Here are our top five writing tips to help inspire you!

Writing content for social media can be a challenge.  If you are posting 5 times a week to your social channels as a minimum, you will need to create 20 bits of shiny new content per month.

Knowing what to write to engage your followers and keep them coming back to your pages is an art in itself.

So, in the spirit of being helpful for National Writing Day 2021, we thought we would share our top five tips to help inspire and plan great content for your social media.

1. Set aside time to plan each month.

A couple of hours at the end of each month gives you the chance to reflect on your monthly analytics and consider what content performed well, and importantly, what didn’t.

You can use one of the many free social media planning templates available online – such as this one from Hubspot to help plan your key dates for the month ahead.

2. Key Blog or Vlog themes

Whether you are happy to write 300 – 1000 words once or twice a month, or go ‘live’ or do a pre-recorded video; Blogs and Vlogs lend themselves to writing richer content about a topic which relates to your business.

You could be responding to trends or current affairs which affect you or your customers, or be providing advice and information – just as we are here.

The great thing is they can become part of your evergreen content plan, which means, so long as they are not time specific, you can reuse them in future too.

3. Collaborate and support

As a business, you will have key suppliers, customers, charities and peers that you will wish to support online.

Keep an eye on what is happening in their world e.g. any milestones, events, job vacancies, new team members, fundraisers etc. so you can support them by sharing their content on your social media.

You can also consider asking them to guest blog on your website.  A great thing to do – as you get the benefit of not having to write the content, and you get the chance to support a local business or charity.

4. Awareness Days

These can really help with ‘writers block!’.   I am writing this on National Writing Day, so I hope to make the most of the online energy that will be around this awareness day today.

As part of your monthly plan, check in advance what key dates are coming up which relate to your business, or a cause that you are passionate about.

This will help give you enough time to get creative and generate good content for those key days.

5. Social listening and trends

Twitter is particularly strong for monitoring key conversations and trends.  Keep an eye on what is happening by going to the Explore tab, and seeing what the news of the day is, or what is trending.

You can save or follow hashtags which you want to monitor regularly for fresh content ideas on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

You can also follow content on Facebook and LinkedIn.  Just use the separate page news feeds features to monitor industry content, or pages which interest you.

We hope our tips help inspire your content planning, and help with Writers Block!

Strong coffee and decent chocolate can also help.

If you need help with planning your social media, content writing – or just need someone to take it off your hands, check out our services pages to see how we can help you

The post Writing content for your Social Media pages appeared first on Ditzy Media.

Review your 2019

So, what worked well in 2019?  How does this compare to others like you?  This will help inform what your overall marketing objectives and specifically your social media objectives should be for the coming year.

If you are starting up – this is a perfect time to research your sector and if relevant, your community and of course your competitors.

This can help you identify what makes you unique, what good looks like and also what mistakes to avoid.

A planned approach

The hard part can be getting started.  A plan can help greatly to ensure your marketing is defined and supports your business objectives.  You can then adopt this into your social media content.

Try to plan at least the first 3 months with key aspects of your business

• Marketing messages: Sales / Products
• Awareness Days & Events
• Your ‘Social’ content
• Frequency of content – how often are you going to post

Know where your customers are active

There’s no point posting to the wrong network if your customer is not there.

Equally, it’s important not to make assumptions about what type of person uses which platform e.g. Instagram or Facebook may not work for B2Bs – that would be wrong if you are working with SMEs’; or only young people use Instagram.  That is definitely not the case.

Take time to see if businesses like yours are active on each of the networks and what their following and engagement looks like.  This will help indicate the value of you using it.

Keep up with trends and technical changes

This can be hard enough if your Social Media IS your business – let alone if it’s not!

Try to keep your ear to the ground on a regular basis to see what changes may be coming on the platforms you are active on.  Technical changes happen all the time and can affect the way the platforms behave (glitches) or can lead to a complete platform update like we are seeing with Facebook and LinkedIn.

Trends in what works regarding creating engaging content for your customers is equally important.  If you write a blog will someone read it – or are you better considering a Facebook Live Q & A Session?

Having a plan, using your resources efficiently and being aware of changes will all help ensure your visibility and keep you hopefully ahead of your competition.

If you need advice, training, consultancy or for someone to take your Social Media off your hands – get in touch!

Wishing everyone a prosperous and healthy 2020!

The post Top tips to help you plan your Social Media in 2020 appeared first on Ditzy Media.

As a Social Media Marketing Consultancy, we have supported a number of events over our four years in business.  We have deliberately sought out opportunities to be involved in different types of events, so we could gain unique insights into what support Event Organisers needed with Social Media.

Wyntercon

Wyntercon was our first big event that we began doing Social Media for.  This family-centric Sci-Fi, Cosplay, and Alternative event has been going locally in Eastbourne since 2014.  This will be the fifth time we are running their social media from June through to the event on 22^nd& 23 September 2018.

Andy Kybett, Mr Wyntercon said “It is a pleasure to work with a social media hub, that keeps its finger on the pulse of current social media trends and knows how to get the best out of social media for our brand.  Their support empowers us to concentrate on other factors of our Charity and the fundraising event itself.”

Eastbourne Carnival

Since 2016 we have supported Eastbourne Carnival  – our local community carnival which takes place in May every year.

Carnival Patron Stephen Lloyd MP said: “Ditzy Media play a really important role in our Sunshine Carnival by helping get the message out via social media. An area their deserved reputation as being ‘highly accomplished’ fits the bill. Lovely people as well!”

Carnival Expo

Since 2017, we have been proud sponsors of Carnival Expo which is held at The Oval in London. Alongside Wyntercon, this is one of our bigger events, involving 50+ exhibitors, and entertainers, food stalls, and the Costume Mas Bands of our UK Carnivals, including Notting Hill.

Andrew, Organiser for Carnival Expo said “What can I say, amazing!! Needed help and expertise running my social media campaign for a niche sector, Carnival. Did her research and added value to my business. Looking forward to our continued work relationship.”

Net XP

New for 2018, we are sponsoring Net XP Chichester Expo.  This B2B event again involves us supporting the event organiser across a number of Platforms to help drive awareness and engagement for the event.

Each event is different and depending on the audience will require different approaches to ensure the event is advertised to the correct audiences.  Most Consumer facing events use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to promote their event, whilst a B2B show may also use LinkedIn.

Good Event Organisers will always use a Hashtag for their event, and publicise it, to ensure they can maximise engagement in the build up to the event, during and after.

If you are an Event Organiser and need help with maximising your Social Media for your events, contact us for an informal chat about your requirements.

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The post Events Organisers: We can help you! appeared first on Ditzy Media.

Vacancy for a Part-Time Content Assistant

Due to our expanding customer base, we are looking to recruit a new Content Assistant.

Salary: £15,392 (Full time equivalent) Pro Rata.

Initial Hours: 10 per week.  These will grow to meet the needs of the business.

Holiday: 5.6 weeks pro rata inclusive of all Public Holidays.

Based at our offices in the Enterprise Centre, Station Parade Eastbourne.

For information on how to apply, and the full Job Description and Person Specification, please contact us by email: mina.obrien@ditzymedia.com or please call 01323 720497.

Closing date for applications: Monday 28th May 2018

The post Job Opportunity: Join our team appeared first on Ditzy Media.

Are you struggling to promote your business on social media? Read our top tips for promoting your brand online.

How to make your social media marketing more engaging.

Communication

Social media is an incredibly powerful communication tool with Facebook amassing 1.40 Billion daily active users.

Increasingly, customers are using social media to contact businesses either via Facebook Pages, Twitter or interacting on Instagram.

Communication is a two-way street, posting is all well and good, especially if it’s reaching a lot of people, but not monitoring engagement will make your potential customers feel ignored and undervalued.

Be human! Don’t be afraid to spark up a conversation with your customers – it will contribute greatly towards your reach and engagement.

Building relationships

Social Media provides us with a unique opportunity to grow our networks.

As well as raising our profile with potential customers, we can strike up a rapport with other local business owners, local charities and our wider community at large.

There will be Networking groups on Facebook & LinkedIn, and Twitter chat hours relevant to your industry or community.   See our Blog on Twitter Chat Hours

Online networking helps establish relationships with your local business community and your potential customers.

Social listening

What better way to understand what your customer wants then by actually listening to and learning from what they are interested in.

Spending time researching what your customers and others in your industry are talking about by looking at trends, hashtag conversations and industry content – along with people’s reactions – can be agreat way of inspiring new content for your business.

Putting the social in social media

The key word here is ‘social’, don’t forget that social media is largely about actually being sociable.

When you’re in a room full of people, a networking event, for example, the person with the booming voice giving the hard sell to anyone that makes eye contact quickly becomes irritating and overbearing.

Sometimes it’s just nice to have a conversation, and it’s the same on social media. It’s okay to share funny stories, staff outings, interest in upcoming events.

• Again, Chat hours on Twitter e.g. #SussexHour can be a great way of engaging with your wider community and building relationships through Social Media.

Use images

Images will help bring your content to life, and help you stand out.  They are vital to any social media post.

• Use landscape images! Portrait images do not work well on social
• If you need to source images – make sure they are copyright free or use a resource like iStock.
• Don’t push content from Instagram or Facebook to Twitter as your images will not be seen on Twitter – a lost opportunity.

Video is King

In light of the recent change to the Facebook algorithm, Video is more important than ever before.

• Be aware of what the requirements are for each platform e.g. no more than 60 seconds for Instagram
• Facebook Live is great for engagement – how can you use it in your business?

Have a strategy

As many of us know, if you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.

A social media strategy is crucial for scheduling relevant and engaging content.

Using Google alerts or doing hashtag research can help you keep on track of the topics that are relevant to your industry.

There are also events calendars and Twitter hashtag calendars that can be found via search engines to help keep on top of your industry trends.

Be consistent

Brand consistency is crucial, it provides our audience and potential customers with a good impression of your business.

Ensuring that your brand message is consistent, your posting is regular, and your content is well constructed.

Share the love

Share content from your key business partners, your community, suppliers, and partners that is in keeping with your brand values.

This is a great way of supporting the things you are passionate about as a business – and also, is a great way of curating content and making sure you are not just talking about you or your business.

Facebook Advertising

Facebook Advertising offers a wealth of targeting and retargeting options.

Using the Ads Manager to construct your Ads Campaigns will give you the opportunity to be very planned in your approach.  Focus on

• Your campaign objective
• Who your audience is
• What you total spend will be
• How the advert is presented
  • Clear headline
  • Succinct text
  • Call to action
  • Web link to take your customer to the next step in their journey
  • Visuals or video.

Test different audiences and objectives, and measure before splashing out lots of money on a campaign.

Don’t be afraid of using social media to market your business, use our top ten tips and get your business out there.

Remember, be social, demonstrate the value of your brand, and create content which will engage your audience.

Need help with your Social Media?  Get in touch with us!

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The post Social Media Top Tips 2018 appeared first on Ditzy Media.

Staying on top of your Content is important as it is a great way to reach out to your target market, and reflects how prospective customers may view your brand.  Our copywriting service can help you ensure you have a good stock of content for your business.

Importantly, regular high-quality content gets picked up by the search engines like Google and can help increase your website’s organic search ranking.

The higher your website ranks on a search engine means that it is more likely to be seen on the first page when people search for your brand or what you are selling.

One of the most popular forms of online content today is written content, particularly the short and easy to read format of blogs. Blogs are an excellent way of showcasing a service or product that you have on offer.

Putting aside the time to create content can be an issue.  For those that are not experienced in copywriting, it can be time-consuming, and content opportunities can often be missed because business owners simply lack the time to create it.

Whether your website is used as an information platform for your services or used to sell a variety of goods, the quality of your content is crucial in appealing to new customers.

Unique, affordable copywriting services to help your business shine online

Here at Ditzy Media, we offer an excellent copywriting service for those looking to uphold their brand online.

Even if you are gifted at writing your own content, time can often be of the essence, especially when you are the decision-maker running your own business.

Our experienced copywriters can write multiple pieces of high quality, unique, keyword optimised content on a regular basis for your business.

We can help you write Blogs, Case Studies, new content for your Website – even help you with your Business Award Submission.

This can be arranged on a flexible basis that best suits your budget.

Happy consequences of outsourcing your copywriting to an experienced writer can include an increase in web traffic and a boost in your online visibility.

Furthermore, outsourcing this role gives you, the business owner, back the invaluable gift of time that can then be used to develop your business further.

Whether your business needs regular, ongoing assistance with content, or even just assistance with a one-off copywriting project, Ditzy Media are here to help.

Contact us today on 01323 720 497 or alternatively send us an email through the ‘contact’ section of our website.

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What is Content & why does it matter?

The term ‘content’ is a real buzz word in digital marketing today but what does it really mean?

Content in this context refers to written, visual and audio digital information that we publish on our websites and social media platforms as a means of communicating with our customers.

Content gives us various opportunities to communicate, engage and build relationships with potential customers, suppliers and partners and our wider community.

Types of Content for businesses

If you are struggling with what content to produce for your business then here is a list to get you thinking about what you can plan for 2017:

• Blogs: informative articles which give you the chance to showcase your knowledge or talk about industry specific matters
• Press Releases: Topical stories, ideally involving people, which draw attention to key events or milestones in your business
• Video posts / Blogs: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter as well as You Tube all give you the ability to publish video content, which is the most engaging way of communicating with your customers.
• Cross promotional posts – curating content from your key partners & suppliers to cross promote them in the context of your business relationship
• Content from your community – what’s going on around you & how can you use it?
• Charities or causes your business is passionate about – great opportunities to give support via social media.

Planning Your Content is Crucial

Creating a content plan or calendar can save you time.  Thinking about the above list, taking time to consider what is happening in your business or around you in the next 3 – 6 – 12 months can really help your content creation.

If you work with a team, having a plan or calendar gives a strong framework for everyone to work to – ensuring you make the most of all social media & digital marketing opportunities.

Scheduling to Optimise Your Content

Creating a content schedule also allows for you to optimise the amount of people seeing the content that you publish.

You can plan in advance and determine who in your team publishes what, when they publish it, and how often.

There are tools out there to help you!

Managing your social media can initially seem daunting.  Content scheduling tools such as Buffer.com, Hootsuite and others can help you manage the work flow.

Downloading apps to your devices such as Pages for Facebook can help you monitor and manage the engagement from your customers.

The time to think about your Content Marketing for 2017 is now

If you want advice or training on Content Marketing just get in touch.

My next workshop is being held with Business East Sussex on 23^rd January 2017.  For more information see: http://www.businesseastsussex.org.uk/event/business-east-sussex-social-media-workshop-3/

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