The Importance of Content Marketing for Oil and Gas

Jemully Media importance of content marketing for oil and gas

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EXPLORING THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTENT MARKETING FOR OIL & GAS

Technology is everywhere. We have our Netflix, GPSs, self-driving cars, and even cameras on our doorbells. We have DVRs to fast forward through commercials and satellite radio so we don’t have to listen to radio announcements. We only pick up a magazine or a newspaper if we are waiting at the doctor’s office or barber shop. And when it comes to websites, we are so adept at online surfing, we’ve fully trained our minds to tune out website banners completely. So what value would a practice like content marketing have to the businesses that serve the oil and gas sector?

SAVING BUSINESS ONE PIECE OF CONTENT AT A TIME

It’s time to acknowledge that most consumers have become capable of completely disregarding the “noise” of most marketing efforts. That’s why content marketing is imperative. Content marketing essentially is blogging. But, it is blogging that creates and curates unique, relevant content that customers will find useful and valuable. It’s a strategic approach that doesn’t explicitly sell or promote your brand, but instead stimulates interest in your product or services. In short, content marketing is the art of communicating with potential customers without directly selling to them. In the end, this creates customer loyalty and higher retention.

On average, it takes around 7 touchpoints for a customer to remember you and your brand. Content marketing ensures that each of those touchpoints is maximized to create experiences that truly matter and ultimately, help rein in more sales.

THE NECESSITY OF CONTENT MARKETING ACROSS ALL INDUSTRIES

Behind every great brand is a wealth of valuable and relevant content that really connects with the company’s audience. Content marketing has become a necessity for any modern brand and is at the heart of most successful digital marketing campaigns. Your audience wants to know that they are dealing with experts who know the ins and outs of the industry, and that’s exactly what content marketing provides – a platform to demonstrate expertise in the field while providing valuable information to your audience. The oil and gas industry is no exception. Your business depends on you being a trusted expert in your field.

CHANGING THE GAME: CONTENT MARKETING IN THE OIL & GAS INDUSTRY

You may be thinking “Yes, but is content marketing really that relevant to the oil and gas field?” The answer is ABSOLUTELY. James Hahn, owner of Tribe Rocket, sums it up nicely in The Top 5 Marketing Mistakes Oil & Gas Operators Make, ‘…our industry is at an inflection point. New technologies aren’t just changing the way people live, they are changing the way they think.’ People in oil and gas tend to have a very traditional mindset that says, “I need to meet people in person to build relationships and grow my business.”’ This poses a huge problem, though, as our world has become more and more digital, where consumers rely mostly on websites and social media as their first source of contact with brands. This means that building relationships with potential consumers has dramatically changed as their first encounter with you more than likely will not be face-to-face. As time has gone on, and technology has advanced, traditional business card marketing techniques are being superseded by those who are venturing into promoting their business on digital channels. The game has changed, and in order to be relevant, you must follow the tide. Content marketing has become the bridge connecting the traditional age to the tech age, merging them into a seamless digitization of old school, “good ol’ boy” marketing. It’s not out with the old – it’s simply the promotion of the old in a new and relevant way.

OK GREAT! BUT HOW?

Take a look at one of  our favorite articles on the how-to’s and the benefits of content marketing. The 80/20 Rule of Content Marketing

FOLLOWING THE LEADERS

See how easy it is to create valuable content for your audience? Take their lead, and get ready to jump in with both feet! It may seem intimidating to face these changes, but digitization provides pragmatic solutions to today’s challenges. Help your audience rise above the noise and see beyond it… help them see YOU! It’s this mindset that will set you apart as an industry leader, a leader who is reaching for what’s next. (Because isn’t what’s next what really matters?) Don’t just take opportunities—make opportunities. Harness the power that content marketing provides. Are you ready? Your audience is waiting for you. Reach out and grab them.

SEE EXAMPLES OF SOME OIL & GAS DIGITAL MARKETING LEADERS 

For more on some of the digital marketing leaders in the oil and gas sector see our Digital Done Right: Following the Leaders report.

Let’s talk about your content marketing questions.

Request more information or give us a shout.

info@jemully.com

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Our Top 11 for Leadership from 2018

There are no born leaders. Leadership is not a talent, but a forged discipline born from consistent personal development. A true leader cannot fully lead until they have learned to lead themselves.  The challenge here is simple: how can you learn to lead yourself? We’ve got you covered. Here’s our top 11 books on the topic of leadership from 2018: our curated selection that inspired our year and further developed our leadership.

To Read is to Lead

One of the best ways to lead yourself is through reading. You’re not doing yourself any favors if you’re in the 26 percent of American adults who haven’t read even part of a book within the past year. First of all, reading creates cognitive engagement that improves vocabulary, thinking skills, and concentration. But also, reading affects empathy, social perception, and emotional intelligence.

New Year, Who ‘Dis?

With a new year comes new resolutions. As you zero in on your objectives, challenge yourself to read. Strive to develop knowledge that improves you, your company, and the people around you.  Declare 2019 as the year of the reader; the year of you, as a leader.

 

Powerful

Powerful will change how you think about work and the way a business should be run. McCord advocates practicing radical honesty in the workplace. Say good-bye to employees who don’t fit the company’s emerging needs. Motivate with challenging work, not promises, perks, and bonus plans. Her road-tested advice, offered with humor and irreverence, provides readers a different path for creating a culture of high performance and profitability.

Lost and Founder

Everyone knows how a startup story is supposed to go. A young, brilliant entrepreneur has a cool idea. He drops out of college and defies the doubters. The entrepreneur overcomes all odds, makes billions, and becomes the envy of the technology world.

This is not that particular story. Up or down the chain of command, this book can help you solve your problems. Whether you are an early-stage startup or leading a mature company, this book can help solve your problems. And, subsequently, makes you feel less alone for having them.

The Messy Middle

Creating something from nothing is an unpredictable journey. Broken into three sections with 100+ lessons, this no-nonsense book will help you endure, optimize, and finish strong.

How to Fight a Hydra

Do you have a hydra in your life? For example, do you have a grand, ambitious project you’ve always wanted to tackle that feels overwhelming, unconquerable? A beast of a project that has many heads. Chop off one of a hydra’s heads, and two more grow in its place. How will you ever defeat such a terrifying monstrosity – and live to tell the tale? In this fable, productivity expert Josh Kaufman explores the uncertainty and fear inherent in facing down any ambitious challenge.

Make Time

A fun manifesto and practical do-it-yourself guide to building smart habits that stick!

Chief Joy Officer

Chief Joy Officer offers sage, hard-won advice to any manager or leader who yearns to make more of an impact on the lives of others.

The Business Book

Another great book, The Business Book will be your new go-to guide that’s packed with innovative graphics and simple explanations of business concepts, In fact, The Business Book is the field guide you maybe didn’t even know you needed. From managing risk and alternative business models to effective leadership and thinking outside the box, In summary, The Business Book covers every facet of business management.

Great Mondays

In Great Mondays, brand strategist Josh Levine introduces a proven formula for building and managing a workplace culture that maximizes employee engagement, performance, and retention for long-term business success.

Responsible Abandon

Bring back recess! (And still get work done, too!) Responsible Abandon is a call to embrace play by seeing the world as a playground. The playground principles presented in this book will help you unlock creativity, enjoy and seek learning opportunities, and create authentic connections with people and ideas. Consequently, you will lead by staying young, fun, and creative!

Quantum Success

Through her accessible, empowering writing, Christy Whitman shares the fundamental principles that she’s discovered after more than 20 years of studying universal forces—such as polarity, alignment, resonance, momentum, and magnetism—and explains how to harness these forces to optimize your wealth and career.

The Power of Visual Storytelling

Attention is the new commodity. Visual storytelling is the new currency. Filled with full-color images and thought-provoking examples from leading companies, The Power of Visual Storytelling explains how to grow your business and strengthen your brand by leveraging photos, videos, infographics, presentations, and other rich media. In summary, the book delivers a powerful road map for getting started while inspiring new levels of creativity within organizations of all types and sizes.

 

The Benefits of Using Twitter for Business

In the modern age, we all know just how impactful social media can be. It influences our personal lives, of course, but it has transformed the world of business marketing as well. Most companies understand the value of adding social media to their marketing mix, yet when it comes to Twitter, many of them have a lingering uneasiness. Although it can be scary adding yet another social medium to your arsenal, Twitter has many devotees within business circles, and the platform delivers outstanding results for those who use it regularly. For businesses who take the time to really understand the value of Twitter, the results are amazing, and at relatively minimal cost as well!

 

Speed

One of the hallmarks of Twitter is its streamlined layout and presentation. All textual content, from posts to bio material, is restricted to a confined character count. Posts, for instance, cannot exceed 280 characters. That brevity can be refreshing to new users who are all-too-familiar with the sometimes over-long messaging in Facebook or Instagram feeds. This brevity and conciseness is also a marketer’s dream, as it can work to their advantage, provided they craft their own posts in the same clean, clear, concise mode. Twitter’s brevity also means that audiences scroll further down, on average, per log-in, on their Twitter feed than they do on any other social media feed. That behavior alone tends to bring them into contact with more ads – including your ads, when you utilize that feature as well.

 

Layout Freedom

From pictures, to videos, to URLs custom shortened by a Twitter helper tool, a social media planner exercises more freedom on Twitter than anywhere else. This advantage is further leveraged when one takes into account the power of adding a backlink. Meanwhile, a photo alone will give you on average a 110% increase in engagement with the post. You can also use video to expand the average time your audience will pay attention to your message, increasing engagement time from 8-12 seconds to around 30 seconds. This gives creatives a lot more room to inject some brand personality into these Tweets.

 

Grow Website Traffic

Not all the advantages of Twitter are measurable on Twitter exclusively. Some of the benefits of Twitter overflow to other marketing channels. Websites, for instance, can be a beneficiary of a company’s Twitter activity. Twitter is a proven performer when it comes to growing website traffic. Twitter has made it easier than ever to link from its platform to your website, or from your website to the Twitter platform. Putting a website URL into your business’s bio line, especially when the bio line (or your pinned [uppermost] tweet) includes a call to action, is an effective way to funnel traffic to your site. Another incentive for getting Twitter users to visit your website is to offer a chance at a prize. A simple, “Go to our website and subscribe for a chance to win a $100 gift card” can be all it takes to get numerous new viewers. Furthermore, linking from your site to Twitter can also be a great way to make sure your audience is still seeing information about your company even after they’ve left your website. Twitter not only has the standard widget that you can use to link to your homepage, but it also has a button you can put on your website that allows customers to follow your page immediately without even leaving your website. Whether you’re linking to or linking from, audience engagement will go up you’ll be building a stronger customer base that has more loyalty to your brand.

 

Worldwide Exposure

Twitter is popular around the entire globe. Its worldwide popularity opens doors for businesses with good social media teams. Such businesses can gain exposure to markets that might otherwise be beyond the reach of their marketing budgets. The algorithms of Twitter also lend themselves to viral sharing by elevating an account’s most popular posts to positions higher up on the feeds of those who follow that account. This feature, along with the retweet function and the comment function, allows you a chance to get your best content not just to your core audience but (through social sharing) to wider and wider circles of Twitter users, multiplying your reach and possibly winning you additional followers in the bargain. However, with this global reach also comes responsibility. One of the biggest dangers on Twitter is posting something that, while it may not be insulting to your demographic, could be insulting to someone in the broader Twittersphere. The possibility exists that, on a platform like Twitter, someone will find something objectionable in one of your best-circulated messages. Such a reactionary user could start an awareness initiative designed to hurt your standing with the customers you already have as well. It always looks bad for a brand to be closed minded, shallow, or mean, so the best rule of thumb is if you aren’t sure it won’t insult, just don’t use it at all.

 

Brand Personality

Expanding the personality of your brand can be the single most important advantage of using Twitter. Although brand information and benefits ought be a part of anyone’s overall messaging strategy on Twitter, thanks to the platform’s higher rates of audience interaction, there is a unique and easy opportunity to imprint your brand’s personality on your followers. The single most important way to go about this is simply to make sure your social media team is responding to comments and retweets constantly, and doing so with kind and fun responses. This is especially important when one of those little crises comes along, when some Twitter user starts sniping at your business. It’s then that your followers are watching you to see how you respond. Twitter users can be more interested in how a large business handles a nasty tweet than in what the nasty tweet says itself. Here we see a similarity to Yelp, except you have the chance to instantly change perceptions with just a few sentences. It is also important to mix up your tweets with content that is not always directly business related. An interesting article about activity out in the field or an office pic celebrating the holidays can remind your following of the unique and engaging qualities of your brand. A bio is yet another great opportunity to show off the brand’s personality. This is the first thing anyone will see when deciding to follow your brand or not. Make it fun and engaging, make it highlight the benefits of your company, and make it end with a call to action, and you are likely to gain followers quickly. A great example of all of these tactics successfully working for a brand is Wendy’s. Wendy’s was an early user of Twitter and has really done an amazing job of setting the tone for what works on Twitter. In just a few years, their witty audience engagement has turned their image from just a fast food place to a unique and engaging personality.

Social media has indeed done an excellent job of assisting businesses in growing their brand awareness, personality, and engagement. The results in creating a conversation between a brand and an audience, a prospect that, prior to social media, was hardly possible. With Twitter being the center of this movement and creating more average brand engagement than any other, it is vital for businesses to join the excitement and create a Twitter presence of their own. Although speed, layout freedom, linking freedom, and worldwide exposure are very helpful parts of Twitter, at the end of the day the freedom Twitter gives you to express your brand personality is the most important ingredient for businesses. We hope this knowledge will give you the confidence to create a strong Twitter presence; however, we realize this is just the tip of the iceberg. So we would like to help further in easing your fears and boosting your Twitter following. We will personally share every post we see containing @Jemully, as well as analyze your Twitter home page and your most recent three posts. We will then send you some personalized tips for improving your site. Twitter is nothing to be scared of, and with our help you will be ready to go before you know it!

What is HTTPS and SSL?

What is HTTPS and SSL?

Let’s start by breaking down the term “secure site.”

At its core, a secure site is a website equipped with secure servers, through SSL, that allows you to send the website owners information without the risk of hackers stealing it.

So, what is SSL?

It is the required certificate that you must obtain from a licensed certificate provider before your website can be changed to an https. When an SSL session is made active, the information that is sent from any computer to the website owners will be changed from plain text that anyone can read to a unique coding that can only be understood by the sending and final destination computers. This makes it difficult for average people to hack into the private information of your website. This active SSL session is where the added s in https comes from. Although it technically stands for “Hypertext Transfer Protocol with Secure Sockets Layer,” most people shorten it to Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure or simply “https.”

Although this simple addition does not seem like much, there are some key elements of this that make it almost vital to the success of businesses.

 

Why Should I Care?

For businesses who plan on collecting any type of information through their website, making it secure is vital for the privacy of their customers. In order to understand the danger of an insecure website, it is important to understand that when someone goes to a website, everything they do or enter is sent from their server, across several other servers, before ever making it to the targeted location. All that is needed for one of the computers along the way to steal the information sent is a packet sniffer that can be downloaded free on any laptop. This makes it easy for anyone to steal website information quickly.

Where the secure element comes in is by taking all of the information from easy to read plain text to encrypted codes. This means that although hackers may be able to get the information, they will have no idea what to do with it. If a company asks for information through an insecure site and that information is stolen, the company could face serious liability problems and can also lose the trust of their audience.

Hackers can also easily change unencrypted messages being sent from your website before it ever reaches the consumer.

This leaves your website, and more importantly your brand, open to the influence of any hacker. They can easily leave links, pictures, or ask for information that the client will associate with your website without you even realizing the change was made. They can even hijack the site entirely, giving them the opportunity to post whatever they want under your brand name. These cybercrime attacks have lost businesses an average of $11.7 million.

Some Benefits of a Secure Site

Some benefits that most companies don’t realize. 

  • Https sites on average load 334% faster than standard http
  • They build brand loyalty and power by showing customers you are willing to go the extra mile to keep them safe.
  • It is said that Google uses site security as one of its search ranking factors.

With all this in mind, the key takeaway is that secure sites are necessary because they provide safety for your clients, integrity for your website, and globally recognized authentication of the two.

 

Google, Secure Sites, and the SEO Impact

Many people exploring https for the first time wonder why Google cares so much about website security and what the company does to sites that are not secure. Google cannot outrite block the websites that are insecure because it would not be a proper search engine if that were the case. However,

Google has taken every other precaution possible to warn their users about insecure sites.

The reason for this grave concern is simply the way it affects Google’s brand image. Google strives for a quick and painless web search experience for every user, every time. Therefore, the prospect of users being linked to a site that may have false information, technical issues, or the possibility of security vulnerabilities is a risk Google does not want to take. Although the vulnerable website is not Google’s website, Google does not want to jeopardize user trust.

Google’s Changes to their (SEO) Page Rank Protocol

For this reason, changes to SEO (search engine optimization) protocol began around 2014. In the beginning, Google changed its SEO protocol slightly to favor companies that were secure. They also included a content-neutral information button that would warn customers not to share personal information on the insecure site.

This laid back approach did not work very well, so in January 2017, the first major change towards “punishing” insecure websites was made with the release of Chrome 56. This version contained URL warnings against non-secure sites that asked for any input such as passwords or credit card information. Businesses quickly saw an impact. The security warnings made more customers uneasy enough to leave the sites without risking any exposure.

This prompted many companies to make the switch. However, Google already had a much bigger plan in motion.

In 2018, all http sites were given this “Not Secure” warning label in the latest Google Chrome browser.

Although the future of these changes is still up in the air, some information has indicated that Google may plan to remove the lock symbol entirely in an effort to create an internet world in which, “users should expect that the web is safe by default.” This will also do further damage to the reputation of unsafe websites by making their security warnings stick out even more.

Overall, Google sums up their goal of this endeavor with the sentence, “Chrome’s new interface will help users understand that all http sites are not secure, and continue to move the web towards a secure https web by default.”

Make the Update

If your business website has not made the migration from “http” to “https,” now is the time to do it. It is a relatively easy, and inexpensive thing to do. Moving to a secure site could actually keep you from losing potential customers. And, really, who wouldn’t want to do that?

The Do’s and Don’ts of Nonprofit Marketing

Though tricky to accomplish, proper marketing is just as vital for nonprofits as it is for any other company. Unlike businesses with the advantage of marketing a tangible product or service that will benefit their audience, nonprofits face the challenge of having to communicate their particular cause in hope of attracting donors, volunteers, or advocates.

Sadly, many nonprofits neglect to invest in their marketing efforts due to tight budgets. In her blog post, Alyssa Conrardy, President and Co-Founder of Prosper Strategies, explains,

Marketing and communications are some of the first line items nonprofits choose to cut when uncertainty hangs over their heads or when finances get tight. But that’s a huge mistake. Marketing, communications and fundraising play a critical role in organizational growth, sustainability, and mission achievement, and cutting their budgets at the wrong time can make a tough financial situation even more precarious.

Yes, investing in marketing requires time and money, but it is critical to your organization’s success. The goal of any nonprofit organization’s marketing efforts is to raise awareness and inspire action, but achieving that is not always easy.

We have compiled a list of nonprofit marketing do’s and don’t’s in hopes of making it a little easier.

Do:

1. Use storytelling as main communication tool

Nonprofits MUST embrace and utilize the power of storytelling. Stories will have the greatest impact on your audience, and create a relatable point-of-entry. While you may be tempted to just spew the facts about all the good your organization is doing, it is much more powerful to share stories that will demonstrate the good you are doing. Show, don’t just tell.

2. Clearly communicate the impact of a donation

Donors want to feel like they’re making a difference and they want to know the direct impact they will have when they give to your organization. This is especially true for first-time donors. If you want to turn first-time donors into recurring donors, your organization must find a way to communicate to every single donor exactly how their contribution was or will be used and the impact it made.

3. Develop an advocacy strategy

Donating money and volunteering is not the only way for your donors to contribute to the success of your organization. Consider creating an advocacy strategy in order to facilitate growth by spreading your organization’s mission to more people. Create a clear strategy that will make it easy for your supporters to advocate on your behalf. According to an article by Upleaf,

Launching a successful advocacy campaign can boost your credibility, give people an easy opportunity to take action, and expand your community of supporters. That’s all gravy on top of the fact that it may also make a meaningful impact in the real world.

4. Present a unified message across all platforms

Most organizations have many platforms and outlets that they communicate through: email, newsletter, website, donation landing pages, social media, etc. It is important to distribute your campaign message through all or most of your touch points. This will get your message in front of as many people as possible, as many times as possible. Keep the message consistent to prevent any confusion that may discourage a prospetive donor.

5. Focus on the positives

I know I’m not the only one who feels creeping emotional manipulation every time the ASPCA ad comes on and Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel,” starts playing. Your organization should evoke a feeling of happiness and positivity in your messaging that will inspire donors to give, rather than guilting them into giving through negative or sad messaging. Although there is a time for using sad, emotional appeals, it should be used sparingly.  An article on Medium titled, “Should charities use positive or negative empathy appeal in marketing?”, states,

Study shows that sharing a positive impact message with donors helps create long lasting donor relations. ‘The public are tired of the continuous images of distress being dumped upon them,’ says Leigh Daynes, Executive director of Doctors of the world. ‘Charities need to stop presenting beneficiaries as hapless victims and make sure that people are engaged over the longer term.’

6. Create branded donation and fundraising pages

As mentioned previously, your campaign branding and messaging should be consistent across all platforms, including your donation landing pages. It is important that donors can connect the dots when moving from one step to the next. The design and message on your donation and fundraising pages should match that of your campaign. According to Network for Good’s Digital Giving Index,

…donors give higher average gift amounts when the giving experience happens on a branded donation page that matches a nonprofit’s design and message.

7. Define and understand your audience

Every organization must define and understand who their target audience is. This requires developing audience personas to learn how to best communicate with them. Once you know and understand who you’re targeting, you can build your marketing strategy around reaching that specific audience.

8. Understand the psychology of donor giving

It is important to learn what motivates people to give through the psychology of donor giving. This will help you understand how your organization can shape your fundraising objectives to meet the needs of potential donors in order to increase contributions.

9. Prioritize your year-end campaign

Did you know that over 30% of annual giving happens in the month of December? People tend to get more involved with nonprofits and charitable organizations over the holidays. It’s undeniable that the average person’s generosity and kindness is magnified during the holiday season. Additionally, the end of the year is a time many donors use to lighten their taxable income burden, while making a meaningful gift at the same time. Therefore, your organization should make the most out of year-end by making it your biggest and best campaign of the year.

10. Use powerful visuals and videos

A picture truly is worth a thousand words when it comes to nonprofit marketing. Including pictures and videos on social media posts not only increases engagement but it also helps communicate your story better. Video content is one of the most impactful and compelling ways your organization can share the story.

11. Measure and analyze data

Without measuring and analyzing your current marketing, you can’t optimize your strategy for better results. Always make time to evaluate your data so you can continually improve upon your tactics and set new goals.

Don’t:

1. Be too wordy

I said it once and I’ll say it again: a picture really, truly is worth a thousand words. You must also keep in mind that you know a lot more about your organization than your audience does. It can be easy to get overly wordy and technical when writing about your organization. There’s no need to dumb things down, but you don’t want the content to go in one ear and out the other. You can achieve this by keeping your content simple and interesting, and above all, aiming for clarity.

2. Focus on communicating numbers or statistics

Although it is important to communicate to your donors the impact of their donations, you want to do so in a compelling way. Heartfelt stories from those who have been affected or impacted by your organization are much more powerful than numbers and statistics.

3. Dismiss Facebook paid advertising

Organizations often fail to invest in Facebook ads. Do not underestimate the role Facebook can play in helping you to strategically execute your paid campaign. When it comes to big campaigns such as Giving Tuesday and Year-End, do not dismiss this tool. It will get your campaign and cause in front of more eyes and attract potential donors.

4. Forget the “why”

A Network For Good article advises,

…when asking someone to do something—whether that’s making a donation, volunteering, or putting trash in its proper place—don’t forget to tie your ask to why it matters. Why should they care? Why will it make a difference?

These are two important questions to ask yourself before making any fundraising ask. In your messaging strategy, always remember to convince your audience of why they should care.

5. Neglect your website

Think of your website as your organization’s online hub. Even through social media, your goal should always be to direct your audience back to your website. Many organizations prioritize social media use or other online marketing efforts, but neglect their website. This is a huge mistake, especially for nonprofits.

Social media is important, but a strong website presence give you the most control over your message. In an article by Caryn Stein, a nationally-recognized speaker and trainer for nonprofits, she explains,

Whether they give online or off, supporters will look at your website to understand more about your work, how their gift will make a difference, and they will form opinions about what they find there. So, it’s in your best interest—and of those you serve—to make the most of your website and ensure that it’s creating the right environment to inspire giving.

6. Post the same way for all social platforms

Although you should have a unified approach and message strategy, your posts should not be the exact same among all your social platforms. Each platform has different audience demographics and best practices. For example, Instagram is a very visual-centric platform, whereas Twitter is more about words. Another example of this is that Twitter is an acceptable platform for publishing content multiple times a day, however this would not be wise to do on Instagram. Differentiating your posts for each platform is also important because if your audience follows you on multiple different platforms, they do not want to see the exact same post, say, on Facebook that they might have just seen on Instagram. Make sure your organization is taking the time to tailor its content for each platform.

7. Ask more than you give

When it comes to marketing, many nonprofits make the mistake of asking too often and rarely giving value to their audience. According to an article from Cosmic, a creative marketing agency specializing in social purpose brands,

…a healthy rule of thumb is 3:1 giving to asking. For every communication that is an ask, there should be at least 3 that are sharing stories of success, providing proof of impact (which doesn’t have to be focused on numbers), or sharing a point of view or belief that is compelling or thought-provoking.

8. Forget to celebrate success

When your organization hits a milestone or achieves a goal, remember to celebrate the people that helped make it happen! Not only is it important to share results with donors, but it is especially important for those who have not yet donated to see that your organization is, in fact, making a difference and is successful in its efforts. When you celebrate what your organization is accomplishing, it could result in new donors.

9. Skimp on peer-to-peer fundraising strategy

Peer-to-peer fundraising is important for reaching a larger network of people and attracting new donors. When your donors are advocating on your behalf while sharing your message, it results in one of the most organic and effective forms of marketing: word of mouth. Additionally, supporters who are involved in peer-to-peer fundraising deepen their involvement in your organization and its mission.

10. Use social media to only promote your organization

No one wants to follow self-absorbed organizations who only talk about and promote themselves. This is where the rule of thirds comes in:

  • One-third of your social content should promote your organization to convert followers and generate donations
  • One-third of your social content should share insights and stories from thought leaders in your industry or similar organizations
  • One-third of your social content can be fluff, such as fun and organic content that shows the human side behind your social media marketing

11. Underestimate the power of PR

PR is especially important for nonprofits. According to an article from Nonprofit Hub, here’s why your organization should not shy away from PR efforts:

Powerful PR is a vital component to any successful fundraising campaign. It generates brand awareness, builds buzz, and increases credibility. If a donor or potential corporate sponsor is reading about you in the press, hearing your story on the radio, and seeing your name appear in blogs—they’re going to take notice. And if your story resonates with them, they’re going to get involved. Unfortunately, many nonprofit leaders are quick to dismiss PR. They think it’s too expensive and difficult to measure. I’m here to tell you that you can’t afford not to do PR.

Although nonprofit marketing can be difficult, it will pay off in the long-run. The process of implementing marketing strategies for your organization can be daunting, but we hope these tips have provided clarity and will help in bringing success.

If you have any tips that we’ve missed, then we’d love to hear them!

6 Marketing Lessons from Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte

Look to the person on your left. Now look to the person on your right. One of those two people bought a pumpkin spice flavored item within this last year.

In 2017, one in three people picked up something pumpkin-y, propelling the pumpkin-infused industry into a $361 million dollar business. And the most popular pumpkin product of all? You guessed it: Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte. Today, that velvety flavor of Fall has elevated Starbucks’ spicy sips to a whopping $500 million craze!

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The Simple Guide To Business Promotion

Just the phrase “business promotion” can make people feel overwhelmed. Often times, it’s hard to even know where to start. That’s where we come in. For me, the easiest way to understand anything has always been to first break down the basic concepts. For business promotion, that means breaking down the 4 basic types of promotion. Identifying and understanding what they are and what their key differences are will create a strong foundation. After all, promotion should be much more than just information; it should result in revenue for your business. Understanding the different ways to promote your product or service can help you make the right choice for your business.

So, what are the 4 main types of promotion?

The four types of business promotion are marketing, PR, advertising, and branding. The end result? Brand loyalty.

  1. Marketing

Key Words: Drive, Push

*Driving your product or service in order to push people to buy.*

Marketing is a process by which a product or service is introduced and promoted to potential customers. In other words, marketing is when you drive the message or physical product to your consumers.

Marketing vs. Sales

Though similar in style. Marketing is not the same as sales. Though they share similar tactics, you must remember that they are two separate entities. By working in tandem with a strong sell, a sound marketing message will serve as your sales enabler. When marketing, you will promote the product while communicating and educating potential customers. Marketing thus becomes your brand ambassador in support of your sales team.

  1. Public Relations (P.R.)

Key Words: Relate, Earn

*Relating in such a way that you earn media coverage and promotion.*

Public relations (PR) is the way organisations, companies and individuals communicate and relate with the public. PR is all about building relationships to advance, promote, and benefit the reputation of you yourself and your business as a whole. The goal of PR is to communicate a positive message in order to gain support. It can lead to strong community presence, a growing customer base, lasting partnerships, and even financial support. Above all, P.R. builds the credibility of your organization.

  1. Advertising

Key Words: Display, Pull

*Displaying your message or product in such a way that you pull consumers in.*

Advertising is the process of capturing public attention through paid messages or information which helps promote or sell a product, service or brand. It is a process of mass promotion which involves audio or visual messaging. Advertising educates the public and attempts to persuade customers to buy and use your particular product or service. Advertising creates awareness and helps increase demand.

  1. Branding

Key Words: Knowledge, Association

Branding is the sum of your audience’s perception of who and what your company is, as well as your company’s customer service and your company’s reputation. Branding goes way beyond just a logo or graphic element.

Brand Loyalty (The Goal)

Key Words: Lifetime Results

Brand loyalty is the result of all your hard promotional work. Brand loyalty is a consumer’s emotionally-charged decision to continually purchase a specific brand. How does this happen? Brand loyalty happens when customers believe your brand will exceed all others. When this happens, he or she begins to identify with your brand on a personal level.

Bringing It All Together

Think of Nike.  Here’s what each type of business promotion looks like for them.

Marketing:

“Nike is the #1 selling athletic shoe in the United States.”

In this circumstance, by telling others how successful Nike is, you are driving them towards your brand and pushing them to try it themselves.

P.R.:

“Nike was named the official shoe brand of the NBA.”

By reporting that Nike has now been named the official shoe of the NBA, you are telling customers as well as potential partners and investors that your company walks the walk and doesn’t just talk the talk. What’s more, the sponsorship of the NBA makes Nike relatable to sports fans and athletes everywhere. This also gets you valuable media exposure.

Advertising:

“Find your stride with Nike. The next NBA star just might be you.”

By displaying such a clear and compelling message, Nike successfully pulls in consumers, both new and old.

Branding:

“Nike improves my performance on the court and makes me feel like I can do anything.”

If someone is wearing something with the Nike logo on it, its immediately seen and known. What’s more, thanks to successful marketing and PR campaigns, Nike has become associated with success and athleticism. Nike is thought of as “empowering” and has become known as the go-to brand for getting extra hops on the court.

Brand Loyalty:

“There’s no other brand for me than Nike.”

There are a lot of athletic shoe companies on the market, but as a result of outstanding promotional efforts, Nike creates lifetime fans who will wear nothing but products baring the Nike name.

So what does this mean for you?

This means promoting your business is vital for its success. Without promotion, there are core functions that your business can’t perform. By incorporating these basic methods, though, a chain reaction begins. Clients are suddenly informed and engaged. Services and products begin to sell and your business begins to grow. What’s more, your customers are sustained as relationships and trust are built. The bottom line? Without promotion, no one can know your business.  So be known! Reach your goals. And stand out from the rest. 

3 New Instagram Tools That Will Skyrocket Your Business

If you had told marketers and social media managers in 2010 that the newly-released Instagram app would be one of the fastest growing platforms in 2017, they might have laughed. We’ve come a long way from the days of over-saturated filters and duck faces. But the numbers don’t lie: 700 million monthly users, 300 million daily users, and 8 million businesses with profiles exist as of this writing (The Motley Fool). Top accounts on Instagram are boasting an average engagement rate of 4.21% as opposed to the 0.07% of Facebook and 0.03% of Twitter (Forrester).

Despite all that, only 36% of marketers are on Instagram versus the 93% that are on Facebook. This is a unique advantage of Instagram in itself. While others are focusing their energy on platforms that are providing little engagement, you can be on the front lines of the one that can potentially net you 60-times more likes and comments, without having to fight as hard for the extra attention.

Clearly, Instagram is the place to be in 2017. And with the most recent Instagram updates over the last few months, promoting your brand has never been easier. Curious about what these new features can do for your profile? Below are three ways you can take advantage of Instagram’s new tools to grow your business.

Story Ads

new Instagram tools story ads
With the rollout of the new “Stories” feature on both Instagram and Facebook, businesses will have a new way to get their ads in front of potential customers. On Instagram, users see Stories from their friends at the top of their feed. In between pictures of their cousin eating brunch and a distant acquaintance on vacation, video ads might pop up as if they are part of the Story. This makes it super easy for brands to reach users they might have otherwise missed by simply entering the scrollable feed.

Story ads are easy to manage in Facebook’s Ad Manager or Power Editor. Like Facebook ads, they can be specifically targeted to a region, demographic, or interest. By selecting “Instagram Stories” as the location for the ad placement, some of those 300 million daily Instagram users will be seeing your ad in no time!

Shoppable Posts

 

new Instagram tools shoppable posts
What once was a safe place for shopaholics has now become a minefield. Instagram will now allow retailers to sell their products directly in their posts through shoppable tags. Much like the tags that can be used to identify Instagram users, these shoppable tags offer information such as the product name and price. Users can then click through to the product’s landing page, where they can make a purchase.

This tool revolutionizes Instagram for retailers. Rather than the clunky “click on the link in our bio” call-to-action, brands can make sales with each and every post. While this feature has only been rolled out to larger brands as a testing phase, we anticipate that this will be a platform-wide update before too long.

Swipe-Up Links

new Instagram tools swipe up links

The final Instagram update is one that bloggers, retailers, and just about everyone can benefit from. Users will now be able to create Stories that link to webpages with a single swipe. This means that Instagram can now be used to drive substantial traffic to your website, a feature it’s really never had before. While previously the only spot for a link was in the user’s profile, this new update (along with the shoppable tags above) will allow for potentially unlimited links using the Stories feature. This is a big deal for businesses, and while it’s currently only available for accounts with ten-thousand or more followers, we can’t wait for it to be rolled out for accounts of all sizes.

At this point, it looks like Instagram is here to stay. Or, rather, it’s here to stay AND force everyone else to leave. If you haven’t hopped on the Instagram train yet, now is the perfect time to do so. Armed with these tricks and tools, you can make your business unstoppable.

Why People Follow Brands on Social Media

Amidst the low quality selfies, hilarious pet videos, and mouth-watering cooking tutorials, social media users in recent years have found a new kind of post on their feeds. This post, if done right, simultaneously advertises and entertains, capturing the user’s brand loyalty as well as their spending dollars. Brands, realizing the opportunities that come with social media, have pounced on the chance to put their products or services directly in their customers’ news feeds. With 78% of consumers relying on companies’ social media posts to help them make purchasing decisions, according to a study done by Forbes, it’s not all that surprising that people would choose to mix their social sharing and shopping research on the same platform. But what compels a user to follow a brand in the first place?

Why do people follow brands? Incentives

As much as we’d like to think that consumers are following our page for a good laugh or the informational content we spend hours producing, it turns out there is a little more to it. Before they can become a loyal and engaged user, there has to be good reason for them to click the “follow” button. A whopping 56% of social media users surveyed by MarketingSherpa said they originally followed brands to see promotions or coupons regularly. In a similar vein, 44% said they followed to enter a contest, get a discount, or win a gift card. Evidently, many are most interested in what companies have to offer them.

Incentives really serve two purposes. First, they attract new users to follow your account, buy your products, or (ideally) both. Second, they keep loyal customers coming back again and again – an equally important task. Discounts or promotions serve as reminders to consumers, positioning your brand at the top of their minds.

Why do people follow brands? Content

According to the same Marketing Sherpa survey, less than half of all consumers (38%) follow a brand for their informational content. Those how-to posts, reviews, and tip sheets you slave over? Apparently they’re not as alluring as the twenty-percent-off coupon that takes you a few minutes to throw together. Even fewer (31%) follow for entertaining content such as funny videos, memes, or bits of pop culture. But don’t let this discourage you, as informational or entertaining content serves its own purpose in attracting and keeping the right customer. As we discussed in our 80/20 Rule of Content Marketing post, all of your social media efforts are in vain if you are not aware of and catering to your target market. While a discount will get you a new follower, your content is ultimately what will determine whether or not they stick around after the promotion is over.

Good content is what turns your brand’s account from a bulletin board of coupons to a social page where users can stay engaged.

♦♦♦

In the delicious and complicated soup that is social media marketing, it’s important to remember that each ingredient gives your social platform a different flavor. Pushing out too many incentives can make your brand seem impersonal, but too much informational or entertaining content might allow customers to forget that you have something to sell them. Striking a balance between the two gives you the best chance of accomplishing the dual goal of attracting a large following and keeping them coming back for more.

17 Business Books for a Trailblazing 2017

17 good business books for 2017

 At Jemully Media, one of our many New Year’s resolutions is to read more. Not just online reading—but actually cracking a good book that may impact our lives and our work. Read on for Jemully’s 2017 reading list comprising books on business, creativity, psychology, and many other topics, as well as a few words to the wise.

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