Fanbooster

Fanbooster is sunsetting

Anna Dievendorf — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 22:24:36 +0000

Fanbooster is no longer taking new customers

We want Fanbooster customers to have the best possible experience managing social media. Because our platform hasn’t offered the stability needed to achieve this, we have made the difficult decision to sunset Fanbooster.

The sunset of Fanbooster will allow us to redirect our focus to providing a better experience on stable, powerful tools without any disruptions. Over the last year, the Traject collective has onboarded social media superstars Sendible and Loomly to provide the capabilities social managers need. Both platforms have impressive stability, a 95%+ customer satisfaction rating, and the robust feature set needed to build your brand’s audience.

Instead of signing up for Fanbooster, we recommend you try Sendible or Loomly instead.

Which product is right for me?

Marketing agencies who are looking to manage social media at scale should try Sendible

Businesses who want to collaborate and get content recommendations should try Loomly

Need more information? Register for our Q&A webinar or reach out to us directly at support@fanbooster.com

7 Creative Ways To Use Carousels on Instagram

Maddy Osman — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 21:37:26 +0000

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Back in 2015, Instagram launched its carousel feature. An Instagram carousel is essentially a slideshow of multiple images within one Instagram post.

Instagram carousels can be a wonderful way to add variety and detail to your grid — plus, they can help boost engagement among your Instagram followers.

Today, we’ll be discussing some creative ways to use Instagram carousel posts.

We’ll cover:

Carousel Posts

A carousel post is an Instagram feature that empowers you to include multiple Instagram images within a single post. This means you can post a series of product or brand images and graphics without cluttering your grid. You can also give your Instagram followers more content in one post.

Most Instagram users find carousel posts get the highest engagement rates in comparison to regular posts. This is because your followers will likely see the post in their Instagram feed more than once.

If users don’t engage with the post the first time they see it, you’ll essentially get another chance to catch their eye — when they return to their feed later, they’ll be shown the second image in your carousel.

While there have been few studies on how Instagram carousels affect algorithms, some reports claim that people who swipe through carousels from a particular account will begin to see more posts from this account as time goes on.

In other words, carousels can help get your account into more personalized algorithms.

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7 Tips on Using an Instagram Carousel

Instagram carousels can be a great way to boost engagement and provide more varied content for your followers — but it’s not always easy coming up with unique ideas.

Here are a few exciting ways you can create original, eye-catching content for your next Instagram carousel post.

1. Share Multiple Views of One Product

If you are using Instagram to showcase a new product, the carousel feature will let you show multiple views and angles in a single post. This is especially useful for carousel ads that show clothing, as a single image usually won’t give your followers a good impression of the product.

You could even show users’ images or influencers interacting with the product.

Remember, 75% of customers rely on product photos when they decide whether to buy an item, so it’s always a good idea to show off a few photos.

We suggest using the most holistic view of the product in the first image, as this will be more likely to attract engagement.

2. Split a Landscape Into Two or Three

Use an Instagram carousel to split a landscape image into two parts. When your followers scroll to the next image in the carousel, it will look as though the image is just continuing.

To achieve this unique effect, you’ll need an image that is 2:1 in ratio. Then, you’ll need to run the image through an image splitter.

3. Create a Choose Your Own Adventure

An Instagram carousel post is an excellent opportunity to show Instagram followers multiple options for your products. Each slide can be its own option.

For instance, if you sell shipping or moving boxes, you can give personalized recommendations about what fits in each sized box on each slide.

4. Share a Before and After

A carousel post is ideal for showcasing a set of before and after shots, as your Instagram followers will be able to swipe between the images and compare them in real-time.

It’s also great for a long chronological series of images. For instance, if you wanted to show how your interior design company transformed a space, you could use a carousel to show multiple stages of the process.

5. Share Outtakes With Your Final Shot

To add some authenticity and personality to your brand, use a carousel to include outtakes with your final promotional shot. After all, 86% of consumers claim authenticity is important in brands.

Use the final shot as your cover photo to keep your grid looking great, while the following slides can show the fun side of your brand.

6. Share Reviews

Carousels are also fantastic to showcase reviews and testimonials. According to Spiegel Research Center, 95% of customers read reviews before making a purchase, so show your best reviews in one post.

Fanbooster now allows up to 10 images per carousel, so you’ll get to show a lot of customer reviews at once.

7. Collect Similar Content in One Place

If you’ve recently held an event, or you have multiple images from one photoshoot, a carousel makes it easy to collect these Instagram photos in a single post. This is a great alternative to sharing event photos on your Instagram stories with a little more longevity.

How To Upload an Instagram Carousel Post Using Fanbooster

Fanbooster recently upgraded our multi-image limit to 10 images so you can get the most out of your carousels.

If you’re using Fanbooster, it’s easy to create an Instagram carousel. We offer customized posting so you can publish your branded social media marketing images straight from Fanbooster rather than the Instagram app with our seamless Canva integration.

Here’s a quick tutorial on how to upload an Instagram Carousel Post using Fanbooster:

Select multiple images you want to include in your new post as you normally would.
Select the Instagram account you want to publish to.
You will need to select an indirect posting source to complete the process. You can find directions for indirect posting in this article.

Find out how to add media to your Media Library in Fanbooster:

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How to Get Verified on All Social Media in 2021

Maddy Osman — Thu, 06 May 2021 12:01:00 +0000

In the world of social media, it can be challenging to stand out. One of the ways marketers, brands, and individuals can do so is through verification.

Verified social media accounts are usually marked by a blue checkmark symbol and have become a symbol of online clout and credibility.

Keep reading to learn:

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How To Get Verified on Social Media

When social media verification was first introduced, it was commonly reserved for public figures with huge followings, such as A-list celebrities. Since then, the list of verified users has grown to include brands, companies, journalists, activists, and influencers.

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Getting verified on social media comes with several benefits (in addition to the incredible feeling you get from that blue checkmark), including:

Ultimately, the blue checkmark is about establishing credibility and legitimacy for brands. The social proof you receive from having a verification badge helps you gain followers faster and increase online engagement.

It usually takes more than just a few clicks to get a badge. You generally need to establish an active and noteworthy presence on the platform to become verified.

Consistent activity and high-quality content are the two core ingredients for building a social media presence worth verifying.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at how to get verified on social media.

Get Verified on Twitter

In 2020, Twitter announced plans to close the public verification process so the team could make some changes.

You cannot request verification on Twitter currently, but the platform plans to relaunch the application in 2021. Once released, Twitter users can access the form on Twitter’s official website and in the Twitter app.

Twitter verifies notable and active accounts in the following categories:

Government
Brands, companies, and nonprofits
Journalists and news organizations
Sports (including esports)
Entertainment
Activists, influencers, and organizers

In the meantime, you can find the specific requirements for each category on the updated verification requirements page to prepare your Twitter account for the verification process.

How To Get Verified on Facebook

Go to Facebook’s Request a Blue Verification Badge Page
Select your verification type (page or profile)
Select a category
Select your country
Upload a photo ID
Explain why your account should be verified
Hit Send

You must upload an official document to request verification of your Facebook page or profile.

For individuals, a driver’s license or another government-issued ID card will suffice. For a business page, you can provide articles of incorporation, a certificate of formation, your company’s phone or utility bill, or tax documents.

Screenshot from Facebook

After you send your request, Facebook’s verification team will review your information and make a decision.

A blue badge will appear on your profile if you’re approved. However, if your request is denied, you can apply again after 30 days.

Facebook’s verification eligibility requirements are the same as Instagram’s.

A complete profile on Facebook includes the about section, page or profile photo, and at least one post. You should be active on Facebook and complete other sections, such as the cover photo, to increase your chances of becoming verified.

How To Get Verified on YouTube

If your channel is eligible for a verification badge on YouTube, you can apply on the verification badge page to get the gray checkmark.

YouTube’s team will review the channel to see if it meets the requirements.

To receive a verification badge, a YouTube channel must have at least 100,000 subscribers and meet the following requirements:

Authenticity. Represents a real brand, person, or entity.
Completeness. Channels must be public and active. Furthermore, your channel needs to have a profile photo, banner image, description, and great content.

Youtube reserves the right to verify channels with fewer than 100,000 subscribers if the brand, person, or entity is well-known outside of the platform.

How To Get Verified on TikTok

Unlike Facebook and Instagram, TikTok does not have a verification request process. TikTok reviews accounts and gives out verification badges where it sees fit.

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TikTok verifies accounts that are authentic, unique, notable, active, and compliant with the company’s community guidelines and terms of service.

If you’re looking to get verified on TikTok, here are some tips to help you receive a blue checkmark:

Be active on the platform and consistently produce content
Engage with other users
Interact with new trends right away
Get verified on other social media platforms
Grow your following
Produce viral content

Growing a large following on TikTok’s platform is one of the best ways to stand out to its verification team. Ultimately, getting verified requires consistently producing great content and perhaps a bit of luck!

Get Verified on Instagram

Tap the menu icon on your Instagram account profile (upper right-hand corner)
Tap Settings
Tap Account
Select Request Verification
Fill out the Request Verification form
Tap Send

Submitting the request form for your Instagram profile doesn’t guarantee a blue checkmark. After you fill out the form and send it, Instagram will review your profile and decide whether to verify you.

Instagram will get back to you within 30 days of submission. You can find the social network’s decision in your notifications center.

If your request is approved, the verified badge will appear on your profile. If your request is denied, you can apply for a verified account again after 30 days.

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To become verified, your account must not violate Instagram’s terms of use or community guidelines. You also have to meet the following four requirements:

Authenticity. Authentic accounts represent real people and businesses.
Uniqueness. Only one account per person can be verified. There are some exceptions for language-specific accounts.
Complete. Complete accounts have a bio, profile picture, and at least one post. They are also public.
Notability. Notable accounts are well-known and highly searched for on Instagram. Alternatively, notable accounts can represent individuals or brands featured in the news, not including paid promotional content.

We recommend reviewing Instagram’s requirements and optimizing your account before you apply.

The first three Instagram verification requirements are within your control. Achieving notability, on the other hand, isn’t as straightforward. Having an established brand or high-quality mentions from other accounts can help with notability.

How To Get Verified on Google My Business

Sign in to Google My Business
Go to your Google My Business dashboard
Click Verify now in the upper right corner
Make sure your information is correct
Click Mail
Enter the name of the person receiving the verification postcard
Click Send postcard
When you receive your card, log in and select Verify now (or Verify location)
Enter the verification code on your postcard

Learning how to get verified on social media is helpful for individuals. Businesses, however, should also pay attention to Google verification, which helps with search engine optimization (SEO) and driving more store traffic.

Google verifies most businesses via mail. The team will send you a postcard containing your verification code.

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Once verified, it can take up to a few weeks for your business information to begin appearing on Google.

Verifying your business allows your business profile to appear on Google Maps and Google Search. It also means you can add photos and respond to reviews.

How To Get Verified on Pinterest

Make sure you have a business account
Go to Settings and Edit Profile
Select Claim
Follow steps to claim your website
Select Click Here to Complete the Process

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Pinterest will verify that you have successfully claimed your website. Once that’s done, you’ll have a red badge on your profile, and you’ll be able to display your entire website URL too.

How To Get Verified on Snapchat

Like TikTok, Snapchat chooses who to verify. There is no request form or application process.

Snapchat verification is typically reserved for celebrities and influencers with massive followings. The best way to earn a verification badge is by growing your brand awareness and following on Snapchat.

Final Thoughts: How To Get Verified on Social Media Platforms in 2021

Learning how to get verified on social media can be more challenging than it seems. The steps to request verification are simple, but becoming approval-worthy usually takes time and patience.

After all, if it were easy, everyone would have a badge. Verification badges create value because they are exclusive.

So, take the time to build a strong brand presence and grow your following before spending all your time on verification. If you consistently share valuable content on your profile, verification will come naturally.

To automate your social media process and grow your following, explore Fanbooster’s social media scheduler software.

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Is Snapchat Dead? The 2021 Guide To Snapchat Marketing + Snapchat Trends for a Refresh

Maddy Osman — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 18:34:39 +0000

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When Snapchat came on the scene, it was a game-changing social media app. Snapchat stories opened the gate to a new offering, and other social media platforms adapted quickly with their own versions, like Instagram Stories.

Since its release in 2011, Snapchat has risen to become one of the most prominent social platforms. But a decade later, with heavy competition, it begs the question: Is Snapchat dead?

Especially after a unique 2020, how has Snapchat fared? Is it still a good option for your business to create a Snapchat marketing campaign?

We’ll take a look to see if Snapchat is dying and what you can do to refresh your Snapchat marketing strategy, including taking advantage of Snapchat trends like:

Using a Snapchat business account
Advertising on Snapchat
Partnering with influencers
Creating more immersive experiences
Reaching out to young people
Being authentic

Is Snapchat Dead?

The question of whether or not Snapchat is dead has been asked before, and it’s valid, especially as the landscape changes with new players like TikTok on the scene.

But in 2021, the answer to “Is Snapchat dead?” or even “Is Snapchat dying?” is a no. The social media app keeps growing its audience every year and provides value for younger demographics and new markets.

Let’s take a closer look.

Snapchat Number Trend

Almost every quarter since 2014, Snapchat’s audience has increased. In the fourth quarter of 2020, Snapchat boasted 265 million daily users. Snapchat‘s growth also has a global reach, with its active users also expanding in 2020 in North America, Europe, and other parts of the world.

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Moreover, Snapchat reports daily users open its app an average of 30 times and spend over half an hour on the platform.

So, the upward Snapchat trends tell us that it’s not true that Snapchat is dead. With continuous user growth worldwide, Snapchat is still one of the most popular social networks out there.

What This Means for Your Company

Those that are wondering if Snapchat is dying might need to refresh their strategy. If you’re not benefitting from your Snapchat content, you might be approaching the wrong crowd or need to keep up with developments to keep your strategy relevant.

Snapchat Trends

Have your bases covered
Partner with influencers
Use Snapchat ads
Create more immersive experiences
Target a younger audience
Be authentic and engaging

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Cover the Bases With Your Snapchat Account

You should operate with a Snapchat business account to get the most out of campaigns and advertisements.

Marketers should also familiarize themselves with Snapchat Insights, which is basically Snapchat analytics. This way, you can measure audience engagement and adjust your Snapchat marketing strategies as needed.

And don’t forget to use other valuable tools, like a scheduler, to ensure you post consistently. Don’t wonder if Snapchat is dying if you’re not setting your business up for success.

Work With a Snapchat Influencer

Influencer marketing has been on the rise for Snapchat for years, and for a good reason. A Snapchat influencer brings notoriety to your product and can introduce your business to new users.

Consider hosting a Snapchat takeover with an influencer or create a partnership to hopefully lead more traffic to your account.

Make Use of Snapchat Advertising

Snapchat is consistently updating its ad options for businesses with features such as:

Snapchat Spotlight (to compete with TikTok)

Six-second commercials

Dynamic Product Ads (DPAs)

And as the economy continues to recover from 2020, Snapchat vice president of Americas, Peter Naylor, says the company feels momentum for the future of advertising on Snapchat.

With the Snapchat ad manager, you can create ads tailored to your Snapchat audience. You have many advertising options, like using your Snapchat story as a straightforward ad or creating branded Snapchat filters.

Snapchat encourages creativity with your Snapchat marketing ideas by providing opportunities like using DPAs as a way for customers to try products before they buy. This brings us to our next point.

Provide Immersive Experiences

Especially in a year where most people spent most of their time at home, immersive experiences became critical for social media marketing in 2020.

On Snapchat, brands used augmented reality (AR) for you to experience their product as if you were doing so at a store in real life. Brands, non-profits, and films used AR lenses to put people in the action and market themselves creatively.

As more of our world moves online, make sure your business gives your audience opportunities to interact with you virtually.

Target a Younger Demographic

If the people in your target audience aren’t Snapchat users, then that could be what’s holding you back on the platform. Snapchat is an app used mostly by Generation Z and millennials.

Snapchat and Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel says Snapchat reaches 75% of 13-34-year-olds. That number jumps to 90% when looking at 13-24-year-olds. It’s best to keep that in mind while designing your Snapchat strategy.

It’s easy to believe Snapchat is dying if you see little engagement on your posts, but it might be because you’re going after the wrong user base on the social network.

Even if your ideal client isn’t 16 years old and in high school, remember, that generation will grow up and have different advertising needs. So it’s good to keep up with the changing tides for the future.

Be Authentic and Engaging With Your Content

More users are looking for authenticity on social media. A network like Snapchat empowers a brand to show personality. Your Snapchat followers want exclusive content that deepens their connection to your brand.

So no matter the Snapchat trends of the moment, remember to give your audience a reason to keep up with you on the platform. Lifeless content will result in little engagement.

Final Thoughts: Is Snapchat Dead? The 2021 Guide To Snapchat Marketing + Snapchat Trends

By now, it’s a given that Snapchat isn’t dead, and it should still be an essential part of your digital marketing. By keeping up with the latest Snapchat trends in 2021, like creating immersive experiences and partnering with influencers, you can use Snapchat for marketing your business effectively.

Maybe it’s time to stop asking if Snapchat is dead and accept it might be here to stay. At least for the time being.

Do you need help with your Snapchat strategy? Get started with a Fanbooster free trial to see how far your business can go.

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The Importance of Company Culture + How To Share Your Employer Branding on Social Media

Maddy Osman — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 17:26:43 +0000

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On your social channels, you can share more than company news and updates—you can give your followers a sense of what it’s like to work at your company. This task becomes easier if you have an exceptional company culture.

Take the time to think about your corporate brand and how you want that to reflect in your culture with an employer branding strategy. After you’ve pinned down what you want your culture to look like, you’ll have a multitude of content ideas to post for social media marketing.

Read on to learn how to craft and share your employer brand strategy, including:

The Importance of Company Culture

A company’s culture says a lot about its business and how much it cares. If employees are happy to work for your company, then clients, customers, and job candidates get a better sense of your company values and brand quality.

A company’s employer brand matters for several reasons because it:

Benefits employees, which leads to higher employee retention

Could increase employee referrals

Humanizes and personalizes your brand

Builds your company’s reputation

Fosters pride in your staff

Shows you care about your employees, appealing to potential customers and clients

Helps you prove you’re a credible employer to job seekers

Provides a more authentic way to share company successes, by featuring the employees behind the project

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Happy Employees Leads to More Success

Not only does fostering a positive culture improve your employee well-being, but it’s better for business too. An Oxford study shows that happier employees are 13% more productive. Plus, it can lead to lower turnover rates, which saves money.

Customers also appreciate companies who value their employees. This is especially true if businesses take care of their employees during turbulent times.

Social Media Recruitment Marketing

Social media is a powerful tool for your recruitment advertising.

Your human resources or recruitment team can use social media for talent acquisition. If your marketing team shares your employer branding efforts on social media, you can get a leg up on the fierce competition for talent.

Employee value proposition (EVP) asks what’s in it for the employee. Why do they want to come work for your company? Many employees aren’t just looking for more money — they want opportunities at their job.

So, suppose your social media activities show why your company is a great place to work by highlighting employee achievements or how your company helps its employees get ahead. In that case, it can show potential candidates why they should submit an application.

How To Foster Your Company Culture

The first step in creating your employer brand strategy is to define your company culture. There are a few ways to do this. You can gather ideas starting with your:

Mission statement

Employer value proposition

Brand promise

Core values

Employer brand positioning statement

If you don’t have some of these documents, now’s the time to create them so you can define what’s essential to your company and culture.

And don’t forget the most vital part of creating an employee culture: the employees. Make sure to ask your employees what they want. Employee engagement can help you learn what individual employees want, and it will make sure they’re happy with the culture at work.

Once you know your values and your employees’ needs, you can start developing the best environment for your business. For example:

Zappos is a compelling example of a company that intertwined its core values with its culture. By prioritizing customer experience, then-CEO Tony Hsieh told Harvard Business Review that the company couldn’t achieve that unless its employees were genuinely happy at work.

Zappos takes employee culture so seriously it has its own Twitter account, @ZapposCulture, where it shares employee moments and insights.

Employer Brand Strategy Ideas for Social Media

Once you define your company culture’s foundation, start thinking of employer branding ideas and how they can translate to social media content.

Remember to use a specific social media strategy for each different channel. For example, if your employee delivered a successful presentation at an industry conference, try posting the video on LinkedIn. “Bring Your Pet to Work Day” could make for a better Instagram post.

When you’re planning your employer brand strategy for social media, always create highly visual content with photos, videos, or graphics. And don’t forget the hashtags. Popular culture-specific hashtags include #companyculture or #teambuilding.

Here are some other ideas for social media employee branding posts:

Use employee-generated content for authenticity

Interview employees, such as new hires, department heads, or team members

Share employee testimonials

Show off unique employee perks and benefits

Give behind-the-scenes looks

Showcase company events

Create an employee ambassador or employee advocacy program

Celebrate promotions and anniversaries

Give shoutouts to the employees behind innovative ideas

Share your company story and how your employees are a part of it

Highlight employee accomplishments

Final Thoughts: How To Share Your Employer Brand Strategy on Social Media

Sharing your employer branding on social media highlights the positive aspects of your company. It helps with your company image and recruiting, and it empowers potential clients and customers to get a better sense of your company.

Employer brand management starts with the company mission and core drivers and what you want your company culture to be. Then you can use your social media efforts to showcase why you’re a powerful employer and how that makes you a stronger company.

Combining social media and corporate culture with an effective employer brand strategy helps your business succeed.

Do you want to improve your company’s social media presence? Try a free trial of Fanbooster to start reaching your brand’s full potential.

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The 10 Best Instagram Scheduling Tools for Direct Instagram Publishing | 2021 Review

Maddy Osman — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 12:14:00 +0000

Instagram has become a powerhouse social marketing tool for businesses, thanks to its highly-engaged audience. Instagram’s 2019 internal data found that 90% of users follow a business on the platform.

However, with increased popularity comes fierce competition. According to eMarketer, 75.3% of businesses will be on Instagram by the end of 2020.

So, how do you push through the clutter to reach your target audience?

To outpace competitors and keep your brand top-of-mind, scheduling your Instagram content is essential.

But first, you’ll need a quality Instagram scheduler — or third-party application (app) for scheduling your Instagram posts. With so many tools to choose from, it can be challenging to make a decision.

Here’s the good news:

We did the heavy lifting for you and compared the 10 best Instagram scheduler tools for 2021.

Before diving in, here’s a brief look at what we’ll be going over:

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Key Benefits of Scheduling Instagram Posts

Scheduling Instagram content in advance allows you to:

Improve workflow efficiency: Schedule an entire content calendar at once as opposed to daily.
Increase post engagement: Rather than publishing late or at random times, you can schedule your content to distribute during peak user engagement.
Generate brand awareness: Scheduling content ensures a consistent posting cadence, which means more opportunity for Instagrammers to see your posts.

However, it’s important to note that you must have an Instagram Business Profile to schedule Instagram posts.

How to Schedule Instagram Posts

Strategize your content buckets
Decide on an Instagram aesthetic
Curate your media assets
Visually plan your Instagram feed
Optimize your captions and hashtags
Determine the best times to post on Instagram
Find and use the best Instagram scheduler

1. Strategize Your Content Buckets

Content buckets — also known as content pillars — are topic categories that focus on different aspects of your business to engage your target audience.

General examples of content buckets include:

When strategizing content pillars specific to your company, consider your brand values and the key message points you want to get across. The goal is to create a foundation of diverse topics that align with your business to keep your Instagram grid fresh with relevant and exciting material.

2. Decide on an Instagram Aesthetic

When it comes to your Instagram feed’s visual appearance, cohesion and consistency are paramount for success.

Why?

The 2019 State of Brand Consistency report by Lucidpress found that consistent branding can increase revenue by 33%.

The best way to ensure your Instagram Business Profile is cohesive and aligns with your brand messaging is to develop an aesthetic. For Instagram, aesthetic refers to your business profile’s overall look-and-feel or the “mood” that your content displays.

Take media company Brit.co’s Instagram account, for example.

The brand is colorful, bold, and playful, which you can see reflected in its cohesive feed.

To help you determine your brand’s Instagram aesthetic, we recommend creating a mood board, including:

3. Curate Your Media Assets

Now that you have a strategy and vision for your Instagram marketing, it’s time to bring it to life with curated media assets.

Depending on your aesthetic, these can be graphics, images, videos — or a combination.

To ensure you capture all the necessary images and videos, create a shot-list based on your content buckets before any media shoots.

4. Visually Plan your Instagram Feed

Visually planning your Instagram grid before scheduling your posts allows you to see how your feed will look in advance. In doing so, you can prevent any off-brand content from being published and maintain a cohesive presence.

The best way to do this is with a visual Instagram planning tool — often included as a feature within Instagram Schedulers. We’ll touch more on this functionality in our Best Instagram Scheduler Tool section.

5. Optimize Your Captions and Hashtags

Instagram is prone to “scrolling” behavior, so your copy needs to be engaging enough to catch a potential customer’s attention. For optimal performance, it’s best to keep your Instagram caption to two-to-three lines of text.

Why?

Instagram truncates copy after 125 characters, and users must tap “More” to continue reading.

Relevant and branded hashtags should also be included in your caption to increase searchability and brand awareness.

6. Determine the Best Times to Post on Instagram

If you search Google looking for the best times to post on Instagram, you’ll find a wide variety of answers.

The truth is, it varies depending on key factors, like industry and geography.

The best way to determine when you should schedule Instagram content for your business is to look at your Instagram Insights.

From your Instagram Business Profile on your mobile device, simply tap Insights > Total Followers. Scroll down, and you’ll find a section for Most Active Times (i.e., when your followers are most active).

Use this to develop and test out a publishing cadence.

7. Find and Use the Best Instagram Scheduler

Instagram doesn’t offer in-app scheduling. Instead, businesses must use an Instagram post scheduler.

However, not all Instagram schedulers were made equal.

Some tools offer manual publishing with push notification reminders, while others have taken advantage of Instagram’s 2018 open application programming interface (API) update to offer direct Instagram publishing.

When deciding on the best Instagram scheduler to use, keep these three things in mind:

Best Instagram Scheduler Tools

Fanbooster
Sendible
PLANOLY
Sprout Social
Later
Buffer Publish
Sked Social
Tailwind
Hootsuite
Combin Scheduler

Below is a detailed comparison of each Instagram scheduler tool — including assessments of top features and pricing plans.

The list focuses on tools that support direct scheduling to Instagram, because who wants to use the manual smartphone workaround?

No one.

1. Fanbooster

Fanbooster is more than an Instagram scheduler; it’s a full-scale social media management tool for businesses and agencies. You can plan, review, schedule, and directly publish Instagram content.

Additionally, you have access to in-depth analytics to monitor your social performance across platforms.

Fanbooster supports all the top social media platforms, including:

Instagram

Facebook

TikTok

Snapchat

Twitter

YouTube

For users on-the-go, Fanbooster offers a seamless mobile app in the App Store and Google Play.

Fanbooster also makes it easy to edit media assets without leaving your dashboard through the native Canva integration. You can even geotag and target your posts upon scheduling.

Instead of a free plan, Fanbooster offers a 14-day free trial to test out any of our premium plans.

If you’re looking for a powerful, all-in-one social media management tool with more advanced features — Fanbooster is an excellent option.

Top Fanbooster Features:

Best Instagram Scheduler for: Social media marketers, agencies, medium-to-large-sized businesses

Price: Free 14-day trial; $49 per month for Standard; $99 per month for Advanced; $199 per month for Pro

2. Sendible

Sendible is known as the best Instagram scheduler for multiple accounts — its Starter tier provides connections for up to 12 social media profiles.

Sendible offers notification-based scheduling for Instagram Stories and multi-image posts, and direct publishing for single-image and video posts. Like Fanbooster, Sendible has a Canva integration for in-app editing a mobile app for iOS and Android.

A few additional features include:

When it comes to platform structure, Sendible is built to scale with you as your business or client list grows.

Top Sendible Features:

Best Instagram Scheduler for: Agencies, small businesses, solopreneurs, large teams

Price: Free 14-day trial; $29 per month for Starter; $99 per month for Traction; $199 per month for Growth; $299 per month for Large

3. PLANOLY

PLANOLY started out as a visual planner for Instagram, and that functionality remains at the core of the platform. They’ve since become a top visual planner for Pinterest as well, with two of their main offerings being “IG Planner” and “Pin Planner.”

Users can post photos, videos, GIFs, and plan out thematic grids with the tool. Additional features like the best time to post, auto-posting first comment, and robust analytics help to ensure the success of these posts.

PLANOLY also comes with unique tools like sellit and linkit to help drive click-throughs. Sellit facilitates eCommerce from Instagram without the need for a website, and linkit allows planning a grid with link CTAs on posts.

Although the Instagram API does not yet allow any social media management platform to schedule Stories directly, PLANOLY also offers StoriesEdit. This tool will allow the user to visually plan out their Stories and keep the drafts for when they’re ready to post.

Top PLANOLY Features:

PLANOLY also has a free plan in its four-tier pricing plan, but with much more limited features.

With the free plan, users can integrate both an Instagram and Pinterest account and can post up to 30 times per month per profile.

The Solo plan also gives users access to two profiles, but with unlimited uploads on one. To have unlimited uploads on both, users will need a Duo plan.

One plus is that all features are open to all paid plans. The only limitation between plans is in the number of posts, profiles, and users you can add.

Best Instagram Scheduler for: Influencers, solopreneurs, agencies or businesses that have a highly visual social strategy

Price: Free plan available; $9 per month for Solo; $19 per month for Duo; $29 per month for Custom

4. Sprout Social

Like Fanbooster, Sprout Social is a social media management platform that features Instagram publishing and several other social tools (i.e., automation and analytics).

With Sprout Social, you can edit your media in-app and store your files in an asset library, as well as automate Instagram posts for direct publishing.

Sprout Social is more focused on the enterprise market and large teams based on its price and functionality. With no free plans and a hefty price tag — starting at $99 per user per month — the tool is out of reach for most small agencies and freelancers.

If you can foot the bill, Sprout Social’s ViralPost® technology is worth taking advantage of for your Instagram Business Profile. The feature analyzes your engagement data to determine optimal posting times for manual or automated distribution.

Top Sprout Social Features:

Best Instagram Scheduler for: Agencies, medium-to-large-sized businesses, enterprise

Price: Free 30-day trial; $99 per user per month for Standard; $149 per user per month for Professional; $249 per user per month for Advanced

5. Later

Later, trusted by an astounding four million people, is most popularly known as a visual Instagram marketing platform for creatives.

Later’s scheduling and publishing features allow you to auto-publish single-image and video posts to Instagram. You can also schedule your first Instagram comment to keep your captions organized and visually plan out your Instagram grid before going live.

Among Instagram post scheduling, some of Later’s notable functionalities include:

Later offers a free version, but you’re limited to 30 posts on one social platform per month.

The free version includes basic features, like:

If you want more in-depth analytics on your social performance or to auto-publish video to Instagram, you’ll need a premium plan. The good news is, even premium versions of Later are relatively cost-effective.

Top Later Features:

Direct image and video publishing to Instagram

Best Time to Post

A shoppable feed with links

Best Instagram Scheduler for: Bloggers, social media marketers, small business owners, agencies, e-commerce

Price: Free Forever plan; $12.50 per month for Starter; $20.50 per month for Growth; $33 per month for Advanced. Premium prices are based on annual billing

6. Buffer Publish

Buffer Publish is the scheduling and publishing arm of the well-known social media management app, Buffer.

Along with Instagram, Buffer Publish supports direct scheduling to each of the leading social networks (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn).

According to its claims, Buffer has more than 75,000 business users.

So, what’s all the hype?

Buffer Publish has many great additional capabilities for Instagram, such as visual planning for Instagram Stories (Stories) and the ability to schedule your first comment.

The scheduling tool also boasts features for e-commerce businesses like Shop Grid, a shoppable landing page for your link in bio.

Unlike Fanbooster, Sprout Social, and Iconosquare, Buffer Publish requires separate pricing for access to analytics. If you’re looking for a powerful Instagram scheduler and don’t mind the lack of insights, this may be a good option for you.

Buffer Publish does have a basic free plan with one user, three social channels, and 10 scheduled posts per month. There’s also a free 14-day trial available for any of the premium plans.

Top Buffer Publish Features:

Best Instagram Scheduler for: Individuals, startups, large teams, e-commerce, agencies

Pricing: Free 14-day trial; Free for basic features; $15 per month for Pro; $65 per month for Premium; $99 per month for Business

7. Sked Social

Schedugram rebranded to Sked Social in 2018 to expand beyond an Instagram marketing platform to a full-scale social media management tool.

In terms of look and feel, Sked Social is most similar to Later. Drag-and-drop your content in a visual grid planner, manage multiple Instagram accounts, and use in-app image editing tools on desktop and mobile.

Sked Social is the only Instagram Scheduler listed to auto-publish Instagram images, videos, carousels, and Stories.

This tool is extremely flexible, and with it comes a higher price tag. However, Sked Social is a great advanced solution for social media experts.

Top Sked Social Features:

Best Instagram Scheduler for: E-commerce, agencies, freelancers, retail, corporate

Price: Free 7-day trial; $25 per month for Fundamentals; $75 per month for Essentials; $135 per month for Professional; contact for Enterprise pricing

8. Tailwind

Tailwind’s Instagram marketing interface may not look as aesthetically pleasing as Later or Buffer, but what it lacks in “curb appeal” it makes up for in “smart” features. The platform differentiates itself as a smart Instagram marketing assistant for planning and scheduling Instagram posts.

So, what makes Tailwind so “smart”?

Tailwind offers Smart.bio — a link in bio tool that provides a free branded landing page for a shoppable Instagram feed and automated link updating. You can also schedule Instagram posts automatically during peak engagement times using its SmartSchedule feature.

Like the other Instagram scheduling tools, Tailwind offers direct Instagram publishing for single images and videos.

There is no free version of Tailwind, but they do offer a free trial with no time limit. You get up to 30 scheduled posts to test out.

If you decide to buy, the pricing for Tailwind is affordable. One Instagram plan encompassing all the platform’s features starts at $9.99 per month (billed annually).

Tailwind is great if you’re just starting with Instagram marketing or want a powerful, no-fuss Instagram scheduler.

Top Tailwind Features:

Best Instagram Scheduler for: Non-profits, enterprise, bloggers, influencers

Price: Free trial (up to 30 scheduled Instagram posts); premium plans start at $9.99 per month for Instagram Plus when billed annually

9. Hootsuite

Hootsuite has been around for more than a decade, and according to the platform, it’s got 18 million customers to show for it.

Similar to Fanbooster and Sprout Social, Hootsuite is a social media management platform supporting all the main social channels.

When it comes to Hootsuite’s Instagram tools, you can plan, schedule, review, and publish content directly to your Instagram Business Profile from the desktop and mobile app. You can also monitor social conversations, bulk schedule content, and track post-performance.

Hootsuite offers a limited free plan for one user, three social media profiles, and up to 30 scheduled posts per month. But, to see the real value offered by this tool, you’ll need to invest in the Professional tier at $29 per month (billed annually).

Compared to other Instagram schedulers, Hootsuite is on the more expensive side.

Top Hootsuite Features:

Best Instagram Scheduler for: Entrepreneurs, small teams, enterprise, government, higher-education, agencies

Price: Free 30-day trial; limited free plan; $29 per month for Professional; $129 per month for Team; $599 per month for Business; contact for Enterprise pricing

10. Combin Scheduler

Similar to Later, Combin Scheduler is another robust Instagram marketing tool to consider when searching for the best app to schedule Instagram posts.

Built to plan and automate Instagram content, Combin Scheduler is a free desktop app for Mac, Linux, and Windows users.

Combin Scheduler allows you to visualize your Instagram grid layout before scheduling and auto-publishing images and Stories. You can also edit the photo size, add location tags, and copy and paste hashtags from your saved templates.

Not to mention, you’re able to connect up to 15 Instagram Business Profiles.

On the downside, the Combin Scheduler app must remain launched or enabled to run in the background for it to function correctly. Additionally, Combin Scheduler is not a tool that can manage all of your social media platforms.

Top Combin Scheduler Features:

Free for everyone

Direct-to-Instagram photo and Story publishing

Link in bio automation

Best Instagram Scheduler for: Freelancers, bloggers, social media marketers, business owners, e-commerce

Price: Free

Final Thoughts: The 10 Best Instagram Scheduler Tools for 2021 Compared

Instagram is a gold mine for businesses that know how to leverage the platform.

Scheduling Instagram posts in advance will allow you to create higher quality content quicker and outshine your competitors. Before posting to your business Instagram page, make sure to run through the best practices on scheduling content.

No matter which Instagram scheduler app you decide on, you’ll be in good hands with any of the options above.

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TikTok Marketing in 2021: What Is TikTok and How Can You Market On It?

Anna Dievendorf — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000

If you aren’t already scrolling through TikTok on your own device, there’s no doubt you’ve heard of it⁠—whether from references to viral comedy videos and dances, seeing the TikTok logo in videos re-posted on your other favorite social media sites, or just hearing about how it’s the latest platform to take the social media landscape by storm.

If you market to Gen Z and younger millenials, plan to create a video content strategy, or both, TikTok is a crucial part of your 2021 social media marketing strategy.

@mychaelade
FBI won’t leave me alone💀😅 and I ate the other half of ramen btw
♬ RamenSecret - lavidadetomas

TikTok was the number one most downloaded app in 2020, and it’s estimated that TikTok has about 689 million monthly active users and 2 billion app store downloads. What does that mean? The network is larger than both Twitter and Pinterest.

With this firehose of new content to consume, it’s staying power has become crystal clear⁠—TikTok is unlikely to be a passing fad. If you’re thinking to yourself that at least some of those 689 million people must be in your business’s target audience, there’s a good chance you’re right.

This may sound like a marketing goldmine—especially because there could be less competition while other businesses hesitate to get on board. However, engaging with potential customers in a place where they go to be entertained requires a nuanced, careful approach.

Did you know that you can schedule TikTok posts on Fanbooster?

Start testing new content, grow your audience, and see how TikTok can drive brand awareness with the new Fanbooster integration. We will be adding new features and increasing our capabilities as TikTok allows.

Learn More

Use this guide to get up to speed on TikTok, how to use the app, if you should use it, and a few best practices to make your post surge in popularity.

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What is TikTok?

TikTok is a social media mobile app with a large community of users centered around video content.

TikTokers (TikTok users) film short videos and edit them with effects, filters, captions, and music, then post them for their TikTok followers. Content creators use hashtags and identify which popular category they fit into to more easily be discovered by non-followers.

Much of the site’s content is comedic—kind of like Vine, Twitter’s late video network (rest in peace). Some of the most popular genres include short skits, lip-syncing, cringe videos, how-to’s, and sharing common experiences with “tell me about a time that you…”.

One of the most popular phenomena is the influx of “challenges” posted across the platform (often to visualize lyrics from a popular song or test different reactions to a common social experiment) that create a ripple effect as everyone contributes their own version.

You thought the #InMyFeelingsChallenge was popular when you kept seeing it on Instagram? It was uploaded to Instagram 1.7 million times, while TikTok saw 5 million entries.

TikTok first launched in China as Douyin, then launched as TikTok internationally in 2017. Then, everything changed⁠⁠—ByteDance (TikTok’s parent company) acquired Music.ly, a social media platform that allowed users to create lip-sync videos to popular songs.

Creativity with lip-syncing paved the way for TikTok’s US popularity and emphasis on incorporating music.

Douyin still exists, and both Douyin and TikTok use the same software, but they maintain separate networks to comply with China’s censorship laws.

TikTok has a very specific user demographic

@gusgusinthecity
another day at the pawfice ##theoffice ##dressyourpetday ##dressyourpet ##dogsoftiktok ##foryoupage
♬ The Office - Scranton Crew

Before you start marketing on TikTok, make sure your demographic aligns.

TikTok is most popular with people between the age of 16 and 24, which makes up 60% of the total userbase. TikTok reports that 80% of all users are between the ages 16-34, confirming that this probably isn’t the channel for marketing to the older crowd.

Aside from age, the other stats we know seem to indicate popularity fairly evenly across the board.

58.4% of TikTok users are male and 41% are female. This is a flip from 2020, where the gender split was in similar proportions, but skewed the opposite way.

The app is available in 150 markets in 39 languages.

iPhone/Android usage is a 52%/48% split.

As long as you’re in the correct age range, you can probably pretty safely find your customers.

So with that in mind, we do recommend only using TikTok for marketing if you have a young audience. While there’s no doubt that older people are slowly starting to adopt the platform, your marketing resources will likely be better spent elsewhere if that’s your targeted audience.

Does that mean all hope is lost if you market to older millennials and above? Absolutely not.

Re-posting videos that were created on TikTok to other social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter is a hugely popular practice. If you have an engaged audience on those other profiles, you can take advantage of the robust TikTok editing tools to create video content for your followers.

If you go this route, just keep an eye on news released from the other platforms on how they plan to handle repurposed content. For example, Facebook has announced plans to test algorithm changes that make Reels with a TikTok watermark less discoverable.

Here's how to market on TikTok

You have two options for an organic TikTok marketing strategy: working with influencers or creating original content. Each of these strategies have their own merits and time commitments.

Let’s walk through both options so you can decide which one makes the most sense for your business.

Influencer marketing will be huge on TikTok

From makeup to baking videos, TikTok is full of people making things. There are some huge TikTok influencers in these spaces—in fact, some have millions of subscribers.

These influencers have audiences that may want to buy your products, so for a chunk of your marketing budget, you can partner with them and create an influencer marketing campaign.

Pay these influencers to use your products on-camera or otherwise promote your brand in their videos, and you’ll get your products in front of new eyes.

But even more importantly, you’ll earn some of your customers’ trust too. One in three consumers trust an influencer’s opinion more than what a brand says, so use that to your advantage.

@bilintinamakeup
A touch of purple 💜 ##makeuplover ##makeup ##makeupvideo ##sigmabeauty
♬ original sound - bilintinamakeup

How to get started with TikTok influencer marketing

The golden rule of Influencer Marketing: relevance is more important than reach.

Don’t simply approach the people behind accounts with the largest following⁠⁠—not only will they be incredibly expensive to work with, but many references to your brand could fall on deaf ears.

Find out who is posting popular videos in your niche by navigating to the Discover tab, and searching a handful of keywords that relate to your industry, products, or services.

Document the users with the most followers or most popular videos within this topic, watch their posts to determine a fit for your brand, and think about reaching out.

As you’re moving through this process, also look at the most popular videos associated with those keywords, under Discover>Top.

While not a lot of information about the inner workings of the TikTok algorithm is public, there appears to be a component that allows anyone with palatable content skyrocket to popularity.

The team at Later reports from a first-hand investigation into the app that posts seem to be ‘tested’ on people who don’t follow you. If it performs well in that first group,the post will be served to even more non-followers if it performs well in that first group. Reach depends on performance.

“When your video is published, it’s served to a small number of TikTok users in between popular videos on their For You page. This is why when you’re scrolling through your For You page, you’ll often see a video that has very few likes.
If your video is received well by the users who initially receive it on their For You page, the chances are it will get bumped up to a larger pool of users, and then to even more, and so on.
So even if you only have a handful of followers on TikTok, your video could still skyrocket to success!”

While this is great encouragement when producing your own original content, this also gives us clues about when to nab an influencer as they’re on the cusp of becoming popular.

The micro-influencers with just one or two wildly popular videos that gained traction through this performance-based model may still be in the process of amassing a huge following (and price tag).

Keep an eye out for these as you sift through popular videos from your keyword search and document influencers to reach out to.

Create original TikTok content for your brand (if you dare)

Making your own content can be a powerful TikTok marketing strategy. However, it will take lots of time, creativity, and resources. TikTok is largely based on viral content, so your content needs to be viral too. Otherwise, it will likely be ignored by TikTokers.

The easiest, most effective way to ensure that your original content is popular and shareable is to dive into the “trend” culture.

Use the Discover page to track trending hashtags, and then create your own version of the trend that includes an element of your business. Bonus points if it’s funny or silly to increase your chance of virality.

Take the #WipeItDown challenge for example. This one shows creators wiping down their mirror to the beat of the song “Wipe It Down,” where on the third wipe they’re revealed as a different version of themselves, only to return to their original version for the fourth and final wipe of the mirror.

@willsmith
I don’t remember making this...? @chrisashley
♬ Wipe It Down - BMW KENNY

This challenge would be a great opportunity to use the third wipe to show a “better” or more exciting version of the star of the video after they use your product or service.

If you sell makeup, the original version could depict being very undone, comfortable, and maybe even make the “transformation” over the top by appearing in baggy sweats and messy bedhead.

On the third wipe, the star would be completely done up with the makeup, then quickly return to the natural version as if it never happened at all.

Another simple way to create popular content is to offer how-to’s, tips and tricks, or insider secrets from your industry.

If you own a bakery, you can show a pared-down, visually appealing version of the steps in a recipe, like baking a cake to the tune of a pop song where the final version appears when you show yourself snapping your fingers.

Sell clothing? Show how many ways a piece can be implemented into an outfit or the secret steps of your perfect shirt knot.

@foodwithmichel
Red Velvet Puffle cone from Cauldron Ice Cream ##savortheflavor ##tiktokcreator ##icecream ##trending
♬ original sound - foodwithmichel

This method is a doubly effective strategy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, where many in-person services have been forced to find a way to offer something different virtually.

Create a TikTok of your top yoga poses for stress relief or how to create extravagant cocktails in your own kitchen to stay relevant to your audience while they stay home.

Once you’ve created your content using one of these ideas or an original one you came up with for your business, always add a few relevant hashtags to your post before you upload it, since this is how users who don’t yet follow you will find it.

Just remember: Even if you don’t employ one of those two methods, the key to TikTok marketing is to make a viral, light-hearted video that also promotes your products⁠—not a product-first sales pitch.

The team at Later also reports that “Rewatches, video completions, shares, comments, and likes all seem to be strong indicators to the TikTok algorithm,” so make it entertaining.

To see more examples of brands at the top of the TikTok game, check out our list of top brands on TikTok.

How to find hashtags for your brand's TikTok posts

There are three top ways to find TikTok hashtags that will boost your reach.

Use some tried-and-true general hashtags that have surged in popularity and are meant to help get as many eyes as possible on your posts. Try these ones below from Influencer Marketing Hub.

Look at trending hashtags

Navigate over to the Discover page, where you’ll find a list of currently trending hashtags. Scroll through the hashtags to see if any fit your business and industry, or see if they indicate general challenges that you could put your spin on.

Get inspo from influencers

Look at the hashtags influencers in your vertical use. After you’ve completed the steps above to find niche influencers for your industry, borrow the hashtags they use and test their success on your own posts.

Use general popular hashtags

Use some tried-and-true general hashtags that have surged in popularity and are meant to help get as many eyes as possible on your posts. Try these ones below from Influencer Marketing Hub.

#tiktok
#foryoupage
#fyp
#foryou
#viral
#love
#funny
#memes
#follow
#bestvideo
#tiktok4fun
#tiktok4fun
#thisis4u
#loveyoutiktok

For topic-specific lists of most popular hashtags, check out the rest of their list.

How To Upload TikTok videos for publishing using Fanbooster

1. Using Fanbooster, upload your video content with any accompanying text or hashtags. You can do this in either the Fanbooster web app or the mobile app, but ultimately you’ll need to open the post in the Fanbooster mobile app to continue publishing to TikTok.

Here’s a list of everything you will need to create your post:

If you aren’t sure how to use the effects in TikTok, check out this quick tutorial that explains how to use all the tools.

2. Once you have your post open in the mobile app and everything looks good, select “Open in TikTok” at the bottom, which will then open the TikTok app.

3. You’ll now see your post and video content automatically populated on the post creation page in TikTok. Here you can change any settings or make any additional tweaks to your settings before you publish the post.

4. If you decide that you want to edit your video content further by adding more music, captions, or any other TikTok effects, just click the “back” arrow at the top of the TikTok post publishing screen.

This will allow you to go back to the video editing steps as if you were going through the TikTok video creation process instead of taking the expedited route to the last step through Fanbooster.

5. Publish your post! That’s all there is to it.

Use TikTok Ads

If you don’t have the time to come up with creative ideas, execute videos, and then slowly cultivate their reach through organic engagement, don’t sweat it⁠—TikTok has an advertising platform that will expand the reach for you if you set aside some budget.

TikTok Ad Formats

TikTok offers a variety of ways your ad can appear in the feed, depending on the creative assets you’re visualizing or what makes sense for your campaign. TikTok says these formats “include but not limited to: horizontal, vertical, or square videos and images.”

To create these ads, they also offer a couple creation tool sets, should you choose to use them:

These ads can appear in four places:

TikTok Ad Targeting

When managing your TikTok Ads, you can target your audience by gender, location, age, interests, and what TikTok calls “other unique variables.”

For more advanced users who may have practice using these same popular strategies on other paid social initiatives, you can create “Custom Audiences” and “Lookalike Audiences” to reach more people similar to your existing customers.

If you have a self-serve account, you can use TikTok’s chart to see which geographic ad targeting options are available to you based on the location of the owner account.

TikTok Ad Performance Measurement

TikTok Ads measurement tools let you monitor your ads performance by using a few different devices meant to help you track actionable KPIs:

Use the TikTok pixel to monitor your ad performance and measure your marketing results by tracking users’ behaviors on your website.

TikTok partners with third-party tracking companies to track ad conversions, users’ in-app behavior, impressions and click attribution data

As you can probably tell, these ad specifications indicate that TikTok ads are meant to blend into the average customer experience as much as possible.

If you want users to linger on your ad (or even better, click through and convert), you’re not off the hook for creating something entertaining that doesn’t disrupt their social experience.

The brand, Guess jeans kept this in mind when launching their TikTok advertising campaign, leaning into both the musical and “trending challenge” aspects of the platform by creating their own challenge hashtag and generating an influx of consumer-generated content.

They used the idea of “transforming your looks” with the slogan “Transform your outfit from a mess to best-dressed! All you need is denim!” accompanied by Bebe Rexh’s “I’m a Mess” and the hashtag #InMyDenim.

The campaign was wildly successful, and you can read more about the KPIs they hit in the case study on TikTok’s website.

Ultimately, in making the decision between organic and paid TikTok content, you will have to decide if you’re paying with your time or your money. There’s pros and cons to each, so it will depend on your budget and how you want to interact with your audience.

Bottom Line for TikTok Marketing

And there you have it: How to market on TikTok in 2021. Use this guide to decide on if you should pursue TikTok marketing, whether it should be organic or paid, and how you want to kick off your first campaign.

Remember, it has a very specific demographic, so tread lightly, keep it fun, and make it shareable for that audience.

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The 6 Best Twitter Tools To Use for Twitter Chat

Maddy Osman — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 18:46:24 +0000

Image Source

We get it.

Twitter isn’t the exciting new kid on the block when it comes to social media. But with 192 million daily active users, the platform is still worth your attention.

Both small businesses and global brands have a lot to gain from Twitter.

So, we’re breaking down six of the best Twitter tools you should be using. In particular, this article focuses on the best tools to help you get maximum engagement from Twitter chats.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

Why You Should Use Twitter Chats

A Twitter chat (also known as a Tweetchat) is a scheduled discussion that happens live on Twitter, and each chat is usually about a specific topic.

To find and participate in a Twitter chat, you need to use the chat hashtag.

Image Source

You can view the chat by searching for the hashtag. If you want to participate in the Twitter chat, then you need to include the hashtag in your responses so other chat participants can see your response.

Let’s take a look at the advantages of including Tweetchats in your Twitter marketing strategy.

Twitter Engagement

Your Twitter engagement refers to all of the interactions users have with your tweets. Interactions include:

Your Twitter engagement also measures any clicks, including:

One of the primary benefits of Twitter chats is their ability to increase your Twitter engagement metrics.

In Twitter chats, other Twitter users interact with tweets to shape the discussion.

For example, users will like and retweet posts that they agree with or reply to tweets with questions or clarifications.

Twitter chat is a breeding ground for engagement.

Brand Awareness

In addition to generating engagement, participating in Twitter chats can do wonders for your brand awareness.

Often, Twitter chats are repeated events that happen at pre-scheduled times. For this reason, popular talks attract lots of participants.

There are few better places to build brand awareness and gain more attention than in a large group of active and engaged Twitter users.

On top of that, chat participation gives your brand exposure to users that aren’t your followers yet.

Learning

One of the biggest problems facing social media marketers involves getting authentic feedback from their target audiences.

When you find Twitter chats with relevant hashtags, you can gain valuable insight into your potential customers, even if you don’t participate.

Although, we do recommend participating in the chats to help with brand awareness and engagement.

When you treat chats as learning sources, you’ll find several ways to get the feedback you need, whether it’s browsing previously held discussions or asking questions and actively participating.

Networking

Finally, Twitter chats are excellent places to form business connections. Many Twitter chats have regular participants, making it easier to get to know your industry influencers.

Whether you’re participating as an individual or a brand, interacting in a live discussion on Twitter is one of the best ways to grow your social networks organically.

What To Look For in a Twitter Chat Tool

Managing a successful Twitter chat strategy can be challenging. Tweetchats consist of constant updates and replies on your Twitter feed.

It can feel overwhelming when you’re first starting.

That’s where a Twitter management tool comes in handy.

Using software makes it easier to keep track of various Twitter chat schedules and requirements so you can focus on being a valuable participant.

The best Twitter tools for Twitter chat:

With those established, let’s take a look at six of our favorite Twitter marketing tools for Twitter chat.

The 6 Best Twitter Tools for Chat

You can access Twitter chats using the Twitter web app or mobile app.

However, we recommend using one or two tools to help you find the right chats and make it easier to participate.

Here are our top recommendations.

1. TwChat

TwChat is a free tool that helps you find and host chats on Twitter. You can log in to TwChat with your Twitter handle and then start a real-time conversation and invite other users to participate.

TwChat is an excellent platform, even if you don’t want to be a chat host.

TwChat’s online tool monitors chat activity on Twitter and pulls tweets into a streamlined chat room display.

Key TwChat features:

Price: Free

Best Twitter chat tool for: Anyone who wants to start their own chat.

2. Tchat.io

Tchat.io helps you find relevant and trending chats for your business. It also organizes Twitter chats into an easy-to-use chat room interface.

After you link your Twitter account, you can participate in chats directly from Tchat.io. The platform automatically includes the chat hashtag, so your replies are always seen.

Key Tchat.io features:

Twitter chat search engine
Trending topics and chats
Real-time chat updates
Chatroom-style Twitter chat feed
Hide retweets and pause chat feed
Automate chat hashtag

Price: Free

Best Twitter chat tool for: Getting started with Twitter chats.

3. Hashtags.org

Hashtags.org helps you find the best hashtags for your business and analyze your hashtag performance on Twitter.

Think of hashtags.org as an online encyclopedia of all hashtags. You can search hundreds of hashtags across numerous genres and find information such as definitions, prolific users, recent tweets, and related hashtags.

Key Hashtags.org features:

Price: Free plan (with limited features). Premium plans start at $49/month.

Best Twitter chat tool for: Creating a comprehensive hashtag strategy.

4. Canva

Canva is an online drag-and-drop design tool that you can use to create engaging graphics for your social media posts.

Most Twitter chat hosts use graphics to highlight questions and guide discussions. If you’re interested in hosting chats, Canva can take your graphics and branding to the next level.

Key Canva features:

Price: Free (with limited features). Premium plans start at $9.99/month when billed annually.

Best Twitter chat tool for: Hosts that want to increase user engagement.

5. Instapage

Instapage is a top-rated landing page software used by marketers focused on increasing conversions. If you want to use your Twitter chats to generate tangible leads, try using a sign-up landing page. An interested user can enter an email address to receive reminders of your chat.

Key Instapage features:

Price: 14-day free trial. Premium plans start at $149/month when billed annually.

Best Twitter chat tool for: Sales organizations seeking to collect leads.

6. TweetReports

TweetReports helps you amplify and measure your brand’s Twitter presence. You can use the platform to find Twitter chats to follow. Additionally, if you’re planning to host a chat, you can add your discussion to its online directory for free.

Key TweetReports features:

Price: Free (with limited features). Premium options start at $5/chat and $30/chat for sponsorship.

Best Twitter chat tool for: Improving and measuring brand awareness.

Final Thoughts: The 6 Best Twitter Tools for Managing Twitter Chats

Twitter chats have been around for a long time, but they’re finally getting their day in the sun. In a social media environment saturated with images and video, real-time discussions have a lot to offer brands.

Like any other platform in your digital marketing strategy, we recommend finding social media management tools that help you plan ahead, save time, and generate the best results.

To better understand the performance of all of your social media platforms, explore Fanbooster’s Social Media Analytics software today.

How to Get Clients For Your Social Media Marketing Services For Both New and Established Businesses

Maddy Osman — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 08:40:06 +0000

Image Source

While social media is a crucial business element, it doesn’t always come naturally to every company. Businesses that need help with social media are on the lookout for social media marketing services.

Running a social media agency or doing freelance social media management work is in high demand. And with so many companies in need, there is no shortage of clients.

But learning how to get clients as a social media manager can be a challenge.

Here’s the good news:

There are numerous methods for connecting with businesses and selling your services. Moreover, you can specify your ideal customer and work toward finding clients that perfectly fit your skillset.

When you understand where to look, what to look for, and what strategies and tools to use, you’ll have a better idea of how to get clients for social media management.

Read on to learn:

Where to Start Finding Clients for Social Media Management

If you’re just starting with your social media marketing services, how you get clients will look like any other new business.

To get new clients, you might:

Reach out to friends and family

Get referrals from satisfied customers

Advertise your services and products on your website and social platforms

Promote yourself on services like Upwork or Fiverr

Look in your local community for businesses in need

Monitor local business news and attend events

Guest blog or look for freelance work

If your social media marketing service expands or your client list stalls, the tactics for how to get clients need to become more advanced. You can find potential new clients everywhere, and there are plenty of ways to be active in your search.

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Attributes to Look for in a Potential and Ideal Client

So what do you need to look for when identifying a client?

Here are some tell-tale signs of a social media presence that needs some help:

Little to no social media
Social media presence looks automated or has no personal touch
Customer service questions or direct mentions go unanswered
Low engagement on social media posts
A mismatch between the number of followers and engagement on posts, which could signal followers were purchased
No blogs or content on their website
Social media run solely by the business owner
Recent growth that might have stretched the company too thin
A small marketing team featured on its website
Competitors prominent on social media
A website with a generic WordPress theme, again signaling that their marketing team may not have the capacity for increased sophistication
Companies with audiences that are heavy social media users yet lack a social presence

These are just some clues to look for as you identify clients that need your help. Find companies that aren’t taking full advantage of social media or content marketing, and start by assessing what’s missing or can be improved.

This process also helps you find your preferred customers, or ideal clients.

Ideal Client

Your ideal client will be the customer that has needs almost perfectly aligned with your skillset. You can solve the specific problems they have, which makes them an asset to your business. An ideal client is more likely to be a loyal customer who will spread positive word of mouth for your company.

To find your ideal client, work backward from your area of expertise. If you specialize in writing industry blogs, increasing engagement, enhancing WordPress websites, or posting Instagram photos for a particular niche, search for leads lacking those elements.

Zero in on a potential client’s problem to distinguish yourself from other agencies. You understand the holes in their business, you know what they need, and you have the answers.

Techniques to Use When Looking for Clients

When you’re learning how to get clients, it’s easy to become frustrated if you’re not having any luck. But here are some strategies to help you expand your client base.

Use Different Tactics for Different Platforms

Just as you adapt your social media strategy to the platform you’re using, do the same as you look for clients.

Each social network has its benefits. Understand their differences, like what sort of tone you should use from platform to platform. Learn how to use each social network’s resources, like LinkedIn’s advanced search, to connect with your target audience.

Search Hashtags

Hashtags are a goldmine for connection. Use hashtags from your specific industry or type of business. Try local hashtags for your area or popular tags like #smallbusinesssaturday and #womanownedbusiness.

These hashtags can lead you to companies that might need your services.

Offer a Taste of Your Services

Give customers a glance at your services by writing blogs or articles for your own site— maybe on the importance of social media marketing services or why social media has an excellent return on investment (ROI). Create ebooks or webinars where people can get bite-sized pieces of your work.

If people love your blog or enjoyed your webinar, then they might be more inclined to hire you.

Cross Check Platforms

An active Twitter account might be hiding a lackluster Instagram. If you find a company you want to work with, see if its reach is unbalanced. They might need your advice on spreading out their social media reach or managing their neglected accounts.

Use Resources to Help You Find Clients

A social media management tool like Fanbooster helps you keep tabs on the companies you want to work with or their competitors. Our analytics and reporting empower you to gather data you can use to market your services.

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Final Thoughts: How to Get Clients For Your Social Media Marketing Services

Many companies need help managing their social media presence. So if you provide social media marketing services, it’s vital to learn how to get social media clients.

While you can find clients through your social circle and self-promotion, cast a wider net by roaming social media for lead generation. Look for the signs of a potential client, like a lack of social media presence or sudden growth in a company.

By using an array of techniques and tools, you can better connect with your ideal clients.

Are you ready to try Fanbooster for your social media marketing service? Get started with a free trial today.

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How Whitespark streamlined their social media management

Anna Dievendorf — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 23:24:05 +0000

The Whitespark team required a tool that could streamline their social media management, allow them to engage directly with their audience, and provide robust analytics. Enter Fanbooster, the platform that they call their “social media management soulmate.”

Challenge: Managing multiple social networks took up too much time and delayed responsiveness

Solution: Streamline the process with the Social Inbox

One of Whitespark’s biggest challenges was having to navigate multiple social sites a day. Not only did this take up too much of their time, it also delayed their responsiveness and resulted in a sporadic posting schedule. With Fanbooster, they have one Social Inbox for multiple profiles.

“Now, we can like comments on Facebook, respond to threads on Twitter, and respond to direct messages. Social Inbox increased our efficiency and freed up time to focus on high-level content creation.”

Sydney Marchuk, Social Media Specialist at Whitespark

Challenge: Many social media management tools don’t integrate with Google My Business

Solution: The ability to schedule GMB posts and reply to reviews in Fanbooster can drive conversions from local searchers

Fanbooster is one of the few social media tools that integrates with Google My Business. GMB as a social media channel is still a new concept to many businesses, but this is one channel where scheduling regular content with the Posts feature can help highlight a business in the Google Local Pack and increase conversions.

Fanbooster also offers a streamlined way to manage reviews. When a user receives a new Google review, they can view it and respond directly in the app alongside the rest of their social communications.

Need more convincing? Check out this recent webinar that discusses how to leverage Google Posts and use GMB as a social channel.

Challenge: Scheduling separate Twitter posts to adhere to character limits creates extra work

Solution: Customize copy for each network within one post

Twitter character limits? No big deal. Whitespark was able to cut down on work with the ability to post to all platforms at once. Not only can they push a single post to Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, they can customize the copy for each platform.

It’s a pain to find out you’re over the character limit but in Fanbooster, you can select each site to view the copy and adjust as needed.

Sydney Marchuk, Social Media Specialist at Whitespark

Challenge: Disjointed communication makes post approval workflows more difficult

Solution: In-app communication streamlines everything into one place

Communication is key. Fanbooster’s in-app communication feature allows Whitespark’s marketing team to communicate within the tool, so now nothing gets lost in Slack or email inboxes.

Turn on the Approve Post option and your team members will be notified to review and approve your post, cutting down on unnecessary communication. If a user has suggestions or edits, they can add those comments directly into the approval workflow as well.

Challenge: Creating graphics on a separate platform takes extra time

Solution: Using the Fanbooster Canva integration allows users to create graphics in the app that are automatically stored in the Media Library

We love Fanbooster. We love Canva. So what could be better than an in-app integration? This saves us some serious time in creating beautiful designs!

Sydney Marchuk, Social Media Specialist at Whitespark

Challenge: Whitespark needed robust reporting across all channels in one place

Solution: Fanbooster reports deliver data on hundreds of metrics users can choose from across all channels

Fanbooster reports on all channels in one place. These easy-to-read reports can be set to any date range and can be automated to arrive in your inbox at the cadence you select. You can drill down on key metrics like audience, engagement, or geography and even set goals for followers, engagement, or publication performance across your channels.

Whitespark was also able to leverage optimization recommendations. Fanbooster collects your engagement, reach, and other behavioural data to find the optimal time to schedule a post for your audience.

Final thoughts on streamlining with Fanbooster

Fanbooster helped us streamline our social media management process, create quality content faster, engage with our audiences, and plan content. If you’re looking for an all-in-one platform for your business or a better social media tool for your agency, give Fanbooster a try!

Sydney Marchuk, Social Media Specialist at Whitespark

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Fanbooster

Fanbooster is sunsetting

Fanbooster is no longer taking new customers

Which product is right for me?

7 Creative Ways To Use Carousels on Instagram

Table of Contents

Carousel Posts

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7 Tips on Using an Instagram Carousel

1. Share Multiple Views of One Product

2. Split a Landscape Into Two or Three

3. Create a Choose Your Own Adventure

4. Share a Before and After

5. Share Outtakes With Your Final Shot

6. Share Reviews

7. Collect Similar Content in One Place

How To Upload an Instagram Carousel Post Using Fanbooster

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How to Get Verified on All Social Media in 2021

Table of Contents

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Start your free 14-day Fanbooster trial

How To Get Verified on Social Media

Get Verified on Twitter

How To Get Verified on Facebook

How To Get Verified on YouTube

How To Get Verified on TikTok

Get Verified on Instagram

How To Get Verified on Google My Business

How To Get Verified on Pinterest

How To Get Verified on Snapchat

Final Thoughts: How To Get Verified on Social Media Platforms in 2021

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Is Snapchat Dead? The 2021 Guide To Snapchat Marketing + Snapchat Trends for a Refresh

Is Snapchat Dead?

Snapchat Number Trend

What This Means for Your Company

Snapchat Trends

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Cover the Bases With Your Snapchat Account

Work With a Snapchat Influencer

Make Use of Snapchat Advertising

Provide Immersive Experiences

Target a Younger Demographic

Be Authentic and Engaging With Your Content

Final Thoughts: Is Snapchat Dead? The 2021 Guide To Snapchat Marketing + Snapchat Trends

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The Importance of Company Culture + How To Share Your Employer Branding on Social Media

Table of Contents

The Importance of Company Culture

Happy Employees Leads to More Success

Social Media Recruitment Marketing

How To Foster Your Company Culture

Employer Brand Strategy Ideas for Social Media

Final Thoughts: How To Share Your Employer Brand Strategy on Social Media

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The 10 Best Instagram Scheduling Tools for Direct Instagram Publishing | 2021 Review

Table of Contents

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Key Benefits of Scheduling Instagram Posts

How to Schedule Instagram Posts

1. Strategize Your Content Buckets

2. Decide on an Instagram Aesthetic

3. Curate Your Media Assets

4. Visually Plan your Instagram Feed

5. Optimize Your Captions and Hashtags

6. Determine the Best Times to Post on Instagram

7. Find and Use the Best Instagram Scheduler

Best Instagram Scheduler Tools

1. Fanbooster

2. Sendible

3. PLANOLY

4. Sprout Social

5. Later