TikTok? As A Search Engine? Yes!

Google who? The days of using only Google, Bing or any other primary search engine as the way to look information up are gone. 

Younger generations are using social media platforms to search topics. Right now TikTok is the place to go if you are searching for a product or need advice. Your audience has an inside look at other followers using your products or services.

According to studies by Prabhakar Raghavan, Senior Vice President, Google, approximately 40 percent of our younger generation use social media like TikTok to search for products/services.

It should be said that audience members are still using Google as a search engine however, it is no longer the primary search engine it once was. With this knowledge, it’s important to prepare a strategy to reach these followers as well.

People can use TikTok as a search engine in a few different ways. The first way is by using hashtags and trends. Using relevant hashtags can help people find content related to the topic they are searching for. Popular trends can also be used to find content related to a particular topic. The second way is by using the search bar at the top of the TikTok app. This allows users to quickly search for any type of content they are looking for. Finally, users can also explore content from different users by looking at their profile or using the explore tab. This allows users to find content from different users related to the topic they are searching for.

Tips for promoting your brand on TikTok

• Utilize hashtags and trending topics to draw attention to your content. - These are key when posting content because these are what your audience will be searching for on the platform.

• Create engaging visuals that showcase your brand and capture the attention of your target audience. - It is always important to stay on brand and show a cohesive look when promoting your business. Brand colors and fonts are upfront and center on these visuals with your audience.

• Leverage influencers and other TikTok users to share your content and help your reach grow. - This is a very effective way to advertise your business to showcase your product and services from the user’s perspective. 

Similar to Google, when you create content you should always use SEO keywords to ensure your content appears when your audience searches for it. In addition to the steps above, utilizing SEO keywords will increase visibility with your audience. 

How NOT to Work From Home | 6 Common Mistakes Seen by Someone Who's Been Working From Home for a Decade

As you may have read in my 6 Tips For Working From Home blog, I have been working from home for over a decade, 3 of which have been full-time, and over that time I’ve come to realize some hacks for being productive and get the most done from home. Head over to that blog to check them out!

But I have also learned how to be incredibly unproductive and waste time on things that aren’t very important. In the midst of most of our country working from home, I’d love to help you make sure you don’t make these time-wasting mistakes and get your job done efficiently.

Mistake #1: Working with the TV on

Some people love and are used to the background noise of their office environment and while that’s all well and good, turning on a TV show (even if you’ve seen it a million times) is a quick way to get sucked into television and soon you don’t know where the last 20 minutes went. Studies show that working with music on will make you more productive so switch up Friends for Franz Ferdinand or The Office for The Offspring. Your boss will appreciate it.

Mistake #2: Not telling your roommates or husband/wife that you’re on a video call

Although it’s funny to catch your coworkers roommates or husband/wife in a less than ideal situation, it definitely isn’t fun to be the person ‘caught’. Your house may not be used to working from home so make sure to be extra communicative if you are on the phone or a video call, and ask them to do the same. Over-communication will always be beneficial to keeping your environment as professional as possible during the day.

Mistake #3: Staying in PJs all-day

This is one I’m guilty of almost every day - which is hard to admit! I often let time escape me because I get really focused on one project and suddenly it’s noon and I’m still in PJs and never ate breakfast. Don’t be like me! Get dressed (even if it’s comfy athleisure) and you will feel better and be more productive - plus you’ll look your best during video calls. I will be challenging myself for the next two weeks to get “dressed” every day - join me on that challenge!

Mistake #4: Not being present when on a phone or video call

How many times are you on a conference call when your mind drifts or something else online catches your attention? It’s so easy to do! I’ve seen countless stories and heard coworkers panic over something else that starts happening in their house (pet brings in a guest, a kid gets hurt, the baby is crying, etc.) While you may not have the luxury of additional help at home, at least put your phone on mute and try to be as present as possible. Your colleagues and/or clients will appreciate this so much.

Mistake #5: Approaching working from home as a vacation

If your employer expects you to be working from home, work from home. Sure if you need a break for a bit you can get food or vacuum your house, but make sure you are still putting in the hours and getting work done. Working does make the day go by quicker and can help get your mind off the panic and fear many of us are experiencing these days.

Just remember this isn’t a vacation and your colleagues and boss are expecting productivity out of you. If you are struggling to meet deadlines or getting work done, suggest “virtually co-working” with your colleagues! Have a video conference going while you get work done and hold each other accountable.

Mistake #6: Starting Happy Hour too early

This is a big one and a very common mistake I see. Actually, when people find out I exclusively work from home, I usually get a response of “That’s so awesome! It’s like a vacation or happy hour every day, huh?” It’s definitely not!

Something to keep in mind is if you wouldn’t be able to drink at your office, don’t drink at home while you’re working. As enticing as that bottle of cabernet may look, your boss likely won’t appreciate it. If your job is creative and your team would sometimes get a beer at lunch, then absolutely still play by those rules - but if alcohol was a no-no in the office make it a no-no at home during your working from home hours.

Photo used is copyrighted from CBS and not an image I own.

Top 2 mistakes you're likely making on your website

I love designing websites. I approach every project from a strategic point of view and begin everything with the end-goal in mind. Because I see everything through a ‘marketing’ lens, I get asked often to audit, review, or offer insight into someone’s existing website instead of designing a new one from scratch.

These are the top two things I see often on websites that once changed, can make your website feel as good as new.

You haven’t clearly said what your business does

This is the #1 thing I see on someone’s website when I’m doing an audit of it. Their website should answer (above the fold) what they do in a very clear, concise way. If people land on your website and can’t tell what you do within 3-5 seconds of landing on your site, then their most likely to leave - which hurts your Search Engine Optimization. Every type of website needs a clear statement near the top of the homepage that spells it out for your website viewer.

How do you fix it? Have a large description near the top of your website that clearly articulates what you do, what makes you different, and how your product/service/offer will change your user’s life.

Your website is too copy-heavy

I’d say about 80% of websites I audit have way too much copywriting on them. When there’s too much text and copywriting on your website, your website viewer doesn’t know where to look, what to read first, or what to do on the site.

Too much text and clutter will lead to confusion – and when people are confused they’re more likely to bounce from your website - again, hurting your Search Engine Optimization. It shouldn't be your website viewers’ job to sift through all the information to figure out what you actually do, or how your business can benefit them. Your website should be a strategic marketing tool NOT a giant hub or warehouse of information about your company. Read more about this on our 7 tips for writing content for your website blog.

Let’s face it - People just don’t read anymore! They’re scrolling way too fast to read all that flowery language you wrote. It’s time to take it out and only leave what’s pertinent.

Looking for an audit of your current website? Contact us and we’ll get started!

How to Brand Your Instagram Profile

Your Instagram profile is an extension of your online brand on social media. To create a strong brand you need to consider the following:

USE A PROFILE PHOTO

If your business is recognizable by the logo, upload your logo in a way that can be easily read and fits perfectly in the profile photo circle (400px x 400px is ideal).

If your business is a personal brand, use a professional headshot of yourself. A great way to show your customers who you are is by featuring, well…you - especially if you’re the primary point of contact for your business.

OPTIMIZE YOUR BIO

Besides your profile photo, your Instagram bio is the first thing that a prospective follower is going to see. Make sure that you are using the right keywords, call-to-action, and personal touches. In mid-2018 Instagram allowed the use of clickable hashtags and @tags to be added to the bio. Adding your location’s hashtag or any parent-companies @tag will increase your relevancy in Instagram search results.

SHARE BRAND-RELEVANT CONTENT

All of the content that you share should be relevant to you, your brand, and your business’s offers. Don’t want to share random content that isn’t going to appeal to your audience. That said, using hashtags that are specific to your business is also important. Using hashtags unrelated to your content will not attract the right kind of audience and will not lead to meaningful engagements.

WRITE CAPTIONS IN YOUR OWN VOICE

Your social media brand is so much more than the photos that you share and the colors of your graphics. Your caption copy, comments, and direct messages should be written in your brand’s voice. Writing posts with the right copywriting can help attract your ideal client to your profile and will also lead to more meaningful engagements with your audience.

USE THE RIGHT HASHTAGS

You should be using hashtags on your posts. Hashtags are the best way to stimulate organic engagement. The best mix of hashtags to use is a variety of niche hashtags (50k-100k used) with a mix of popular hashtags (100k+ used). This is a great way to get your content seen by the right audience and helps your account grow organically. 

ADD BRANDED HIGHLIGHT COVERS

Highlights are where you can save stories for longer than 24 hours, and they are stored directly under your link in your bio. Adding branded highlight covers (how-to blog is coming soon!) is a great way to additionally showcase your brand and your voice.

Looking to take your social media strategy to the next level? Contact us to get a free social media audit!