Here is how you can use the Facebook Debugger Tool. When you share a link on Facebook, it automatically fetches the title, description, and a thumbnail image to display. Sometimes, the image might not appear as expected, affecting click-through rates and engagement. Fortunately, Facebook offers a Sharing Debugger tool to diagnose and fix such issues.

Step 1: Access the Facebook Sharing Debugger Tool

• Go to the Facebook Sharing Debugger Tool. You'll need to be logged into a Facebook account.
• This tool is designed for developers but is straightforward enough for anyone.

Step 2: Enter Your URL

• In the tool, you'll find a text box where you can enter the URL of the webpage you're having issues with. Paste your URL into this box.
• Click the "Debug" button to let Facebook analyze the link.

Step 3: Review the Output

• After a few seconds, the tool will display a report for your provided URL.
• Look for warnings or issues in categories such as "Warnings That Should Be Fixed" or "Properties."

Step 4: Understanding the Problem

• Common issues with social share images can include the wrong image size, no image specified in the web page's metadata, or caching problems.
• The Debugger will specifically point out if the og:image property (Open Graph Image) is missing or incorrect.

Step 5: Fixing the Image Issue

• To resolve the image issue, ensure your webpage has the correct Open Graph (OG) meta tags, particularly og:image.
• The og:image tag should point to the correct image URL you want Facebook to use when sharing the page.
• Facebook recommends using images at least 1200 x 630 pixels for the best display on high-resolution devices.

#image_title

Step 6: Clearing the Cache

• Once you've made changes to your webpage, use the Sharing Debugger again to re-scrape the URL.
• Click the "Scrape Again" button. This action tells Facebook to clear its cache and fetch the latest content from your webpage, including the updated social share image.

Conclusion

Using the Facebook Sharing Debugger is a simple yet effective way to ensure your content looks its best when shared on Facebook. By following the steps outlined above, you can quickly diagnose and fix issues related to social share images, enhancing the visibility and appeal of your links on the platform.

Remember, social media platforms frequently update their algorithms and tools, so staying informed about the latest best practices for sharing content on Facebook is a good idea.

The post How to Fix a Social Share Image with Facebook Debugger Tool first appeared on B2B Website Platform Developer - Bright Vessel.

 1. Don't Be Afraid to Show Emotion

It's okay for your business to show some emotion online, especially during a calamity. People want to see that you're human and care about the situation. Just be sure not to overdo it, as this can be insincere.

It can be challenging to know how much is too much when showing emotion online. A good rule of thumb is to think about how you would react in person. If you wouldn't cry or get too emotional in front of your customers, don't do it online. Just a few sincere words can go a long way.

 2. Don't Engage in Arguments

It can be tempting to want to defend your business when people are criticizing it online. However, this is usually a losing battle. It's best to avoid arguments with people on social media, as there's no winning in them.

If someone is especially critical of your business, you can try contacting them personally to discuss the situation. This can often diffuse the situation and help you come to a resolution.

 3. Keep Your Communication Positive

It's essential to keep your communication positive during a time of tragedy. You don't always have to be happy, but you should avoid negativity. People are already feeling down and don't want to see more negativity online.

Try to focus on your business' good, even if it seems like a small thing. For example, if you're a clothing company, you could donate some clothes to those affected by the calamity. Whatever it is, try to do something positive to make people feel good about your business.

 4. Take a Break If You Need It

Breaking from social media is okay if you're feeling overwhelmed by the situation. This is especially true if you're starting to feel burnt out. It's better to take a step back and recharge than keep pushing through and making mistakes.

You can also use this time to brainstorm new ideas for handling the situation. Sometimes it's helpful to get away for a bit to come back with fresh eyes.

 5. Be Careful with Your Words

Be careful with your words when communicating with people online. This is true generally, but it's vital during a calamity. People are looking for someone to blame, and they might take your words out of context.

Try to avoid saying anything that could be interpreted as insensitive or offensive. If you're not sure whether something is appropriate, it's better to err on the side of caution and not say it at all.

 6. Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep

Be honest with your customers during calamity. Don't make promises you can't keep, as this will only worsen the situation. For example, if you're a restaurant and say you're going to donate all of your proceeds to the victims but only donate a portion, people will be angry.

It's better to under-promise and over-deliver than to do the opposite. This way, even if you don't meet your initial goal, people will still be impressed with what you've done.

 7. Keep Your Communication Clear

It's important to keep your communication clear during a time of calamity. This means avoiding jargon and technical terms that people might not understand while being concise and to the point. People don't want to read long, rambling messages during a crisis.

Keep your communication clear and straightforward so people can understand what you're saying. If you need to communicate something complicated, consider using visuals or infographics to help get your point across.

 8. Be Respectful

It's important to be respectful when you're communicating with people online, particularly when handling social media during tragedy. This means not making fun of the situation or those affected by it. It also means avoiding profanity and offensive language.

Remember that real people behind the screens are going through a tough time. Show them the same respect and compassion you would if you talked to them.

 9. Take Your Time

Don't feel like you have to post something right away. If you're unsure what to say, it's better to wait until you have more information. This way, you can avoid saying something that could worsen the situation. Being delicate is critical when managing social media during tragedy.

It's also important to remember that your account is not a news platform. Don't use it to break the news about the calamity. Wait until the official channels have released information before posting anything.

 10. Check in With Your Team

If you have a team, check in with them during a time of calamity. See how your team is doing and if they need anything. This is especially important if you have team members directly affected by the situation.

Checking in with your team will help ensure everyone is on the same page and feels supported. It's also an excellent way to get new ideas about handling the situation.

 11. Take Some Time for Yourself

Take some time for yourself during a calamity. It is a tough and stressful time for everyone, and taking care of yourself mentally and physically is essential. Make sure to take breaks from social media and the news. Spend time with loved ones, or do something that makes you happy.

It's also important to remember that you can't help everyone. Some people will always be more affected by the situation than you are. Don't try to take on too much and burn yourself out.

 12. Hire a Marketing Agency

There are a lot of marketing agencies that can help you navigate a time of tragedy. They can help you create and implement a plan that will help you communicate effectively with your customers.

If you're unsure where to start, consider hiring a marketing agency. They will be able to help you create content, manage your social media, and develop a plan to communicate with your customers.

 13. Monitor Your Social Media During Tragedy

After you've posted something, monitor the reactions. This means reading the comments and responding to them. It also means keeping an eye on how people react to what you're saying.

If you see people getting angry or frustrated, try to calm the situation down. If people are asking for more information, provide it if you can. And if people are praising you for your response, take the time to thank them.

 14. Be Prepared for Anything

Tragedies can happen anytime, so it's important to have a plan in place to know what to do when something happens. It also means being aware of the available resources to you and your team.

By being prepared, you'll be able to handle a tragedy in a respectful, compassionate, and helpful way. And you'll be able to do it in a way that minimizes the impact on your business.

 15. Be Empathetic

Understand how other people feel and why they might be feeling that way. Being empathetic also means seeing things from others' perspectives.

Empathy is one of the most important qualities when dealing with a tragedy. It will help you connect with people and understand what they're going through. And it will help you to provide the support that they need.

 16. Follow The 80/20 Marketing Rule

In times of calamity, it's essential to follow the 80/20 marketing rule. This means that 80% of your content should be about things other than your product or service. The additional 20% can promote your business.

It's a good rule because it shows that you care about more than making money. It shows that you're willing to talk about what matters to your customers and are interested in building a relationship with them.

 17. Don't Take Advantage of the Situation

Do not take advantage of a tragedy by using the situation to promote your brand or sell products. This can exploit people's emotions for personal gain.

Doing either is wrong and will only make people resent your brand. If you look like you're taking advantage, it will damage your reputation and make it difficult to recover.

 18. Keep Your Business Running

While showing compassion and understanding during hard times is important, you also need to keep your business running. This means making sure that your team is still able to work and that your customers can still get the products or services they need.

It can be challenging to balance showing compassion and keeping your business running, but you need to try. Your team and your customers will appreciate it.

 Conclusion

It can be difficult to navigate social media during tragedy. But by following these tips, you can ensure that you're respectful, compassionate, and helpful. And you'll be able to keep your business running while still showing support for those affected.

At Bright Vessel, we are a digital marketing company well-versed in traditional and digital marketing and understand how to appeal to customers. Contact us today to learn more about how a content marketing strategy can benefit your bottom line. You can also find our more about our  hosting plans through Bright Hosting, and our plugins at Bright Plugins.

The post How to Manage Social Media As a Business During a Tragedy first appeared on B2B Website Platform Developer - Bright Vessel.

This shows a lack of innovation on Facebook’s part. It shows that they’re not willing to (or have failed to) make any progress with their business model. It also goes against Facebook’s message of loving their users and wanting to improve the Facebook experience for them.

Interruptions Are the Bane of Video Advertising

• Facebook, despite its power and reach, is failing to come up with innovative video advertising strategies;
• Instead, Facebook is sacrificing the user experience for more revenue.
• Ad blockers have become common practice.
• People are willing to pay for premium services, provided they have the incentive to do so outside of removing advertisements.

When it comes to innovative changes, many people dislike the idea of interruptions–and rightfully so. Interruptions stop you from watching the content you want and it can break the immersion and enjoyment of watching a video. More people are willing to pay in order to remove advertisements, but few platforms have yet to take advantage of this.

Ad blockers have become commonplace as a result of this. No one wants to have their content interrupted by a 15-second long advertisement, especially if the video itself is only 90 seconds long. It’s somewhat understandable for longer videos, but when close to 17% of a video is taken up by advertising, it can make people question just how acceptable these practices are.

People are now more than willing to pay to remove advertisements from the content they watch. For instance, the success of Netflix and Amazon Video show just how important it has become for users to access the content they want without interruption. Even YouTube attempted to do the same thing in the past with a premium subscription that not only offered ad-free viewing, but also a collection of exclusive content. While it ultimately failed due to the lack of real options and incentive (especially when one could achieve the same thing using an ad blocker) it goes to show that people are willing to shell out money as long as they have good reason to do so.

Ad Relevance Is a Problem

• Facebook fails to leverage its data collection prowess.
• There is too much focus on increasing revenue and not enough personalization to improve the customer experience.
• Facebook has all the data and power to create relevant and engaging advertisements but falls short due to a heavy emphasis on revenue.
• Despite all the creative minds working for Facebook, little has been done to think outside the box and create new video advertisement solutions.

Ad relevance will always be a problem for advertisers. However, with Facebook’s reach and ability to collect information on its users, it doesn’t make sense that Facebook isn´t able to display relevant advertisements on its videos.

For example, if a user recently liked a page related to sports, then perhaps the advertisement shown could be related to said sport. Alternatively, if a user’s friend has a birthday is coming up, then maybe an advertisement for gifts could appear. With so much information at Facebook’s disposal, it should be incredibly easy to create tailored advertisements much like other social media platforms.

However, Facebook has failed to leverage their position and it doesn’t seem like they’re willing to think outside the box or at least, do something that hasn’t already been tried and failed. Facebook does have a fairly good track record of video traffic, but there are also many obvious failures that stand out.

Facebook has the power and reaches to create a unique video advertisement solution that breaks the mold. Video advertisements can be engaging and interesting but, sadly, their potential has yet to be seen. Despite being in such a brilliant position to create a unique solution to an old problem, Facebook seems to be regressing by focusing too much on increasing revenue to make a quick buck instead of focusing on improving the user experience.

To conclude, Facebook has an opportunity to reshape the way video advertisements are viewed, but instead of creating innovative solutions that change the industry, they’re using old methods that are forcing people to use ad blockers just to avoid irrelevant and annoying advertisements even in short videos. Facebook can shake the industry and pave a new road for video advertising, so let’s hope that they do something in the future to help reduce the usage of ad blockers and change the public’s perception of video advertising.

At Bright Vessel, we can help you use ad blockers so you do not have to deal with Facebook´s videos which might not be interesting for you or your visitors. Contact us for more details and assessment on this matter; we will improve your Facebook page.

The post Facebook Video Advertisements Show Their Lack of Progress first appeared on B2B Website Platform Developer - Bright Vessel.

Non-political ads usually include a simple “sponsored” label.

Reasons for the Rules

Facebook created the advertisement labeling rules following the 2016 election, in response to Russian-backed groups creating fake profiles to spread disinformation and influence U.S. voters. Many of the groups bought advertisements to gain access to broader audiences. Facebook has begun divulging the sources of all ads that run on the platform.

• At any time, users can learn which companies are running which advertisements.
• Political ads receive greater scrutiny than other ads.
• Political ads may be archived for seven years.

Penalties

Under the new rules, Facebook has penalized Walmart and Procter & Gamble. The social media organization says it halted ads from those companies for being political without the “paid for by” label. Facebook stated, in an entry for each ad, "After the ad started running, we determined that the ad had political content and required the label.  The ad was taken down."

• Facebook seems to consider the Walmart ad to be political speech because it mentioned “bringing jobs back" to America.
• The Proctor & Gamble ad expressed LGBTQ pride, including a “commitment to inclusion."

Objections

A Proctor and Gamble spokeswoman expressed disappointment with Facebook’s decision. She denied that the ad was political and stated that P&G does not run political promotions. The spokeswoman said:

• The LGBTQ endorsement was not new when Facebook canceled it.
• The company and brand have a point of view, and the ad was "culturally relevant."
• P&G is cooperating with Facebook to learn the new rules.

There was no immediate comment from Walmart.

Concerns

The labeling policy for political ads worries non-political advertisers. However, it was inevitable that consumer goods and retail brands would be affected by Facebook’s labeling rules, too.

• Media organizations and publishers that pay Facebook to publicize their headlines fear that the archiving and required labeling may cause Facebook users to see journalism as advocacy.
• One publishing executive anonymously expressed opposition to the new rules:

"Brands can easily get snagged in the political content filter. Almost everything is controversial."

Delays

Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, discussed the implementation of the new rules: “There are delays now.”

• She acknowledged that some advertisers had experienced delays to their campaigns while they learn the new political labeling protocols.
• According to Sandberg, politicians and newsgroups must prove their identities and locations before they are permitted to place announcements. They must register with Facebook by mail.
• Facebook may treat some ads as political even when they do not try to influence voters. Sandberg states, "We're not saying all these things are political. We just chose to be as inclusive as possible so everything will be transparent."

Facebook’s new political labeling requirements are meant to make political ads transparent. The rules seem to be applied very broadly, also affecting non-political endorsements. The broad application of the protocols has caused concern among non-political advertisers; however, Facebook has decided to enforce the rules broadly to maximize transparency.

Contact us today to see how we can boost your social presence.

The post Facebook and Political Transparency first appeared on B2B Website Platform Developer - Bright Vessel.

The key to getting the most out of Instagram is ensuring you have a large following. This means thousands of people see your posts, and you can use this to your advantage. So, read on to find the ten tried & tested methods that are proven to help you gain more followers on any Instagram account.

Learn How to Use Hashtags

Hashtags are one of the most critical features on Instagram. If your posts have hashtags in the description, then other users can easily find your page and choose to follow you.

What do you need to consider here? Well, there are two main things to think about when using hashtags:

• Relevancy
• Quantity

You need to use hashtags that are relevant to your individual posts and your account in general. There are plenty of tools out there you can use to help you pick out the best and most popular hashtags that are relevant to your posts. What’s more, using more than one hashtag will be beneficial. You can technically have up to 30, but you don’t really need more than 10 to see the desired results.

Seek Out Partnerships

Trying to grow a following all by yourself is tough, so it pays when you can call on others to help you out. It makes sense to seek out partnerships with people/companies that you can collaborate with.

For a business, looking for Instagram influencers is such an effective way of growing your following. Sponsor them to post about your company, and they essentially send direct their followers to your page. If you choose the right partner, then you should be tapping into the same target demographic and will see your follower count rise.

Understand the Best Times to Post

Posting at the peak time can lead to way more engagement on your posts. The question is, when is the best time to post? Contrary to what many believe, it all depends on your specific audience. You can actually use Instagram to help you out here. Navigate to Instagram Insights (click on your profile, and then you’ll see the insights icon) and find information on your followers.

From here, you’ll see when they’re most active, which shows you the best time to post as you will likely receive more engagement and get noticed by your target demographic.

Post Consistently

No one wants to follow an account that posts once every month. It’s a waste of time; people like Instagram accounts that provide regular content. One post per day can help you get more likes and grow a more substantial following. Just make sure you’re posting at that peak time for the best results!

Share Other User’s Content

The concept of user-generated-content is massive on Instagram. By sharing posts from other people, and giving them credit, you will see many things happen. On the one hand, the user whose content you posted is likely to notice and may follow you. Furthermore, people who follow that user could end up following you as well. Thirdly, you have a way of generating content during periods where you may have none of your own. So, you keep up that all important consistency as well.

Check Your Analytics

We mentioned Instagram Insights in a previous point, and it’s genuinely one of the best tools you can use to grow a following. Use it to look at your posts and view the analytics for each one. This helps you see what content is receiving the most engagement and yielding positive results. It’s possible you spot a trend where a certain type of post gets the most likes and results in the newest followers. As such, posting more content like that will help you gain a larger following.

Share Your Posts on Other Social Media Platforms

One of the beautiful things about Instagram is that you can very easily share a post on other social networks. As a consequence, this gives you a brilliant opportunity to try and gain some new followers. A lot of people may have a more significant following on Facebook or Twitter than they do on Instagram. So, by sharing your Instagram posts on these platforms, a wider following can see them, realize you’re on Instagram, and possibly follow you.

Make Use of Instagram’s Many Features

Posting a photo isn’t the only thing you can do on this platform. Many features allow you to produce the following content:

• Videos
• Stories
• Live streams

Stories are particularly useful as they allow you to show very short video clips in succession to your followers. It leads to lots of engagement and your story can also be shown on the ‘Discover’ page if you use good hashtags. Therefore, people who don’t follow you can stumble upon it, love what they see, and give you a follow.

Videos and Live Streams are also great ways of offering different forms of content to keep everyone entertained and bring in new followers.

Ensure Your Content is Engaging

Regardless of the type of content you produce, it must be engaging. The more likes and comments you receive, the more likely it is that more and more people will view your post. We spoke about hashtags earlier, and the posts with the most likes for a hashtag are likely to feature as the ‘top posts’ that people see when they search for the specific hashtag.

Run Competitions

Finally, you can give your follower count a massive boost by running competitions. It’s a simple format:

• Create a post with an image of the competition prize
• Set simple entry requirements: must follow your page and comment/like the post
• Run the competition for a few days, then pick a winner

You will see massive engagement in competition posts as everyone likes the chance of winning things for free.

Conclusion

Try all of these ten methods if you want to grow your Instagram following right now. All of these ideas pretty much boil down into two main things; increasing your exposure on the platform, and boosting post engagement.

A strong Instagram following can put you in a very commanding position, so start gaining followers today!

At Bright Vessel, we can help and assess you on how to increase the number of followers on Instagram as well as Facebook to improve your business. Contact us for more information; we are willing to help you.

The post 10 Tried & Tested Ways To Grow A Massive Following On Instagram first appeared on B2B Website Platform Developer - Bright Vessel.

Here’s what you need to know to simplify the process of selecting graphics for your social media, but still end up with quality images that fit your needs.

The Process of Selecting Graphics

1. It’s Not About Being Perfect

Stop trying to find the “perfect” image that fits in with one of the DIY social media guides to imagery on the market. A perfect image doesn’t exist. There will always be some disagreeable minute detail in every image. What does exist are images that work perfectly with your content plans and brand image? Focus on the big picture, which is ensuring that an image checks all the right boxes for your business, brand, clientele, and content. Here are the criteria your image selections should check off:

• Does it convey the right message for your brand?
• Is there any element that could be misinterpreted by onlookers?
• Does it adequately respect your brand’s identity?
• Does it have mass visual appeal?

2. Does Sizing Matter In Social Media Graphics?

Yes! Whether the image is for a Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram post, dimensions are everything when it comes to posting. Here’s a handy sizing chart for various types of images across social media:

Facebook Image sizes: 

1. Facebook cover photo: 851 x 315 px
2. Facebook profile picture: 170 x 170 px
3. Facebook link image: 1200 x 628 px

LinkedIn Image sizes: 

1. LinkedIn cover photo: 1584 x 396 px
2. LinkedIn profile picture: 130 x 130 px
3. LinkedIn link image: 520 x 272 px

Twitter Image sizes: 

1. Twitter cover photo: 1500 x 1500 px
2. Twitter profile picture: 150 x 150 px
3. Twitter link image: 506 x 253 px

Instagram Image sizes: 

1. Instagram profile picture: 320 x 320 px
2. Instagram portait image: 1080 x 1350 px
3. Instagram square image: 1080 x 1080 px
4. Instagram landscape image: 1200 x 628

3. To Logo Or Not To Logo?

Logos do help establish branding, and many social media guides will encourage you to slap your logo on the images you post. However, while that may be in the best interest of the social media page, it’s not always in your best marketing interests. Not every logo opportunity should be taken. It’s okay to add your logo to an image, but very sparingly and only when it’s done so in a meaningful way.

The image is already being used on your specific, or branded social media page. In other words, onlookers know who’s providing the image. In most cases, using a logo on the image is not only redundant, but it can also make the image feel crowded and superficial.

4. Should Images Be Used With Copy?

Space is paramount. Avoid any actions that make the copy and photo feel crowded and competitive for the onlooker’s attention. Otherwise, images containing copy can be made even greater and more alluring with an empowering, complementary image in the background.

5. Are Bold Images A Hit Or Miss?

Most people appreciate inspirational and colorful imagery. It’s also eye-catching for random scrollers. But do keep your unique brand in mind as you select bold imagery for your social media page. You have to be consistent to be easily recognized by followers. Don’t use anything that conflicts with the brand your followers have come to know and love.

6. Should I Use Standardized Stock Photos?

No, not if you take your social media page seriously. The standardized stock pics and that word choice is quite intentional, of that awkward looking person in some clearly staged setting, unnaturally holding some bright piece of plastic prop, and giving a big cheesy eyebrow lift and smile to the phone camera is exactly the type of imagery that your brand image needs to avoid in order to be taken seriously. Pexels, Unsplash, and Deposit Photos are just a few of the fantastic stock image websites that can offer you relevant, cost-friendly, and natural looking social media images.

7. Don’t Forget To Always Know Your Customer

Know what type of customers you’re targeting and already have following your social media pages. Know their behaviors and preferences. It’s a highly competitive place to be seen because, like you, your competitors are taking advantage of the free marketing of social media pages too. This makes it essential to know what your target customer likes versus what they hate and find offensive.

Use these seven tips for selecting your next social media page graphic. You’re likely to find the process much more efficient and expedient. Need more help? Contact a marketing strategy provider like Bright Vessel.

At Bright Vessel, we understand businesses must have an active content plan to ensure success. Contact us today to learn just how beneficial having a content marketing strategy can be good for your business’s bottom line.

The post Guide To Image Sizes And Selection On Your Social Media Pages first appeared on B2B Website Platform Developer - Bright Vessel.

The Cambridge Analytica Scandal

In 2014, Cambridge Analytica was unjustly able to access personal information of over 50 million people who had Facebook accounts at the time. Facebook users that had their personal information accessed never agreed to such an arrangement with the widely popular social media site.

The personal information of Facebook users was:

• captured
• analyzed
• stored indefinetly
• shared without consent

This information was provided to marketers, data brokers and even other social media companies. In the face of this leakage of data, Facebook is being accused of violating their members' right to privacy.

The proposed solution to this is to allow users to have complete control over the personal information Facebook can and can't collect.

It has also been said that if a Facebook user deletes their profile, they should be able to take their information with them, rather than leaving it in their wake.

How to Keep Your Facebook But Not Share Your Data

Those that don't want their data shared but also don't want to delete their Facebook account have options. At the moment, both the website itself and the Facebook app allow members to have complete control over the F of their account.

When members of the site choose to restrict access to their data as much as possible they give up the ability to be able to use any platform apps such as:

• Farmville
• Twitter
• Instagram

This also means that members give up their ability to log into any other accounts using information from Facebook.

Here are the steps Facebook members can take to protect their privacy:

• visit the App Settings page
• edit apps, websites and plugins
• click "disable platform"

Conclusion

Data sharing is an important concern in today's world, and Bright Vessel can help Facebook members secure their privacy. As a result, members may choose to stop using the Facebook app and make sure they stay up to date with the Facebook terms of service.

The post Opting Out Of Sharing Personal Data on Facebook first appeared on B2B Website Platform Developer - Bright Vessel.

Last year, Facebook announced Watch, an ambitious video hub which presents video shows. Currently, these shows allow publishers and other creators the opportunity to build an audience through:

• Weekly video series;
• Videos with storylines;
• Daily vlogs; or
• Other live and recorded videos.

Facebook plans to take the Watch video hub even farther by offering news programming. This article will explore these news programming, how they are implemented and impact on current video offerings and publishers.

Joining Facebook's Video News Hub

The Watch video hub is expected to gain a new tab titled "news" as early as this summer. It is said that Facebook has contacted at least ten media outlets to solicit proposals for news show offerings. People at Facebook company considered the following factors when deciding their formats:

• Facebook users have grown accustomed to the quick drive-by video style,
• Snapchat videos seem to represent the predominant sensibility of social media users,
• Publisher audience needs.

To entice users of video news hub, Facebook plans to offer a variety of news show lengths. Users favoring the drive-by style will appreciate shorter news shows while users desiring a TV-style video will appreciate up to 30 minutes of news. Quality and publisher type might determine the news show length.

It is rumored that legacy media companies will render news shows of up to 30 minutes. Digital publishers are expected to provide the shorter news shows. Facebook is in talks with TV networks, traditional publishers and digital-first publishers to encourage them to join the new video news hub.

Incentivizing Facebook News

Facebook was able to successfully launched the Watch video hub last year thanks to its partners and publishers´help. Publishers were paid for their shows to run on the Watch video hub and Facebook Live. Partners like Mashable, Group Nine Media, Business Insider and Hearst were incentivized with up to $50,000 an episode for shows on the current format.

Facebook will likely:

• Incentivize publishers for early participation,
• Pay publishers to create reliable news shows,
• Not pay the same as earlier Watch programs. However, each program could potentially garner millions for daily news.

Types of Shows

The new shows will last 3 to 30 minutes, and they will include a year-long commitment and daily runtime. These news shows will also be different from the typical news feed videos because these kinds of videos go viral as they are viewed but they are not on a schedule and have no continuation. However, the News shows will be different because:

• The news shows will have continuing characteristics,
• They will be a consistent news show from a reliable publisher,
• News programs will likely have start and end times.

Facebook users will be able to rely on their favorite news shows at their daily appointed times in the Watch video news hub.

The Catalyst for Change:

Facebook has already begun implementing some changes to its news feed. It is now focusing on posts from friends and family rather than publishers in the news feed. Publishers are not too happy with these changes because they fear it may hinder their exposure and decrease audiences.

What was the catalyst for this change? "Fake News." Many Americans are familiar with the devastating impact "Fake News" can have. Afterall, one needs only to look at the controversy still playing out concerning the impact of "Fake News" on the 2016 presidential election to see the negative results. Facebook wants to combat "Fake News" by:

• Performing a cleanup, limiting its ability to hit the news feed,
• Curating reliable news shows for the Watch video hub,
• Directing users to Watch for the news shows rather than news feeds,
• Ensuring quality control of news content by placing it in one place from trusted media partners.

Publisher Response:

Facebook is rumored to be falling into disfavor with some of its traditional publishing partners. However, the popularity of the company and its lucrative payments to publisher content will likely continue garnering big-name media involvement. Many publishers are familiar with the perceived shortcomings of Instant Articles and Facebook Live. The new changes in the news feed have, without a doubt, added to some publishers' skepticism.

Recently, Andrew Lack, NBC News Chairman referred to Facebook as "Fakebook", after years of disappointments concerning the materialization of new content programs. He also believes "Facebook doesn't have value for publishers..." and it is working hard to change public perception and garner the continued support of their publishing partners. The company tries to eliminate traces of "Fake News" from its platform all together while embracing new and continuing publishing partners providing reliable news.

Facebook is also working with news organizations and companies to help them utilize the social network better by:

• Assisting publishers with social networking through Instant Articles that drive ad revenue and generate leads to paid subscriptions. Facebook's Instant Articles make a reported $1.5 million daily.
• Enhancing the user experience of publishers by studying which media sources Facebook users find most credible and rewarding them.
• Providing a news feed priority and raised profiles to publishers deemed most credible.

Facebook news partnerships head, Campbell Brown stated; "We want to help publishers connect with audiences outside of News Feed, and this preliminary test will allow us to work with a number of news organizations to experiment and figure out what works." And then, he added that "These types of tests are opportunities for us to learn and improve..." According to his sayings, Facebook might be learning and improving its services.

At Bright Vessel, we can assess you on creating effective social marketing strategies which might complement these new Facebook policies as Facebook plans to provide a greater audience for publishers through the Watch video news hub.  Contact us today to see how we can boost your social presence and grow your business through Watch video news hub.

The post Facebook Challenges Fake News Through New Video Hub first appeared on B2B Website Platform Developer - Bright Vessel.

When choosing a social media platform for advertising, it is necessary to keep in mind specific characteristics that are important to the business: the customers you want to attract, the product or service you offer, your prices, etc. At the same time, you should know that there is no need to use all of the platforms; you should be able to select the one that is appropriate for your business. It may take a while to familiarize yourself with it, but you will be glad you took the time to learn the specifics and how it can work best for your business. Let’s take a look at some tips that will help you make the most of your chosen social media platform.

Social Media Tips

Know your Audience

The social media world is quite extensive. It contains many platforms as well as websites and forums where you can engage and interact with people from all over the world. If you take on more than you are comfortable, it can get a bit overwhelming. However, one key factor is to focus on those social networks that can give you an opportunity to contact and connect with your target audience. For that reason it is necessary to understand your audience.

The platforms on which you will obtain your customers are dependent upon the nature of your company or business, so you will want to take that into consideration when researching social media options. You do not need to limit yourself to just one option, but you may want to explore the possibilities and determine which outlets would bring in the most customers. Knowing what your audience wants or expects and focusing on the most relevant platforms will maximize your efficiency and give you the best results.

Clear Communication

When using social media, you will want to engage your audience, so it’s best to provide a space for people to contact you or communicate. Interaction is a must in this process, and customers will expect you or someone within the company to respond to feedback. Giving customers a place to talk about who you are and what you do is one of the first steps in building your business. Generating conversation will attract attention and further spread the word about your company, increasing traffic and growth.

No business is exempt from complaints. Allowing for feedback means that it could be positive or negative, so be prepared to handle both. Don’t be discouraged by negative comments; remember to deal with them in a timely, polite manner and to learn from them for the future. The way you handle them will also determine whether customers return and recommend your product or service to others.

Admit and Work on Mistakes

Although it might be difficult to admit mistakes, if you are able to do so and provide a concrete solution, it can benefit your social media marketing and your business overall. Try to acknowledge the errors directly; do not ignore them or cover them up. While it may be tempting to hit “delete” on a negative comment, it may discourage people from following you and patronizing your business. The best option is to acknowledge the problem and answer the comment in a professional, courteous manner.

Another important detail is to avoid confrontation or arguments with customers. As a rule, you need to be sincere and understanding. Apologize when necessary and express your regrets; this will show your responsibility, integrity, and professionalism.

Active Use of the Platform/s

Social networks are changing continuously. For that reason, it’s best to be an active user, posting frequently and consistently. If you don’t, you risk losing followers, and you may have a hard time finding new ones.

A marketing strategy may be helpful when planning how to interact with your audience on social media, taking into account what you have to offer them and how you will go about offering it to them. Take enough time to analyze all the options; listen, engage, and respond to what the market and people require from you.

Business Outcomes

A final point for marketing your business using social media will be the outcome—how to get from point A to point B, and whether you are succeeding in doing so. Create an outline of your goals and keep track of your progress. Periodically measure your successes or failures and adjust your strategy if necessary. When companies neglect to monitor progress, they can end up at point Z (or elsewhere) with no success and no idea why—but they didn’t check their progress along the way.

Overall, you should take time to develop achievable goals and objectives. Setting incremental, attainable ones allows you to monitor progress automatically rather than blindly aiming toward your main goal without seeing anything in between. Then, you can also invest in smaller segments of time, money, and effort; when you reach a lesser goal, you aim for the next, and so on.

As part of your marketing strategy, social media can increase the popularity of your business as well as boosting your sales. Remember to select the platform that can fulfill your business's objectives, take time to analyze the audience, and make sure your goals are clear for everyone. Check outcomes and progress periodically and evaluate them to improve your marketing strategy. Lastly, when faced with negative comments or feedback, show your client that you can admit the mistake and provide a solution to it. These steps will solidify your place as a responsible, caring professional in the business world and help you to continually grow your company.

The post Make the Best of Social Media for Your Company/ Business first appeared on B2B Website Platform Developer - Bright Vessel.

Before we jump into the characteristics of helpful social networks, it’s critical to consider these points:

• You can’t use every social media platform. It’s better to commit yourself to one to three platforms and ensure you’re posting quality content and engaging.
• What your business has to offer should inform the social network(s) you choose to be active on.
• To see a return on your investment into social media, you must be willing to commit to the social network(s) you choose. Results are not immediate.

Now that you know that you have some important decisions to make regarding the social media you spend your time on let’s break down the characteristics of four of the most effective social networks.

Most Effective Social Networks

Facebook

Facebook is a no-brainer when it comes to generating website traffic. There’s over one-seventh of the world’s population actively using Facebook each month (1.86 billion to be exact). So there’s no excuse when it comes to using Facebook for promoting your business.

But a lot of businesses, especially back in 2014 or so, made the mistake of equating likes with growth. There used to be a push for companies to incentivize people to like their page. Since then, Facebook has banned that practice to make likes more meaningful.

Just because you might have earned all your Facebook likes, be it only 10 or 10,000, doesn’t mean you’re getting more traffic to your WordPress site.

It doesn’t take much effort to click the like button, and even if somebody took the extra step to click one of the other reaction options, although it’s a slightly more insightful response, it’s still not very meaningful. The metrics to pay attention to that are a better indication of community growth are the ones that pertain to engagement:

• Shares
• Comments
• Engagement Rate
• Actions on Your Page

These provide real insight into what your brand is offering for its audience. When people take the time to engage with the content you’re promoting on Facebook; it’s because they think it deserves their time. The key to increasing this type of engagement is by not only providing valuable and varied content but by getting that content out in front of the right people.

Facebook ads offer an incredible way to strategically target your buyer persona that’s (literally) a thousand times more targeted than traditional advertising and at a relatively low cost. You can get super specific in your targeting— as broad as age and gender and as narrow as people with a particular net worth.

And though you’re paying to get more engagement, you’re still getting this engagement organically. So you can be assured your metrics are still a meaningful representation of your community’s growth.

Instagram

Instagram isn’t just about posting pretty photos with cool filters and slapping on some hashtags. It gives users the ability to create a story with their visual content in ways that words cannot. And that means something compelling for brands that value community.

When users can connect with your story, they’re engaging with the movement of your brand. That goes far and beyond your products or services.

It’s worth noting that Instagram has more than 600 million active users every day, and a total of 3.5 billion photo likes every day. That puts its engagement numbers higher than even Facebook’s. It’s an awful lot of both qualitative and quantitative potential that you just cannot ignore if you’re trying to create scalable website traffic.

It’s helpful to think of yourself more as a storyteller on this platform, using all interactive media fronts. IG stories, Instagram Live, regular posts— they should all be included in your Instagram strategy as long as they are relevant and offer some value.

You can always provide additional value by captioning your posts with some stellar content.

And don’t forget about hashtags! You can add up to 30 on Instagram.

One more tip: put your website link in your bio. If you shorten the URL to your site with a resource like Goo.gl, you can track how many clicks you get from Instagram.

YouTube

Video is an essential medium in 2017, and it’s only becoming more popular. YouTube is sometimes dismissed as just a video library and overlooked as a platform for building a community.

YouTube is a very visual platform, like Instagram, but there’s an added advantage in the fact that Google owns YouTube. Video makes up 62% of all Google searches. And that’s not surprising when you think about how much value you can pack into a video.

If you can establish trust through video marketing campaigns, you’re on the path to tapping into that e-commerce traffic. Not only will it create more significant opportunities for your e-commerce, but YouTube also promotes a unique kind of community. Users that engage with your content on YouTube will be doing so because they are entertained, interested, curious, or inspired.

And it’s just that much easier to drive traffic to your site when you can get people to bond over content where you are transparent.

However, like with any social network, you don’t want just to use YouTube for self-promotion.

With video, you have to know your stuff or people will see right through you. Provide some real value, and you give them a reason to trust you. This will help you attract new leads while moving them to take action. Don’t neglect YouTube as a viable option for community growth!

Twitter

Many people are moving away from Twitter as networks like Instagram that cater to more visuals become more appealing. But Twitter has 328 million monthly active users (Statista, 2017). Although this platform limits you to 140 characters per tweet, it’s still proven to be great for connecting with customers.

Because of the necessity for brevity on Twitter, it has become an excellent platform for headlines and one-liners which can quickly go viral— whether good or bad.

This is a great platform for customer feedback. So if you want to connect with your customers and level with them, this is a great platform to link into.

For international businesses and organizations, Twitter is a great option due to the demographics who use it. Currently, of the 328 million monthly active users, 260 million of those active users live outside of the US (Statista, 2017). This makes it a handy resource for connecting with international communities and therefore driving global traffic to your site.

Conclusion

You should be using at least one of these four platforms to seriously be building your brand community and ultimately drive traffic to your site. Your primary objective with any of these social networks should always be to put value in front of the right people. If you’re not doing that, then your social efforts are really for naught.

Identify which of these platforms will work best for your buyer persona and lean in. Commit to forming relationships on these platforms.

The post 4 Social Networks to Drive Traffic to your WordPress Site first appeared on B2B Website Platform Developer - Bright Vessel.

Social media offers the possibility to reach more targeted audiences, and that means you can create more conversions on your website by connecting it to your social media accounts.

As a WordPress user, there is no shortage of plugins for helping you accomplish this. Finding decent plugins, however, can be a challenge. So we’ve compiled a list of some of the best plugins out there for automating and tracking your social media posting.

Below are 14 Plugins, both Free and Paid:

1. Social Warfare

This plugin allows you to add sharing buttons to your site in an easy and flexible way. It also comes with many robust features that can help you boost your social shares.

Notable features:

• Upload images and descriptions specifically for Pinterest
• Add Tweetable quote boxes in your content
• Hide low share counts
• Mobile-friendly
• Tracks social shares

Social Warfare has a free version with essential features, but the paid version starts as inexpensive as $29 per year.

2. Monarch

Created by Elegant Themes, Monarch is a remarkable social sharing plugin. You can encourage shares of your content and follows of your accounts with popups on your website, and strategic placement of your follow icons.

Notable features:

• Easy to use
• Track social shares, likes, and follows
• Choose when share counts are displayed
• Pop-up and fly-in boxes that encourage shares
• Multiple options for displaying share icons

The cost of Monarch is $89 per year and you get access to other plugins.

3. Revive Old Post

If you’ve been producing content for a while, you probably have quite a bit of old content that can qualify as evergreen. But you’re not going to waste your time going back in the archives to find that content. Revive Old Post is a handy plugin to help you automate the sharing of old posts.

Notable features:

• Free version
• Automates process of sharing old content to social networks of your choosing
• Paid version will shorten URLs and generate hashtags

The cost of Revive Old Post Pro starts at $75/year and includes sharing on multiple accounts.

4. CoSchedule

CoSchedule lets you take care of managing not only your social media but also your blog posts. Notable features:

• Drag-and-drop rescheduling
• Cross-posting available
• Multiple users on one account

There used to be a free version, but now you can only do a free trial for 14 days. The paid version allows for extra social networks and extra team members.

5. AcessPress Social AutoPost

This plugin is ideal if you want to auto post all of your website content. Notable features:

• Compatible with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Tumblr
• Multiple and unlimited accounts of each available
• Cheaper than other plugins

There’s no free version, but there’s only a one-time $20 fee.

6. Jetpack

In addition to helping you with your site design and security, Jetpack also helps you with your social media presence.

Notable features:

• Posting automation for Facebook, Twitter, or Google
• Insights
• SEO
• E-commerce support

The free version gives you all the basics mentioned above, but the paid version starts as little as $3.50 per month.

7. HYPESocial Buffer

This plugin has a panel which integrates with WordPress and allows you to manage your site and social media accounts all in one place.

Notable features:

• Custom scheduling
• Automated URL shortening
• Custom image resizing

There is no free version, but the personal paid version gives you a license for one website for a year for $49 per year. The small business version licenses you for three websites for $99 per year.

8. MashShare

This is a handy plugin for putting eye-catching social share buttons on your site.

Notable features:

• Most shared posts widget
• Can hide share counts below a certain number
• Share count animations
• Supports Twitter Cards
• Supports Open Graph
• Supports shortened URLs via Bitly or Goo.gl
• Mobile-friendly

MashShare comes free and has paid add-ons.

9. Simple Share Buttons Adder

For adding basic share buttons to your posts and pages, this plugin is ideal. All you have to do is choose your location, the placement on your page, and the share text and image set.

Notable features:

• Light weight
• Supports custom images
• Many sets of images
• URL Shortener
• Mobile friendly

This plugin is free, but there is a paid version starting at $10 for one site.

10. WP Social Sharing

WP Social Sharing gives you responsive social share buttons in a simple-to-use plugin.

Notable features:

• Compatibility with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Xing, Google+ and Pinterest
• Custom social button text
• 100% responsive
• Button created using CSS3

This is a free plugin.

11. Custom Share Buttons

This plugin provides you with basic share buttons either at the top or the bottom of your content.

Notable features:

• Compatible with Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, and Google+
• Can control where your share buttons appear

Only the paid version of this plugin offers mobile-friendly share buttons. But the free version is also handy.

12. MailChimp Social

MailChimp Social is free if you’re only interested in sharing to Facebook or Twitter.

Notable features:

• Automatically converts social media comments back to your original post
• Can use multiple accounts
• Premium version offers eCommerce 360 integration, email notifications, multiple AJAX forms, and more detailed statistics.

This plugin is free.

13. Juicer

Juicer automatically sorts all your posts from your social media accounts and displays them in a pleasing way on your website.

Notable features:

• Pulls in new posts at least every 24 hours
• Embeddable social media feed
• At least two social accounts/hashtags

The free version allows you full functionality, but the tradeoff is that you have to display the Juicer watermark and can only update your feed once per hour. There’s no watermark with the paid version, and it updates every 10 minutes, starting at $19 per month.

14. AddtoAny Social Buttons

This is still an excellent tool for adding share buttons to your website.

Notable features:

• Universal button for users to share to other networks
• Compatible with many social networks and email sharing
• Control where buttons are placed
• Integrates with Google Analytics
• Customizable icons

This plugin is completely free.

The post 14 Awesome Social Media Plugins for WordPress Websites first appeared on B2B Website Platform Developer - Bright Vessel.

However, creating an account on Facebook or other social media sites is the easiest part. You need an effective strategy for your business to benefit from social media. So if your current social media campaigns are not achieving the goals of your business, then it’s time to revamp your strategy. Here are some tips to get you started!

Social Media Posting Tips

Personalize the Posting

Avoid the mistake of posting content without knowing your target audience and their needs. Social media should serve as your opportunity to bond with existing customers and engage with potential leads.

Some people might contact your business through these sites to either ask questions or make comments about your business. Answer their questions in a polite and friendly manner. Occasionally, you may have to deal with unsatisfied customers. Here are some tips to keep in mind when dealing with social media comments:

• If you receive comments from people who are just trying to get a reaction from other users, then simply ignore them.
• If you receive comments from unsatisfied customers, deal with them in a professional manner. Apologize for inconveniencing them and make sure to recognize their frustration.

• Don't just sell to customers. Many buyers or end-users get turned off when they feel that you only care about your business. Engage with your customers. Hear their complaints and pains, and respond appropriately. This will make them feel that they genuinely matter.

Check Out Your Competition

Being aware of what your competitors are doing and how they use social media can give you insights on how to succeed at social media. Learn from your competitors---find out what tactics work for them and see if you can adopt the same tactic with a little twist, and avoid the mistakes they are doing. The intention here isn’t to steal ideas, but to get inspiration and be creative in adopting a strategy that really works.

Stay on Top of the Trends

In today's age, trends come and go quickly. It is the marketer's job to stay informed on the latest digital marketing trends and find ways to utilize fresh information effectively. In 2016, the hottest marketing trends were chat boxes, live streaming, and paid content. These trends may continue to gain popularity this year, but chances are there will be a few others that will make the social media universe even more alive and important. As a digital marketer, you need to make yourself updated so that your campaigns don’t get left behind.

Avoid Making Drastic Changes on Strategies That Work

Regularly reviewing your social media campaign performance is critical so that you know which are working and which are not. Here are some ways on how to maximize campaigns that work and know which areas to improve:

• Make the analytics your best friend. Use the numerous measuring tools at your disposal.
• Test out different strategies to see what works.
• Concentrate more effort on the platforms that are popular for your brand. If your social media strategy does better on Youtube than on Twitter, then create more Youtube videos.
• Start accounts on the sites that you aren't using. See whether any of its users are interested in your brand. Use a variety of sites to attract an audience.

Be Consistent in Posting

It’s always best to plan what you’re going to post ahead of time to avoid cramming. Then, create a schedule on when to post. Being consistent with your social media posts and campaign helps increase your business' authority.

Repurpose Content

One of the benefits of repurposing content is its budget-friendly nature. Similarly, the practice allows you to target wider audience using different mediums. Let’s say you posted an article on the importance of yoga in promoting a healthy well-being, and this article generated a huge number of readers. You may create an infographic presentation or a podcast using the information from the old article, and post the fresh content on Facebook or Reddit. Your customers who are not fond of reading articles may actually enjoy the visual or audio presentation more.

Conclusion

Using social media for your business doesn’t have to be frustrating. It is crucial that you identify and define your goals, know your target market, be abreast of the digital trends, and utilize the different platforms that your target audience typically visits. If all these sound time-consuming, then it may be a good idea to look for a digital marketer that can help you develop an effective social media marketing strategy.

At Bright Vessel, we understand the importance of an active content plan. Contact us today to learn more about how a content marketing strategy can benefit your bottom line.

The post Ways to Reinvent Your Social Media Strategy first appeared on B2B Website Platform Developer - Bright Vessel.