelevant to anyone who joins.
That said, can you imagine creating a local facebook group dedicated to a beauty subject you’re passionate about, inviting folks to it, posting great materials regularly, asking members to contribute and share the group with others, then booking appointments from people in the group that love the subject everyone is interested in?
Kids under 12 chose YouTube’s video content over TikTok: Report
Hi all!
Another good “demographic-based” article for you to read through. Some of you may be thinking that this age group is not your customer base….but they are (kids need haircuts, etc too), and as they grow older they could certainly become your future adult clientele.
Developing quality content for younger audiences can be a very important part of growing your brand IMO.
How to use competitive benchmarking to grow your social presence
Hi all!
Competitive Benchmarking is an important “best practice” for growing your brand. This is a longer article but has some great information that will be beneficial to all.
Snapchat Tests New ‘Dreams’ Element as Social Apps Continue to Develop Generative AI Elements
Hi all!
As we continue to see “generative AI” become more prominent in our online lives, it will become increasingly important to fully understand what AI is, and the many ways it can work for us in our marketing (and our lives in general). At this stage, it’s still a young technology for public consumption….but I would encourage all of you to become more familiar with all things “generative AI”. The term is being pushed into numerous products now and will only grow from here.
This article focuses on “dreams” from snapchat but also includes some good general blanket info about where generative AI is at so far in our marketing world.
Here’s an Editor’s choice article from the Social media today’s site. Meta, (facebook and instagram parent company), have added some new lead generation tools. I would recommend getting to know what they are and how to utilize them.
These are the most helpful types of Marketing articles because they offer the author’s perspective on important analytics for each social platform out there (the big ones anyway). Plus, I really liked the layout, graphics, etc.
TikTok Ads Are Bringing Viewers Back to Bigger Screens
Hi all! You may be wondering why I’m sharing this. Overall, it’s because “short-form” platforms like TikTok are very good at pointing viewers to bigger things (TV shows/Movies like this article talks about) but also things like Beauty Services or your Brand in general.
Learn to use these platforms correctly and they become a much more powerful tool for you! This is short….and worthwhile IMO
Reach vs. Impressions: What’s More Important to Track in 2023?
Hi all! Understanding the difference between “Reach” and “Impressions” is a valuable piece of knowledge for your own Marketing. Take the time to read though this article. I think you’ll find it helpful in general.
Meta is retiring its Code Generator feature as part of a broader update to user security settings.
The tool, which allowed users to authenticate their login session using a code from their phone, will be replaced with more robust options due to its vulnerability to attacks and its redundancy in the face of newer technology.
While only a small portion of users still utilize the feature, those who do will need to switch to alternative two-factor authentication methods such as “third-party apps like Google Authenticator, sms, and security keys.”
A system that uses missed calls as a verification method is also in development.
To learn more about alternate methods for enabling 2FA:
11 of the Most Important TikTok Trends to Watch in 2023
TikTok continues to be a huge brand builder going into 2023. If you’re using it already, great! If not, you should consider the potential benefits of maintaining a presence there AND the demographic you’ll be working with. EITHER WAY, this article has some good info so it’s worth your time to give it a read through…..
ChatGPT vs. Content Marketers: Who Came Out on Top?
Hi all,
This will be one of many future articles that we share concerning openAI platform tools (ChatGPT, YouChat, etc).
The technology isn’t new….but this year it is finally reaching the masses, and looks to become a regular part of our lives going forward.
This article focuses on the process of utilizing these platforms to help you create content for building your brand.
I have been using the technology for long enough now, that I’ve seen both the benefits and the shortfalls involved. I would encourage you to read this article and begin experimenting with the process if it’s something you find interesting.
How to recruit more talent for your social video content
Hi all,
This is a longer article, so it will take more of your time. However….while I don’t agree with every word of it, I did find it quite comprehensive in both it’s advice and some of the small tutorial-style sections as well. I would definitely recommend taking the time to go through it all.
MARKETING UPDATES
