As you're all aware, social media is a constantly evolving beast. Changes are being made every day to the platforms we know and love to improve our experience as users. Sometimes, too much change can be overwhelming. That's why we're here to help you understand all the latest new features and tools and whether or not they can be useful for you as a business.
Hootsuite added Instagram
When it comes to Instagram, I hate to admit that I’m still on the fence. While I understand that one image speaks a thousand words and that, since it’s launch in 2010, it has 50 million users worldwide, I can’t help but think of it as a collection of 50 million people's selfies, fancy lunches and cute cats.
That being said, it's popularity simply can’t be denied, as it is the number one photo-sharing app for iOS and Android. Well, you know what they say - if you can’t beat ‘em, start snapping selfies, cats and food. And last week, Hootsuite – the multi-platform social media manager, added Instagram to the dashboard.
How does it work?
Just as you would with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+, if you have an account with Hootsuite you can now schedule your Instagram posts. Now this certainly makes managing yet another platform more realistic. If you’re sharing a photo on Twitter or scheduling a few for the day, the simple tick of a box will post it to your business’ Instagram page.
In terms of content; try a mix of out-of-work activities such as charity events or exhibitions as well as day-in-the-life of your law firm style photos. Add some Hastags and watch the likes roll in.
Should I try it?
Truthfully, it’s the perfect place to affirm your brand image. Yes, Instagram reaches a younger audience, but if you can tap into that market by portraying your business as being relatable, fun and “in the loop” while maintaining your professional edge, you’ve won.
Twitter introduces Ads Editor
Last week, Twitter unveiled their latest update to the platform: the ads editor. This new function enables advertisers to create and manage many ad campaigns at once, in a similar fashion to Hootsuite’s ‘bulk upload’ tool. Therefore, if you have a large volume of Twitter ads, this new function will boost efficiency by reducing the time you spend managing each campaign individually.
How does it work?
Once the new ad editor has been made available to you, you will receive a notification in ads.twitter.com and you will then be able to start using it. The ad editor works in conjunction with Excel, so by downloading all the details of your current campaigns into a spreadsheet, you can make changes on a large scale and then re-upload the spreadsheet to finalise the changes.
Should I try it?
This tool has been tailored for those who need to manage a large number of campaigns at once, so, if you’re only managing the one, you need not use the ads editor.
Periscope
The Twitter-owned live-streaming app has crossed the 10-million-user threshold in the last five months. If you don't find this statistic enormous, consider that people are watching 40 years worth of footage every day on Periscope. So, if you haven't been paying attention to this app so far, it's time to tune in. We even gave it a go in the form of a Periscope legal marketing Q&A session on Friday! Periscope is a video-broadcasting tool, which allows users to share experiences with others from all around the globe. This means a world of possibilities, not only for individuals but for businesses too. Think of it as a moving postcard you receive in real-time, getting the action as it happens. Now, we’re not suggesting you open up a periscope session in a courtroom or other inappropriate situations, but there are many ways to use this tool to drive engagement with your clients and general audience. The upper-hand you get with Periscope and other broadcasting platforms over sharing pre-written or pre-recorded content is that it asks people to tune in now, right that second, and interact with you. Clicking ‘close’ is like ending a conversation – it’s harder to do than just clicking ‘back’ on a browser half way through a blog.
How does it work?
Simply download the app and you will be prompted to follow the list you are following on Twitter. Then, it’s up to you how you use it. If you’re hosting an advice session, we recommend creating an email campaign and inviting your clients to tune in as well as creating a buzz about it over other platforms, to ensure when you go live you aren’t broadcasting to no one.
Should I use it?
As a law firm you specialise in one or perhaps several different areas. Why not try a live Q&A or top tips broadcast; for example ‘Top 10 tips on post-divorce finance’ or ‘Do you know your rights as an employee? Q&A.’ These themes will attract a wide audience of prospective clients as they are eternally relevant to a large number of people.
Facebook Page Messaging
Upon the realisation that the preferred method of contact through Facebook was the private messaging function, Facebook decided to make this accessible to businesses who use a Page rather than a personal account. With more than 1 billion people clicking onto business pages on Facebook in search of more information, this latest update will allow individuals to send private messages to pages to facilitate the communication. You will notice on local ads there is a new call-to-action button that reads ‘send message’, promoting the connection between people and companies.
How does it work?
Well, if you haven’t used Facebook messaging before, it’s a personal chat box between you and whomever you wish to start a conversation with. The messages are only accessible to you and the other person (or in this case, business) and will not be publicly displayed anywhere online. So, if you manage a page for your firm and someone makes a post on your wall regarding a potential case or seeking further advice, you can hit a button that says ‘message’ and you will be able to respond to them directly as opposed to replying with your phone number. A connection is established instantly. If you respond to your messages, Facebook will reward your page by giving you a ‘very responsive to messages’ badge to show off your efficiency.
Should I use it?
Yes. Definitely. Replying to someone via message shows that your page is not just a faceless promotion platform; it is there for you to interact with your clients or potential clients on a personal basis. You can also create templates in the form of ‘saved responses’, making it easier to reply to clients via mobile.
Want to learn more about social media?
Give us a call on 0117 325 0200 for a chat or send us an email.
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