Purchasing Popularity: Verification Subscriptions

Morgan Moresco on February 23, 2023

Written by: Danielle Gazda

For years, brands and content creators have worked hard to build loyal communities and notable social media accounts in order to earn their verifications. The elusive and exclusive blue tick of verification across Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter is now a purchasable commodity. It’s part of a growing trend toward paid social media subscriptions.

Snapchat+

The first to provide a subscription service was actually Snapchat. In August of 2022, they announced Snapchat+, an “exclusive, experimental” service available for $3.99 a month. This innovative idea is decently priced and meant for the most consistent and passionate users of the photo-sharing app. Some of the exclusive features of Snapchat+ include various icons, notification settings, the Story Timer, and a badge. This exclusivity has produced moderate results for Snapchat with 2.5 million subscribers since the announcement in August 2022 to February 2023. This is compared to its 750 million active users and 375 million daily users.

Other apps have taken note of this success and have begun to integrate subscriptions of their own, providing additional incentives and services for users — and an alternate source of income.

Twitter Blue

Elon Musk announced in a tweet on Nov. 1, 2022, that blue checkmark verification would be purchasable through a Twitter Blue subscription for $8 a month. This announcement came with mixed, but primarily negative, reactions. Public figures would now be obliged to purchase Twitter Blue to maintain their verification, while Musk cited this as a way to “give Twitter a revenue stream to reward content creators.”

Twitter did release information on the updated Verification Requirements. It addressed some of the concerns and outlined the grandfathering of accounts that were previously verified through the original system. The company also specified that accounts must be non-deceptive with verification revocation a possibility for those who violate subscription policies. No matter the rules and criteria put in place, a verification no longer carries the weight it used to.

Meta Verified

Now, three months after Musk’s announcement, Mark Zuckerberg has revealed that Meta platforms will also be offering a verification subscription. It’s being marketed as a safety net for creators. Meta’s official announcement describes the program as “a subscription bundle on Instagram and Facebook that includes a verified badge that authenticates your account with government ID, proactive account protection, access to account support, and increased visibility and reach.”

Users can verify their accounts so Meta can work harder to remove bots, as well as fake and impersonated accounts — though reporting offenders has not been fruitful in the past. Creators are already voicing discontent, as they’ll be forced to purchase Meta Verified to protect their real public accounts.

Note that because this system is based on verifying an individual with a driver’s license or similar document, as of now the subscription is not available to businesses.

What’s Next?

While these changes don’t directly affect personal accounts, they do affect brand and creator accounts. It’s important to weigh the positives and negatives for your brand when considering a purchase of these verification subscriptions. They do come with other useful tools, like the ability to edit posts, longer tweets, etc.

Will you be purchasing verifications for your brand when available?

Trends to Integrate Into Your 2023 Marketing Strategy

Morgan Moresco on December 12, 2022

Written by: Danielle Gazda

At the beginning of 2022, the digital marketing community prepared for the start of a massive digital expansion. This expansion was the true start of a more integrated and accessible metaverse. It includes the increasing use of AI/AR/VR and other new tools in social media and advertising. In social media specifically, video content would be king in 2022, which was proved to be true. We saw this with the rise in TikTok’s popularity as Meta and Twitter declined.

2023 presents opportunities for continued digital expansion across social media, marketing, and everyday life.

Here’s what we’re expecting to see in 2023.

Social Media Content

AI Algorithms

Social media platforms, especially Facebook and Instagram, will continue to push AI algorithms. These algorithms are supposed to show consumers content that relates to them. While individuals may not relish the idea of seeing fewer posts from family and friends, this opens up more opportunities for brands to reach a wider audience that is more likely to convert.

Digital Representations

Avatars, NFTs, and AI-generated art are all becoming more prominent across social media. While there is a juxtaposition between wanting more original content with NFTs and opportunities for digitally generated content with AI, both show that digital art is the future. More brands may find themselves generating NFTs as a form of revenue for themselves or as fundraisers. They will also likely begin using AI-generated art to create the promotional content they need.

E-Commerce

Livestream Shopping

Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest are looking to livestream shopping as the next way for brands to sell on their platforms. While these platforms are testing and having success with this feature in other countries, it hasn’t quite made it to the U.S. yet. Expect to see more announcements about this from social media apps in 2023.

Customer Service

Mobile/in-app shopping and online shopping overall have continued to increase as Gen Z reaches an independent purchasing age. The key to happy (and repeat) customers is personalized customer service. There are many options across social media, in Messenger, DMs, WhatsApp, etc., that allow businesses to automate replies to common brand questions. This is a great way for customers to have an inquiry answered or resolve an issue quickly. However, it’s important still to have real people available on the back end to intervene with more complicated requests.

General Marketing

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing continues to be a superior way for brands to gain exposure and bring in revenue. Partnering with influencers whose audiences intersect with your own can boost sales. And influencers perform a variety of services, whether it’s posting on their own social media or creating video content for you to share on your own platforms.

Advertising

Social media advertising remains the best way to gain reach, conversions, and more for your business. As the space becomes more crowded with businesses, it can be hard to find your footing. The holiday season, a time when spending increases greatly, is the best example of this. Refined targeting to reach audiences that meet your business goals is the best way forward. SEO, tagging, and defining your audience will get you to your goals.

What are some of your digital marketing predictions for 2023?

The Most Authentic Social Media Platform: BeReal

Morgan Moresco on September 27, 2022

Written by: Danielle Gazda

By now, you’ve probably heard of BeReal — then again, as a business owner, you may have heard nothing about it at all. BeReal is the latest social media platform taking Gen Z by storm first released in August of 2020. It now has over 15 million daily users and over 28 million downloads as of September 2022. This is a 315+% increase in usage and over 1000% increase in downloads since the beginning of 2022. What makes it unusual is that it’s almost an anti-social media app because it has a way of subverting all current preconceptions of how content is created nowadays.

How Does BeReal work?

Central to BeReal’s quirky appeal is that users are prompted (just once every 24 hours) to share an in-the-moment photo at a random time during the day. It also utilizes both the front-facing and back-facing cameras on the phone. This dual camera system has already been duplicated for Instagram Reels and TikTok. So far, BeReal is strictly a photo-sharing app, which goes against what all digital marketers now know — video content is king.

Previous Blog: How to Utilize Google Analytics for Your Business

Interacting on BeReal

With the daily prompts, users get two minutes to post their photos. If they miss that window and post later in the day, a notification about the late post is sent out to all of their followers. This is another way BeReal subverts social media expectations: It gives the impression that sending out a post notification is a bad thing. In reality, it doesn’t matter too much, but that’s the novelty of it.

No Advertising on BeReal

Currently, there is no way to advertise on BeReal, nor are there any plans for advertising in the immediate future. The creators of the app wanted to get back to the roots of social media, where friends and family share images of daily life without the intrusive boosted posts, sponsored posts, or inducements to buy. They are considering bringing in-app purchases to the platform to earn some money, but the app itself will remain free, and the in-app purchases will not be required to use BeReal.

Companies on BeReal

Beauty brands have been the first companies to migrate over to BeReal. It’s easy to tell that their posts are coming from genuine employees. And while they may be curated to a certain degree, these photos are definitely shot on phones and are meant to feel as organic as possible. Some brands have leaned into doing giveaways or providing special discount codes to drive up interest for their products and to attract new followers. It will be interesting to see if this continues and if other categories of companies will follow suit.

Is BeReal Right for Your Brand?

If your audience is primarily Gen Z (or you want to grow your Gen Z audience), then yes, adding BeReal to your monthly content calendar may be a good move. It will take time to adapt to the less curated, less professional platform, but it could definitely be a beneficial move. Even TikTok and Instagram are trying to integrate dual camera photos for their own platforms. If your team isn’t familiar with BeReal, it may be best to have some employees try it with personal accounts first and report back on what they think might work for your brand. Keep in mind: BeReal could be a heavy lift since the expectation is a post every day — and that post can be prompted any time between the early hours of the morning and the late hours of the night.

Check Out BeReal Here

Follow 270M’s social media to keep up to date with the latest digital marketing and social media trends. If you’re interested in hiring a digital marketing team, visit our website, or email us at info@thisis270m.com.

The Importance of Investing in Imagery for Your Brand

Morgan Moresco on May 16, 2022

By: Danielle Gazda

Imagery often gets overlooked in the whirlwind of tasks involved in starting a new business. The focus is on designing a logo, setting up your website, and other more immediate needs. People sometimes fill their website with basic images of their products on a white or solid-color background, and then… that’s it.

In the world of social media e-commerce, creative and unique imagery is essential. Marketing on social media is founded on sharing unique and creative photos and videos that will entice customers to learn more and purchase.

Your company should set aside a budget to have a photo and video shoot roughly every three to six months. For photography, this is to keep the imagery fresh by trying new configurations and pairings and diversifying models. For videography, this is to explain new concepts, answer common questions, and demonstrate your product. There may be some differences depending on whether you’re selling clothes or food or CBD products, etc., but the same basic principles will apply.

Make sure you keep these concepts in mind when shooting:

Positioning

Photographing your products in different positions can be a lifesaver when you run out of unique images or want a certain setting that you don’t already have photographed. Using a variety of different positions and angles will make it easier for your graphic designers to create the desired look in their photo editing software while keeping everything looking as realistic as possible.

Varied Groupings

You may never think of putting two or more products together in an image, but there may come a time when you want to do it. The main way to approach this is to arrange products by categories. For example, if you sell clothes, you could create two image categories: one that displays your entire shirt collection, and another that shows pairings of shirts. And don’t forget sets that go together, such as a shirt, pants, and shoe combination. This could be useful for planning an outfit post or putting pieces together for a giveaway.

Lifestyle Images/Videos

Basic model photos and videos sometimes won’t be enough for your audience. Be sure to create imagery that shows your products in a natural and organic setting. These include: a group of friends hanging out together, a family around a table, or someone walking down the street. Whatever your product is, create scenarios that your customers may actually find themselves in once they own your product.

Answering Questions

For many companies, consistently coming up with topics for videos can be trickier than creating static imagery. Some good places to start, aside from lifestyle videos, are product demonstrations, explanations, and answering FAQs. These three categories are fundamental if your company is new and you are trying to generate brand awareness. Having a knowledgeable person talk through your products or give a demonstration are great ways to show people why they should buy from you.

These tips are not just for new businesses, they will work for pre-existing ones, as well. Social media posts can become stale to audiences if the imagery isn’t refreshed every once in a while. Social media teams and graphic designers can be extremely skillful when it comes to reaching and communicating with an audience, but if you want truly unique content for your social media channels, regularly setting up photo and video shoots will make a world of difference.

If you’re interested in finding a photographer or videographer for your brand, we can help you. Contact us through our website, or send us an email at info@thisis270m.com.

Use Social Media E-Commerce to Boost Your Business

Morgan Moresco on April 22, 2022

Written by: Danielle Gazda

E-commerce in social media apps has come a long way in the last couple of years. Online shopping in this form was inevitable, but it developed much more quickly than most people expected. The pandemic forced people to stay in their homes and created a demand for more ways to shop online — it also opened a range of possibilities for retailers.

Based on Black Friday and Cyber Monday trends of recent years, online shopping is becoming more and more popular. Making purchases is even easier now that people can shop directly in commonly used social media apps.

Meta’s apps, Instagram and Facebook, have been at the forefront of e-commerce. Facebook even had a leg up with its Marketplace feature, which allowed any individual to sell products or resell items. Instagram and Facebook Shops, however, are more geared toward businesses. Thanks to algorithms that look at what customers are interested in, these shops have helped small businesses gain followers and sales, with or without paid advertising.

Your business can create e-commerce shops today!

Instagram & Facebook

Since these apps are both part of Meta, their commerce policies, community guidelines, and fees are the same. Setting up a shop on either platform is free and done primarily through the Commerce Manager on your company’s Facebook page.

When you set up your e-commerce shop, you will choose whether your customers will check out through the apps or if they will be sent to your website. There are pros and cons to both.

The major pro to in-app checkout is that customers will be more likely to complete a purchase. As people are pulled to websites outside of an app, often they stop and don’t buy. Even if they do browse the website, they are less likely to complete a purchase than if they could just buy through Instagram or Facebook.

The con is that there are fees involved with choosing to do checkout through Facebook and Instagram. While the fees are not ridiculously high, you may want to reduce any money loss if you have a small business. Whichever app a purchase is made in, Meta gets 5% of the total purchase per shipment. There is also an established flat fee of 40 cents if a purchase is $8 or less. (These fees are being waived through June 30, 2022, to help small businesses post-pandemic. It is unknown if this will be extended.)

It is also important to know Meta’s Commerce Policies and Community Guidelines about what businesses are permitted to sell through the apps. There are some restrictions. As an example, companies that sell CBD or marijuana-related products will not be able to sell through the apps.

TikTok & Pinterest

TikTok is in the e-commerce game with its shopping feature now available in most countries. It also presents the option of in-app checkout or website checkout. Fees of 1% to 5% could apply, which seems to be based on where the buyer is located. It would be safe to assume that the standard is 5%, as it is with Instagram and Facebook. If you choose not to create a shop on TikTok, you can still provide a link to your website in your bio.T

Pinterest does not have in-app purchases but is still extremely popular with shoppers. You can link to items or your website directly in the Pins you make. Many people peruse Pinterest for inspiration, and with a business account, you can tag up to 25 items in a single Pin. This is extremely popular for fashion and furniture/homeware sites because you can tag each individual item that you think customers can buy.

The Takeaway

Choosing to set up e-commerce shops in popular social media apps is a great idea. It generates more exposure, allows you to tag products directly in your posts, and provides an in-app catalog for potential customers to browse without leaving the app. Whether you choose to do checkout within the apps or through your website, you’ll still be on the right track. You can also pair shops with paid advertising or boosted organic content. This may be beneficial to help garner that early exposure — but do it sparingly so you don’t spread your budget too thin.

E-commerce is the way of the future. So get your foot in the door now.

Contact us to help you get started on your e-commerce journey.

Tips for the Best Social Media Community Management

info on October 5, 2021

By: Stephanie Albert

Community management is an essential part of growing an online following that is connected to your brand. It is the process of interacting and engaging with current followers and the actions you take to attract new followers.

Here are five important practices to consider if you want to gain followers and keep the ones you already have.

1.Engage with content your brand is tagged in: Frequently, brands will be tagged in content from happy customers who want to tell their friends about their experiences. When customers tag your brand in their social media posts, be sure to thank them for their support, and let them know you’re glad they enjoyed your product or service. There is also the possibility that your brand will be tagged in negative reviews. Be ready for this. Have a plan that is aligned with your brand identity for responding to these comments, and try to resolve issues whenever you can.

2. Respond to Direct Messages (DMs): Check your messages as frequently as possible — once a day at the very least. While you should think of all DMs from your customers as being important, there are two types of DMs that are particularly useful in helping to build an online brand. DMs received when your brand is tagged in a user’s story can be used to gain user-generated content that can be reposted to show consumers enjoying your product or service. Also valuable are DMs that contain questions about your business or products. You can earn loyal customers by interacting with people and giving them the answers they are looking for.

3. Like and respond to comments: In conjunction with responding to DMs, engage with followers by liking and responding to comments they leave on your posts. Users generally enjoy being recognized by the brands/products they like, and this type of engagement is a great way to increase the positive feelings customers already have about your business.

4. Follow relevant accounts: Follow accounts relevant to your industry, and engage with the content they post. By interacting with this content, the name of your business will appear in the likes and comments on the post, so consumers will have another way to find you.

5. Follow relevant hashtags: While you’re looking for relevant accounts to follow, try following relevant hashtags, too. They can help you find out what kind of content is popular in your industry, and discover new consumers who might be interested in your product.

By paying attention to what’s popular through other relevant content and connecting with current and prospective followers, community management has the potential to greatly increase the engagement your content receives. When it comes to growing your brand’s following online, engaging through community management is key to your success.

Advice from an Agency: How to Create a Strong Social Media Image

info on January 15, 2021

By Annie O’Rourke

Incorporating a positive social media image drives high levels of user engagement and allows your brand to market its services.

Start utilizing social media for your small business

Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter are just a few of the many social media channels that are most important to incorporate for your small business.

It is important for your business to become a highly active user on all social media channels. Social media allows your business and brand to eventually be more visible and searchable. Research the different social media channels to understand which would be best for your brand, and create accounts on the channels that are most fitting. For example, if your products are photogenic, utilize Instagram because its feed is focused on visuals. Incorporating this technique allows your business to develop a platform of their own to further market their product and services. If you’re not sure where to start, 270M can help!

Keep up with current events and social media trends

Show your followers you know what you’re talking about.

Social media is all about sharing different ideas and content. By incorporating current news and events, people will feel that your brand is a credible source. Post the latest coverage and news about your product or brand to your stories and feed. For example, if you’re a beauty agency, remember to not only post your product but also post the latest information and breaking news about the entire beauty industry itself. This allows your followers to engage and connect with your page.

Create a consistent image across all social media platforms

All of the social channels your brand uses should reflect a similar style throughout to keep your brand coherent.

For example, keep your color tones, brand voice, and brand messaging consistent throughout all of your brand touchpoints. Having brand consistency is essential because it ensures that your brand is recognizable wherever a consumer interacts with it. A strong social media image is not just a recommendation, but a necessity for your small business. 270M is here to guide you through the next steps regarding all aspects of creating an impactful social media image.

Our services at 270M will help you move in the right direction in order to reach high levels of user engagement.