Digital Marketing Tips that Can Double Results

Digital Marketing Tips that Can Double Results

With a fresh year ahead of us, small business owners are looking for ways to elevate their marketing game. Hitting your revenue goals is all about increasing brand awareness and generating new leads — and, of course, serving your customers well. Digital marketing is a powerful way to reach both potential and existing clients, but there are many ways to go about it (some more effective than others). We’re kicking off the year by rounding up the best marketing strategies for 2023.

Video Marketing

​​“Video is just becoming so much more important, especially with the rising use of reels,” says Matthew Hall, Senior SEO/SEM Specialist at BrandMinded. “We’re going to be focusing on producing more video content for social media for our clients this year.”

Considering that 20% of all Instagram activity takes place on reels, it is critical to drive exposure so we can maximize our client’s reach potential. It’s no secret that short-form video is taking over social media, so in order to get in on the action we need to stay knowledgeable about the ever so changing algorithms of platforms such as Instagram.

“We’re seeing a lot of video content for sure, especially short-form video,” says Alyssa Drum, Digital Account Coordinator at BrandMinded. “With the rise of Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, a lot of platforms are trying to get in on that. We have such a small window to capture our viewers’ attention right now.”

She suggests creating two versions of a video when working on any campaign; a 15- to 45-second one for social media, and a longer version for the brand’s YouTube channel or website.
Hall adds that Hulu is another platform worth exploring. “In the past, you’d need to have a media buying agency handle that, but now Hulu has opened it up to marketing agencies like us,” he says. “That’s something we’re exploring a lot as well because we think there’s a lot of value there.”

Authenticity

Digital marketing is continuing to evolve and change. What worked a couple of years ago isn’t necessarily resonating with audiences anymore, especially on social media.

“Authenticity is big,” says Drum. “In the photos we post, people want to see things that are organic-looking and natural, as opposed to a graphic style.”

In other words, social media users will likely scroll past a generic, static image. Instead, the focus right now is on storytelling, connection, and a sense of realness. In 2023, Drum plans to leverage social media takeovers to capture user attention. This is often an employee or someone relevant to the brand “taking over” the company’s social media channels. The result is a more face-to-face feel. It’s similar to doing a “Team Tuesday” on social media. This allows users to get to know a company, which helps humanize the brand.

“We usually get more engagement with those kinds of posts,” says Drum.

Partnering with Nano-Influencers

You might think that teaming up with a big social media star would be a great marketing strategy, but it can be hard to persuade these folks to work with small businesses. Drum says there’s another approach that’s proving to be very effective.

“Nano-influencers are becoming a big thing,” she says. “We’re moving away from big, A-list celebrities partnering with brands and going more toward social media users who have only a couple thousand followers.”

These influencers still have substantial reach, and they may be more likely to believe in your brand’s values. Drum says it’s a great way to promote a genuine feel and earn the trust of social media users.

Strategic Content Marketing

Google rewards helpful content. This is content that puts people first, instead of trending keywords. Brands that are focused on gaming search engine results could be penalized by Google and actually worsen their ranking. Strong content:

  •  Is well written and authentic (not generic)
  •  Is relevant to your target demographic
  • Helps web visitors get information or solve a problem
  • Establishes a sense of trust with the reader
  • Demonstrates your brand’s values

When it comes to the best marketing strategies for 2023, BrandMinded understands that every small business is different. The strongest approach for your brand will depend on your goals, target demographic, and brand identity. We’re here to help you figure out what it all means — and create a game plan that works for you. Contact us today to get started.

THE BRANDMINDED TEAM CELEBRATES 813 DAY

THE BRANDMINDED TEAM CELEBRATES 813 DAY

The BrandMinded® team is fueled by that indescribable local Tampa feel. From outdoor community spaces to the small businesses that line the streets, our community is what drives us to success in work and beyond. We owe it all to the 813 and there’s no better time to show our appreciation than #813Day! Scroll below to browse some of our BrandMinded® employees’ favorite spots around the 813!

Bayshore Boulevard

bayshore blvd

“When the traffic is gone and the city lights up at night, Bayshore is the best place to be. A walk or jog by the water under the light of the full moon is always good for the soul.”

~Ren Scott

“Who wouldn’t love a cityscape off the water?! Downtown is my favorite spot in the 813 as it offers luxury living, diverse cuisine, is home to our beloved BOLTS, has amazing views of the Hillsborough river, and offers fun, free fitness classes such as Zumba in the Park every Tuesday evening at Curtis Hixon Park!”

~Meagan Floco

Downtown Tampa

downtown tampa

Bern’s Park

berns park

“Bern’s Park is where it’s at! It’s a quiet place to read any time of day with the perks of South Howard restaurants and Bayshore Boulevard right around the corner.”

~Seth Sullivan

“My favorite place in Tampa is Ybor City. I like walking around all the little shops, good restaurants and bars, the saturday market, and of course, seeing the chickens. Ybor is also a great place to play Ingress!”

~Matt Hall

Ybor City

ybor tampa

Riverwalk

sunset riverwalk tampa

“Walks along the riverwalk, especially during sunset, are so refreshing and nostalgic to me. Seeing the minarets of Plant Hall remind me of all the days I spent there and the happy memories I made at UT.”

~Alyssa Drum

“I love Armature Works because of the versatility of the community space. From food, to sports games, to the view of the river, to the proximity to downtown, this place has everything!”

~Igor Kurnosov

Armature Works

armature works

From sports, to exercise, to stunning views, the 813 is the backdrop of our lives and the BrandMinded® team is so lucky to have such a wonderful city at our fingertips.

REACHING A NEW AUDIENCE WITH A FACEBOOK GIVEAWAY

REACHING A NEW AUDIENCE WITH A FACEBOOK GIVEAWAY

ForHearts Worldwide is on a mission to save lives around the world by providing implantable cardiovascular devices for people in developing countries. How do they do it? With a strong digital marketing agency on their side! BrandMinded® first began working with ForHearts Worldwide (a DBA of Heartbeat International Foundation) in 2019. ForHearts Worldwide was the charity beneficiary of Tampa’s largest electronic music celebration – the annual Sunset Music Festival at Raymond James Stadium.

As a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing lifesaving care to those in need, raising awareness of ForHearts’ mission is crucial to their success. So, when the time came to promote attendance at the Sunset Music Festival in support of ForHearts, the BrandMinded® team knew just what to do. One of the most successful strategies that the creative minds here at BrandMinded® came up with was to host a “Festival Ticket Giveaway,” enticing viewers to provide us with their information for a chance to attend the festival. Through a Facebook Ad Campaign, we were able to direct our target audience to a customized landing page, where we captured essential information such as name, email and phone number and in return, the participants were entered to win free tickets – a win-win for everyone.

The designated landing page we created on the ForHearts’ website was an essential step in our “Festival Ticket Giveaway” success while also helping boost our website traffic. In addition, the Facebook ads for this ticket giveaway helped our client reach a new demographic within our geographical target audience – right here in Tampa Bay, Florida. We then reached out to the participants to keep them up-to-date on all things ForHearts and help them learn more about the ForHearts mission!

USING VIDEO TO CAPTURE TRUE EMOTION

USING VIDEO TO CAPTURE TRUE EMOTION

Our client, Hyde Park United Methodist, does wonderful work in the community. But when a member of the church anonymously donated $50,000 to struggling families at a local school, the BrandMinded® Team decided only a well produced video could capture the emotion and gratitude of the moment. As you might imagine, when a poignant video is shared on social media, engagement is off the charts. Enjoy!