Why Building Photos Go Viral: A Random Social Media Study

As social media data junkies, our team at Random loves to explore the reasons why some of our social media posts perform better than others. The topic at hand? Why photos of buildings (that's right, buildings) tend to perform higher than other photos on social media.

The Building Blocks

In the ever-evolving landscape of content marketing, it's crucial to understand what resonates with your audience. Recent research and analysis of client data have revealed an intriguing trend: content featuring images of buildings significantly outperforms other types of content in both engagement and impressions. Let's delve into the numbers and the potential reasons behind this phenomenon.

For the purpose of this study, we stuck to one social media platform: Instagram. Our Social Media Analyst did some deep diving into our clients' social media profiles and collected any photos that displayed the exterior of their buildings. Once the sample of posts was collected, he proceeded to examine the posts based on various KPIs, keeping a focus on engagement and impressions. 

What Stands Out

  1. Engagement: Content with images of buildings averaged an impressive 89.5% better in engagement compared to the monthly content averages.
  2. Impressions: Such content also saw a 44% increase in impressions over their monthly content averages.

These statistics are compelling, suggesting that there's more to building imagery than meets the eye.

Breaking it Down

Hypothesis #1: Breaking the Monotony with Visual Appeal

Most content calendars feature a myriad of images, from people and products to landscapes and abstract graphics. However, our data indicates that there are usually no more than 1 or 2 photos of buildings per month in the case of our clients, Comerica Bank. As you can see, in Comerica Bank's Instagram feed, the scarcity could be a reason that these images stand out, breaking the content monotony. Their unique visual appeal might be the breath of fresh air that users need, prompting them to engage more with the content.

Hypothesis #2: Landmarks for Branding

Buildings, especially iconic ones, can serve as recognizable landmarks. When consistently featured in content, they can become synonymous with a brand's identity. Think of how the Eiffel Tower is instantly associated with Paris or how the Golden Gate Bridge is emblematic of San Francisco. By leveraging such powerful symbols, brands can create a strong visual identity that resonates with their audience.

Here are two examples of buildings that Comerica Bank holds near and dear to their heart. Their newest construction, known as Business HQ, and the Comerica Tower, both located in Dallas, TX, are pinnacle examples of how companies can use buildings as part of their brand image.

Hypothesis #3: A Sense of Geography and Relatability

Buildings inherently convey a sense of place. Whether it's a skyscraper in New York or a historic building in Texas, they ground content in a specific geography. This can foster a sense of relatability, especially among local audiences. For instance, this photo of the Comerica Tower amongst the Dallas, TX, skyline, may have resonated with our local audience and given them a sense of pride, ultimately making them more likely to engage with it.


While the exact reasons behind the success of building imagery in content marketing might remain a subject of debate, the numbers are clear: they work. Whether it's their rarity, their branding potential, or their geographical significance, buildings have carved a niche for themselves in the content landscape.

Brands looking to boost their engagement and impressions might consider incorporating more architectural imagery into their content strategy. After all, in the world of content marketing, it's all about building connections “ and what better way to do that than with buildings?

Break the monotony; let Random get your audience engaged! Contact us to learn more about how we can transform your social media. 

Meet Shelby, Our Newest Social Media Specialist

Say "hi" to Shelby, That Random Agency's newest Social Media Specialist! We can't wait to get to know her and what better way to do that than a Q&A?

First, the obvious question: Why did you choose Random Agency?

Their vibrant and energetic culture caught my eye! I loved the personality that they brought to their own brand & the emphasis they put on making an effort to always be growing, learning, and sharing!

Tell us three Random Facts about yourself.

  1. This question might be one of my Top 5 Worst Fears
  2. Not to brag but I am a four time elementary spelling bee champ. 😤💪🏻
  3. When I'm not doing social media for work, I do it as a hobby! You could say I'm becoming an influencer of sorts

Favorite TV show?

Depends on the day Psych will always be my #1 comfort show, but I could talk to you forever about Barry or Ted Lasso.

If money was no object, where would you go and what would you do?

My husband, my pup & I would definitely move to New York and buy a beautiful, old brownstone in Brooklyn.

What's in your refrigerator right now?

Literally what isn't in there? A case of Diet Dr. Pepper An old bottle of wine or two Some Frank's Red Hot Buffalo sauce Oh, and way too many leftovers to count. It's fine.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

Super speed. I am admittedly the reason my chronically early partner is never on time to functions anymore  

What's your favorite childhood memory?

I used to do summer camps at the local theater in middle school and I look back pretty fondly on that.

Name one thing you wish you could do better.

I used to work at a third-wave coffee shop so I wish I could make decent latte art with my at-home espresso machine. A frothy blob is really exciting when you don't have a $30,000 machine to steam your milk just right.

Which three things would you take to a desert island?

I'm boring The dog, the man, the phone. 5G is like everywhere, right?

What is the last book you read?

Strangers by Nature by Madison Heberlie

What is your favorite account to follow on TikTok?

Has to be @jadennedwardsss, @chris or @haileyknox

Leveraging LinkedIn: A Guide for Executive Leaders

Professional networking and personal branding have become essential in today's digital age. LinkedIn has emerged as a powerful platform for executive leaders, offering a unique opportunity for professionals to connect, share insights, and build meaningful relationships within their industries. In this blog post, we will explore how executive leaders can leverage the power of LinkedIn to enhance their personal brand, expand their network, and drive professional success.

Crafting an Engaging Profile

The first step to harnessing LinkedIn's potential as an executive leader is to create a compelling and professional profile. Pay special attention to your headline, summary, and experience sections to ensure they're up-to-date and accurate. Use concise yet descriptive language to highlight your expertise, achievements, and leadership skills that you've developed in your roles. Pro Tip: Including a professional headshot further enhances your credibility and helps make a strong first impression.


If you're a consistent poster on the platform and want to take your profile a step further, turn on ˜Creator Mode' to turn your connections into followers. By turning this feature on, you can grow your reach while gaining access to additional features such as:

Establishing Thought Leadership

LinkedIn is an excellent platform for executive leaders to establish themselves as thought leaders in their respective industries. Individuals can share valuable content such as articles, videos, or thought-provoking insights on trending topics to engage industry-specific users. Ignite and participate in discussion to showcase your expertise and provide value to others while gaining new perspectives. Depending on your wheelhouse, you can publish original articles that allow you to showcase your thought leadership to a broader audience and attract new followers. 

Building a Relative Network

LinkedIn is a powerful tool for expanding your professional network. We recommend connecting with industry peers, colleagues, clients, and other professionals who share similar interests. Actively seek out and join relevant groups and communities to engage with like-minded individuals and foster meaningful connections. Networking on LinkedIn opens doors to new opportunities, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.

Engaging in Relationship Building

Building relationships is vital for executive leaders, and LinkedIn facilitates this process. Engage with your connections by liking, commenting on, and sharing their content. Show genuine interest in their professional journeys, congratulate them on achievements, and offer support when appropriate. When applicable, share posts that give you the opportunity to tag fellow colleagues to further build your relationships and expand your reach. Building a strong network is about fostering mutually beneficial relationships that can lead to partnerships, referrals, and career growth.

Staying Active and Consistent

Consistency is key when it comes to LinkedIn. Regularly engage with your network by sharing valuable content, commenting on relevant posts, and responding to messages. By maintaining an active presence, you increase your visibility and build credibility within your industry. Allocate dedicated time each week to nurture your LinkedIn presence and make it a part of your professional routine. Pro Tip: Turn your busy schedule into opportunities. Share your experiences such as recent events you attended, client meetings, career wins, and other company-wide news as posts on your LinkedIn page. 

LinkedIn has evolved beyond a mere job search platform and transformed into a valuable resource for executive leaders. By leveraging the power of LinkedIn, you can enhance your personal brand, establish thought leadership, expand your network, and drive professional success. Embrace this digital networking tool, and unlock its potential to connect, inspire, and collaborate with professionals around the globe. 


Remember, your LinkedIn presence is not just a profile; it's an opportunity to showcase your leadership and make a lasting impact in your industry.


Talk to us about our wide-ranging experience in creating thought leadership content for executive clients on LinkedIn! We'd love to work together. 

Balancing Personal Social Media as a Social Media Manager

If you've grown up with social media, you may be unfazed by the countless notifications that you receive throughout the day. Seamlessly moving from platform to platform and learning the latest features is something that comes naturally to you, and you enjoy connecting with your friends, family, or whoever you may meet. But the social media space has become flooded with brands, creators, and celebrities, all the while creating more career opportunities to work within the industry at your 9 to 5. If you're one of those people (a.k.a. us), you may love your career in social media but find it overwhelming to scroll after hours. We're here to help you understand what you can do to save your relationship with social media and how to balance the personal and professional sides of it. 

Set Time Limits

One feature available to smartphone users is the ability to set time limits on individual apps and your phone altogether. Whether you need to limit certain apps such as TikTok (we're all guilty of the doom scroll, it's okay), or you need a scheduled break, your smartphone's got your back. If you have an iPhone, visit your settings and find the Screen Time feature; Android users can discover the Digital Wellbeing feature. When you set a time limit, you'll receive notifications letting you know when you've reached your max. Take this as you need it! Setting boundaries is great; knowing your limits can benefit your mental health. 

Reduce Notifications

Reevaluate the notifications that you feel are worth popping up on your lock screen. With so many apps on our phones, the amount of notifications we receive each day can quickly become overwhelming. The good news is you have a few options when it comes to which notifications are worth your attention. There are plenty of options when it comes to limiting your notifications, including how they are displayed on your lockscreen, to how you receive them for individual apps. Take a minute to go through your settings and decide which display is right for you.

Focus Mode

This is a great feature for a variety of circumstances. To silence your phone in a meeting, throughout the workday, putting your phone down for some R&R, or for whichever reason you need, the Focus or Do Not Disturb feature is a viable option. Most smartphones have a Do Not Disturb feature available to you that temporarily shuts off any and all notifications, texts, calls, etc. Don't want to turn everything off? No worries! You can make exceptions if you need to, but this is a great feature to utilize when you don't want to be bothered by a buzz or a ding. You can even let your contacts see when your phone is on Do Not Disturb (transparency at its finest!). We're huge advocates for this feature; just ask our Social Media Specialists. 

Make Your Personal Feed Personal

Want your personal feed to be something you value? Reevaluate the accounts follow. If your professional feed is something you can continue to gain inspiration from, keep up with the latest news, discover other brands, and then keep it to your workself. Think about making your personal feed, well, personal. Consider designating your following to friends, family, and other accounts that bring positivity into your life. This technique can help you better your relationship with social media outside of your career and contribute to the work-life balance we all strive for.

Pro tip: Create an account just for the 9 to 5 you! 

We hope these tips will help all our social media professionals improve their relationships with social media after hours.

Boost Your Brand with Employee Advocacy

In today's digital age, social media has become an integral part of our daily lives. From Facebook to Instagram, and Twitter to LinkedIn, social media platforms have evolved into powerful tools for businesses to connect with their customers and promote their brands. However, a recent strategy that is gaining popularity among companies is employee advocacy through social media.

Employee advocacy is the promotion of a company's brand, products, or services by its employees on social media platforms. It is a powerful tool for companies to increase their brand awareness and credibility among their target audience. In this blog post, we will explore why employee advocacy on social media is important to companies.

1. Increases brand reach

Employee advocacy on social media helps companies increase their overall brand reach. When employees share company content via their social media profiles, it has the potential to reach a wider audience beyond the company's existing followers. This increases the reach of the company's message, helping attract a new audience including potential customers. 

Just starting employee advocacy in your company? Consider starting with LinkedIn! With more and more features being added to the platform, it's easier than ever for users to interact and share posts with their connections. For example, the ˜Repost with Thoughts' feature makes it easy for users to share an original post from a user or company and add additional context. Using this feature, both the original post and comment from the said user will be shared with their followers and/or connections. A Double-Whammy!

2. Builds trust and credibility

People are more likely to trust other people. Corporate content can only go so far, and people love to see authentic content from their friends and peers. That's why employee advocacy on social media helps build trust and credibility for a company's brand. When employees share company content on their social media profiles, it can help humanize the brand and make it more relatable to potential customers. This, in turn, can help build trust and credibility for the brand. Think ˜modern-age word-of-mouth.' 

3. Attracts talent

This concept can also help attract talent to a company. According to GlassDoor, 79% of job applicants use social media in their job search. It's important to meet your potential employees where they're already at. And when employees share their positive experiences working for a company on social media, it can help showcase the company's culture and values. This can be attractive to potential job candidates who are looking for a company that aligns with their values and beliefs.

4. Boosts employee morale

Employee advocacy on social media can also boost employee morale. When employees are encouraged to share their positive experiences working for a company on social media, it can make them feel valued and appreciated. This can lead to higher job satisfaction and employee retention.

5. Cost-effective marketing

Employee advocacy on social media is a cost-effective marketing strategy. It is a way for companies to leverage their existing resources “ their employees “ to promote their brand. This can save companies money on marketing and advertising costs, while still reaching a wide audience. In fact, according to everyonesocial.com, an employee advocacy program costs, on average, 1/10 of paid advertising. So, what are you waiting for?!

In conclusion, employee advocacy on social media is an important tool for companies to increase their brand awareness, credibility, and reach. It can also help attract top talent, boost employee morale, and minimize marketing costs. Companies that encourage employee advocacy on social media can reap the benefits of this powerful marketing strategy.

Need to consult on an Employee Advocacy Strategy? Send us a message to get started! 

Mastering Facebook Ads Manager: Campaign Objectives

Whether you're a new user of Facebook Ads Manager or have extensive experience with the program, we're here to lay the groundwork for what you need to know to create a successful campaign. Welcome to the first part of our series on Mastering Facebook Ads Manager. In this introduction, we're discussing arguably one of those most essential parts, the campaign objective.

The Basics

If you're new to Facebook Ads Manager, there are some basics you'll need to know before moving forward. And if you're not new to Ads Manager, use this as a refresher course because we all need a refresher sometimes. 

To make this even easier on you, we'll remind you to solidify your business goals (or your client's goals) before you start creating your campaign. By having your goals in mind, you can directly translate them into your campaign objective for a more effective campaign. 

With that, let's jump in. The three components that make up an ad campaign within Ads Manager are the campaign, the ad set, and the ad(s). When you begin creating your campaign, you'll have to choose an objective, which you'll see in a window like this: 

As you can see, Ads Manager classifies these objectives into three categories: awareness, consideration, and conversion. We're here to help you understand these categories and the objectives which fall under each so you can make an informed decision. 

Here's a brief breakdown of the campaign objective categories: 

Now let's take a deeper look into each objective, so you know how to translate your business goals into your next campaign with Facebook Ads Manager.

Awareness

The first objective category we'll be breaking down is awareness. If you're looking to spread the word about your brand, product, or service to a broader audience within your target market, awareness might be for you. Two objectives fall under awareness in ads manager: brand awareness and reach

Brand awareness is for just that, increasing awareness about your brand, product, or service to an audience within your target market. This is the only objective on Facebook that gives you access to a unique metric called ad recall lift. Ad recall lift is the estimated number of people that will remember seeing your ad if asked about it within two days. Use this objective if you want to increase brand awareness or change brand perception, show your ad to as many people in your audience as possible, or share videos of your business with people who are likely to watch. 

Reach is an objective that also falls under this category. Choosing reach as your objective will allow Ads Manager to show your ad to as many people as possible within your target audience. To get the most out of this objective and minimize ad fatigue, we recommend you use reach when targeting smaller audiences.

Consideration

The second category is consideration. Consideration will reach people interested in your brand or similar brands and encourage your audience to think about your business and seek more information. 

In Ads Manager, this category has several objectives: traffic, engagement, app installs, video views, lead generation, and messages. Let's get to know each objective.

Want to direct your audience to a specific place? Traffic is an excellent choice for an objective. You can choose where to direct customers with each ad set, such as a landing page. To take it a step further, you can even add an offer, such as a discount code, that users can utilize when visiting said page. This is a great objective if you wish to optimize your ad sets for click impressions, landing page views, or unique daily reach. 

Engagement is the objective to choose if you wish to reach people more likely to engage with your post. When selecting this objective, you can choose from three types of engagement you'd like your campaign to achieve: post engagement, page likes, or event responses. If you wish to optimize your ad sets for post engagement, impressions, or unique daily reach, consider engagement for your objective. 

Have an app and want to encourage your audience to download it? The app install objective allows you to select a call-to-action that optimizes your campaign for app installs, app events, a combination of both, or even for revenue per install

Are you promoting a product or service via video? The video views objective helps you share your video with those who are most likely to watch them. This objective optimizes your ad set for short, continuous views or complete plays, depending on how you desire your audience to interact. 

Want to collect more information from the people you're reaching? Lead generation allows you to do so through an instant form option that has people sign up right within the page of your ad. You can even choose from a list of call-to-actions that will help increase prospective customer inquiries. 

The last objective within the consideration category is messages. This allows your brand to connect with potential or existing customers to generate interest in your business. You can choose where your audience can message you for information (such as Facebook Messenger, email, etc.) and optimize your ad sets for conversations or lead generation

Conversion

The third campaign objective category in Ads Manager is conversion. Through conversion, you're reaching people who have already intended to purchase your product (or similar products) and encouraging them to take action. Under the conversion category lies the objectives of conversions, catalog sales, and store traffic. 

The conversions objective encourages people to take a specific action on your website, such as account creation or purchase of a product. You can choose where you direct traffic from each ad set and optimize your ads for conversions, conversations, clicks, impressions, or unique daily reach.

Note: To utilize this objective, you'll need to take it a step further and install either Meta Pixel on your website or the Facebook SDK on your app. 

If you want to display your products and generate sales, catalog sales is your objective. With this objective, you'll need to upload your product catalog and create product sets to display the range of products in each ad set. Additionally, you can add an offer, such as a discount code, or use the dynamic ad creative option to show different versions of your products. This objective allows you to optimize your ads for conversion events, clicks, and impressions

Want to encourage people to visit your brick-and-mortar location? Store traffic may be your objective of choice. You can promote your location to people nearby, even selecting a radius around your store that you'd specifically like to reach. Do you offer collection or delivery services? There's a call to action for that too! 

You've Mastered Objectives!

Congrats, you've reached the end! We hope this guide will help you when creating your next campaign. Enjoying this series already? This is just Part 1! Stay tuned for more guidance on utilizing Facebook Ads Manager for your digital advertising needs.

Want someone who knows the ins and outs to do it for you? Contact us! 

TikTok is Trivia Ready

Are you ready for some trivia? TikTok certainly is! They recently announced their new live trivia feature set to launch soon. This exciting development has marketers buzzing with anticipation, as it has the potential to drive engagement and increase brand awareness. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at the strategic marketing impact of TikTok's new live trivia feature.

What is it?

For those who haven't heard the news, TikTok is set to launch its new trivia game called "TikTok Trivia". It's an interactive live-streamed contest where users will be challenged with questions on various topics such as music, movies, sports, and pop culture. TikTok's trivia game will allow users to participate in the game and interact with the hosts in real-time even featuring popular celebrities as hosts, further increasing its appeal to users.

Why Does it Matter?

So, why should marketers be excited about TikTok's new live trivia feature? Well, first and foremost, it has the potential to drive significant engagement. By offering a fun and interactive game, TikTok is tapping into the trend of gamification, which has proven to be a powerful way to keep users engaged. It's no secret that TikTok's user base is particularly fond of interactive content, and this feature will undoubtedly be popular with its core demographic.

Moreover, the game's interactive nature means that users will be spending more time on the platform, which can lead to increased visibility and exposure for brands. TikTok has become a popular platform for advertising, and with the launch of TikTok Trivia, brands will have even more opportunities to engage with their target audience. For example, brands can partner with TikTok Trivia to sponsor games or offer prizes to users who answer questions correctly. This kind of interaction with the audience is crucial for building brand loyalty and creating brand awareness.

In addition to engagement, TikTok Trivia's feature can also provide valuable insights into users' preferences and interests. By monitoring which topics and questions users are most interested in, brands can tailor their marketing efforts to better resonate with their audience. This kind of data can be incredibly valuable for brands looking to optimize their marketing campaigns.

TikTok's new feature also provides opportunities for influencer marketing. With the inclusion of popular celebrities as hosts, TikTok Trivia is sure to attract a wide audience. Brands can partner with these celebrities to promote their products and services or simply increase their exposure. Influencer marketing is a proven method for building brand awareness, and with TikTok's massive user base, it's a tactic that can be highly effective on the platform.

Furthermore, TikTok Trivia can also be used to drive traffic to a brand's website or social media pages. By incorporating links or calls to action during the game, brands can encourage users to check out their website or follow them on social media. This is an effective way to increase a brand's online presence and drive conversions.

Of course, as with any new feature, there are some potential downsides that brands should be aware of. For example, if the game is poorly executed or not engaging enough, it could actually harm a brand's reputation rather than help it. Additionally, if the questions are too difficult or not relevant to the audience, it could result in low participation and minimal engagement. It's crucial that brands carefully consider their approach to TikTok Trivia to ensure that it aligns with their overall marketing strategy and resonates with their target audience.

The Clock is Ticking!

In conclusion, TikTok's new live trivia feature has the potential to be a game-changer for marketers. By tapping into the trend of gamification and offering an interactive and engaging game, TikTok Trivia has the power to drive engagement, increase brand awareness, and provide valuable insights into users' preferences and interests. Brands that can successfully incorporate TikTok Trivia into their marketing strategy have an opportunity to enhance their relationship with their audience and elevate their future tactics. 


Are you looking to utilize these new features for your business but don't know where to start? Reach out below!

A Guide to Influencer Marketing: The 5 Ws

When considering the world of Influencer Marketing, the process can seem daunting and make you second guess if it's worth the path not yet taken. That's why we're here, to help guide you on your influencer marketing journey. So buckle up, it's going to be an interesting ride!

What to Know About Influencer Marketing

Here's what you need to know about the current influencer marketing atmosphere before you dive in head first Influencer marketing involves the collaboration between a brand and an online ˜influencer' who partners to promote a product, service or experience..

Globally, there are currently between 3.2 million and 37.8 million influencers across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. These influencers can be categorized based on their size of following, industry, social platforms, and more. A common misunderstanding of influencer marketing is that the said influencer has to be a high-profile individual or celebrity. Surprise! There are all kinds and levels of influencers out there. 

To simplify it, here's a basic run-down used to classify influencers based on their follower count: 

Knowing where an influencer ranks on this list is important because it can affect multiple key aspects of your campaign goals (we'll get into that later).

Influencers can have a cross-platform influence, but there is usually one platform that they tend to dominate. In the earlier years of influencer marketing, YouTube was the go-to platform for influencers (ever heard of vlogs?). But as social media platforms grew and kept adding new features, influencers began to find followers on other channels. Here is a chart from Influencer Marketing Hub that shows the recent flux of channel utilization in the influencer world: 

We'll touch on one last bit of information we feel you need to know: the categorization of influencers. Just like we have our own fields, influencers have their own niche. Some like to cook, some are make-up gurus, and you may find yourself even watching someone golf on TikTok at some point in this journey. There are a plethora of categories that influencers can fall into. Check out some of these types of influencers from ViralMango

So now that you know the basics of influencer marketing, let's get into it.

Why Consider Influencer Marketing

It's no secret that the world of influencer marketing has grown immensely, and it has no intention of slowing down. Standing at $9.7 billion in 2020 to $16.4 billion in 2022, the growth in this industry can't be denied.

You may be asking yourself, but is this really something I need to be involved in? Here are a few stats that might help you understand why influencer marketing makes a difference: 

Convinced? Yeah, us too. Let's continue on to gain a further understanding of what it takes to incorporate an influencer into your campaign.

When to Consider an Influencer

Just because your friend's hiring an influencer, does that mean you should too? Influencer marketing can be a great way to see results in your next campaign when done right (the keyword here is done right). Two great reasons to use an influencer to supplement your campaign are when your campaign goals are to 1) elevate brand awareness and 2) increase sales.

  1. Elevate Brand Awareness
  1. Increase Sales

A prime example of a company utilizing influencers to both elevate brand awareness and increase sales is the fitness brand, Gymshark. From the beginning, Gymshark utilized its ˜athletes' to reach its target audience online and promote its products. 

Owner, Ben Francis, understood their target audience as it was anyone like himself “ a young gym-goer who not only loves going to the gym but wants to look good while doing it. Francis and his friends had the great idea to leverage the following of their favorite fitness YouTubers, Lex Griffin and Chris Lavado. They sent over some free clothing samples and the rest was history. Now, Gymshark has partnered with dozens of fitness influencers and athletes, since growing to a billion-dollar company.

Gymshark Athletes

Who is Right For You

It's important to really narrow down your ideal influencer when choosing one for your campaign. Here are some questions to keep in mind when searching for the right influencer for you:

Where to Find Your Influencers

So, you want to find an influencer. There are plenty of tools and resources for you to find just the right influencer for your campaign.

Hashtag Search Example

This first method is the simplest way to start: Google! Run a quick Google search for influencers or experts on your specific topic or industry. You can find a decent amount of influencers this way, especially if you're looking for one with a large following. 

Another way to find influencers is to do a hashtag search “ This can be useful mainly on Instagram and TikTok. Influencers will utilize specific hashtags tailored to their niche and audience, so this is a great way to weed through the giant field of influencers.

Check your own following! You might find an influencer hiding in your own follower number. Bonus points here if they're already following you; chances are they're interested in your brand and/or products which will make the partnership even easier to integrate for both parties. 

Use an online influencer-finding tool. There are plenty of tools out there that can help you find influencers. They allow you to refine your searches based on various factors that will help you really understand who can help elevate your campaign. If you want to skip the 'dirty' work of a Google search or social media platform, this is definitely the route for you. Here's a list of tools courtesy of Influencer Marketing Hub that will help you find the right influencer. 


We hope these 5 W's will help you ease into the world of influencer marketing. Need help? Good thing you're already here! We have a team that's versed in influencer marketing and ready to help you elevate your campaign. Contact us!

Meet Sam: Social Media Intern

Say hi to Sam, one of Random Agency's newest Social Media Interns! We can't wait to get to know him and what better way to do that than a Q & A?

First, the obvious question: Why did you choose Random Agency?

When I first looked into Random Agency, it seemed like they valued creative thinking. This became even more apparent when they asked me to create some social media content as part of my application. As part of an internship, I am really hoping to enhance my creative and strategic skills and I think Random Agency is the place that will help me build those skills.

Tell us three cool things about yourself.

1) I'm left-handed! This means that I smudge everything when I write, and I have the hardest time using scissors.

2) I drove across the entire country by myself in two days. Back in 2019, I found myself in Philadelphia, needing to get back to California in a short amount of time. Long story short, I drove non-stop for two days, only stopping to sleep in Walmart parking lots. A once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never do again.

3) I speak Spanish fluently and am working on learning Portuguese now!

Favorite TV show?

I'm usually not a TV person (movies all day), but my current favorite TV show is Severance! It's a combination of comedy, mystery, suspense, and just plain absurdism. It also has a really unique set design, which I'm learning is a green flag for me when it comes to TV shows.

If money was no object, where would you go and what would you do?

I would go to Argentina! I lived in Argentina from 2016 to 2018 and I miss it so much. I would probably go and visit friends, but I would mainly explore the many natural landmarks that the country has to offer.

What's in your refrigerator right now?

A one-pot cheesy spinach gnocchi meal I made last night. And a lot of spinach because I accidentally bought way more than I needed.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

Teleportation because gas is expensive. Also because I would like to go to mars one day, but the thought of traveling in space scares me.

What's your favorite childhood memory?

Going anywhere outside. Where I grew up, we were equally distant from Yosemite or the beach, so we spent a lot of time at those two places. In my opinion, Yosemite is the Disneyland of National Parks, so every visit there was absolutely magical.

Name one thing you wish you could do better.

I wish I was better at sports. I am a big sports fan, but my athletic coordination doesn't extend past running and swimming. I just want to dunk a basketball.

Which three things would you take to a desert island?

Probably a musical instrument to keep myself entertained, a tent to sleep in, and a Costco Wholesale so I can buy food (I hope this isn't cheating).

What is the last book you read?

Life List by Olivia Gentile. It's about Phoebe Snetsinger, the woman who documented over 8,000 bird species in her lifetime. A wonderful book about a woman with an obsessive passion and the tragedies that occurred during her adventurous travels. Definitely recommend 👌🏼

What is your favorite account to follow on Instagram?

Right now, @sporarts. It's a page dedicated to athletic expression & culture through art. The page posts anything from vintage photography from past ad campaigns to paintings and illustrations inspired by sports.

Random Presents: 2022 Social Media Wrapped

Written by: Allison Andres and Emily Carion

To say the least, this year was interesting. Especially for the social media world. Join us in taking a stroll down memory lane to remember all the crazy sh*t that went down this year. (Spoiler alert: So much crazy sh*t happened that we probably even forgot some of it.) From the dumpster fire that was Twitter to the year's best memes, we present to you: 2022 Social Media Wrapped.

These Events Were the *Moments*

BeReal Reaches Mainstream Popularity

Who knew we needed another social media app? Let's BeReal, we're not mad about this one. Since being released in 2019, BeReal has been installed over 53 million times worldwide, but we can thank 2022 for a majority of its growth. In fact, 74.5% of the app's total downloads occurred in 2022 alone. The app currently has over 10 million daily active users, and is most popular among users aged 18-24. What will BeReal look like in 2023? One thing's for certain, it's already made its impact on the way other platforms operate. Check out our blog post reviewing how BeReal has influenced other social media platforms.

TikTok Got Even Bigger (Surprise, Surprise)

TikTok reached 1 billion active monthly users worldwide in 2022. In Q1 alone, the app was downloaded more than 175 million times. More users are joining, older generations are becoming more active, and more influencers are emerging.

TikTok Adds Now Feature to Rival BeReal

TikTok wants to BeReal Literally. The recently added Now feature calls for TikTok users to post what they're doing at that moment, using the front and back camera, in order to see other users' posts sound familiar? It's no surprise that TikTok would want to jump in on the newest trends to beat out competitor apps, but this is a direct rip-off of BeReal. Have you used the TikTok Now feature yet? Let us know in the comments. 

Instagram Testing a Repost Feature

Testing 1.. 2.. 3.. Instagram began testing a new feature this year - the repost. Users are able to reshare posts directly in their feed, allowing users to share what resonates with them while ensuring credit to the original creator. Resharing has been prevalent in our Instagram Stories for quite some time now, so we weren't surprised when this came along. The feature is being tested to select users, and we expect to see more reposts in our IG feed in the coming year.

Instagram Rolls Out Paid Subscription Features for Creators

A later addition in the year was Instagram Subscriptions. This feature gives creators on the app the opportunity to charge their followers a fee to access exclusive content. This just might change the Instagram influencer game. Creators can offer exclusive posts, lives, stories, reels, badges, group chats, and broadcast channels to their subscribers. But not just anyone can utilize this feature; creators must have at least 10k followers and meet additional criteria. Instagram is truly taking the influencer economy to the next level. Let's see where this goes in 2023!

Aaaand Another One: Instagram Working on Feature to Add Song to Your Profile

This one still seems to be in the works, but Instagram is also reportedly testing a new feature that may bring back MySpace memories for a lot of you. Soon we might be able to add a song to our Instagram profiles!

Facebook Removes Preference Fields from Profiles

Facebook is continuing their tightening of advertising restrictions on the platform, finally removing religious, political and sexual preference fields from profiles. This is another step in their attempt to better protect users' data when it comes to targeted ads.

Twitter Adds New Feature to Mix GIFs, Video, Images in One Tweet

One of the most fun changes to happen on social platforms this year was the new feature on Twitter to mix different kinds of media in a single tweet. This led to some great memes (see below). Have you tried it out yet?

Twitter Spaces Gain Traction

Twitter Spaces was officially launched last year, but it has grown in popularity in 2022. These spaces are a way for users to have live audio conversations on the platform. Anyone can become a host, anyone can join a space, and up to 13 people can speak in a Space at a time. Think Instagram Live meets Reddit.

THE BIG ONE: Elon Musk Buys Twitter

We know this is the one you were all waiting for. On October 27, 2022, the mega-billionaire and founder of Tesla, Elon Musk, officially closed the deal on Twitter. Musk became the sole owner of the platform, taking the company private and immediately laying off half of the employees. In the week after the deal, Twitter lost more than 1.3 million users.

The Twitter Blue Disaster

Musk tried rolling out a new $8/month subscription called Twitter Blue that would be the only way to obtain the coveted verified blue checkmark. This sent the platform up into flames, with verified accounts changing their names to companies and individuals and tweeting false information. One pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly, was hit hard by this when a fake account tweeted, We are excited to announce insulin is free now. This caused an internal panic at the company, who pulled all their Twitter advertising, costing Musk millions of dollars. Just days after its launch, the Twitter Blue subscription was recalled.

Mastodon Emerges as Twitter Alternative

As Twitter lost users by the millions, one platform saw a major increase in new users: Mastodon. This platform has been around for years but is coming up as a potential alternative for Twitter. Mastodon is a decentralized network of servers where users can join niche communities based on their interests. Learn more about Mastodon in our deep-dive blog post here.

YouTube Invests in Its TikTok Alternative

YouTube Shorts were introduced last year but the platform has started pushing them extra-heavy in 2022. On the mobile YouTube app, the Discover tab was replaced with a Shorts tab, similar to TikTok's For You page. This is an indicator that short-form video is here to stay, and it's more important than ever for your brand to invest in it. Read more of our thoughts on Shorts here.

Last, But Not Least: YouTube Allows Users to Grab Handles

YouTube joined the majority and is now allowing users to create a handle for their YouTube channel. We're all familiar with handles as we see them on every other social media platform, so it was only a matter of time before YouTube came around. Have you claimed yours yet?

Buckle Up: What We Expect to See in 2023

Well, we have some good news and some bad. We've reached the end of the chaos that was 2022. But, here comes 2023! And with a new year, comes even more crazy sh*t. So to get ahead of the long list of things to come, here are some of our predictions for what lies ahead of us in 2023. 

Brands Say Goodbye to Twitter

We're already seeing individual users jump ship and take refuge elsewhere, like Mastodon, and we're seeing brands pull their Twitter advertising. Even with the chaos on the platform slowing down, we predict even more big brands will move away from the Twitter space. What new channels will pop up to host these disillusioned brands? We'll have to wait and see. One thing we do know for sure is that Twitter will get more interesting. We're not sure we can even start to predict the roller coaster that is Twitter and its new chief, Elon Musk. But more changes are likely coming, so strap in. 

Platforms Take Matters into Their Own Hands

In the advertising world we're all familiar with and depend on external scheduling sites such as Later.com, Agorapulse, Hootsuite, SproutSocial, or whatever it is you use. These are great for what we do, even if some crucial features just aren't there yet. And when it comes to these features, we know we're a little tired of making that reminder in our calendar to push out a native post. Hopefully some good news for everyone involved Going into 2023, we predict more and more platforms will offer creators and even the public a way to schedule their posts natively to their platform. (What a role model you are, Meta.) LinkedIn is already testing their own native scheduling feature and we're interested to see how individual users take advantage of this new world they'll be thrown into. More posts, more creators, more time efficiency for all! 

LinkedInfluencers on the Rise

We're already used to the Instagram influencers and the TikTok influencers. But in the new year, we expect influencers on LinkedIn“LinkedInfluencers if you will“to really pop off. Currently, LinkedIn has an invite-only influencer program limited to 500 users that consists of thought leaders in various industries. But we predict 2023 will be the year of the LinkedInfluencer. More thought leaders, an expansion on the influencer program, maybe even.. Pay-outs? Verification? So here's your chance to make sure your C-Suite is on social media, because this just might be their time to shine.

Avatar Integration

Ah, yes. The expected avatar integration in 2023 Think Snapchat Bitmojis in the Metaverse. We expect to see more and more ways we can utilize Meta's avatar function. *Cough, Cough* It's already an option to use an avatar as your Instagram profile photo. And we won't be surprised that those who utilize this feature will be favored by the algorithm. 

Memes Won't Be Going Away Anytime Soon

Because, well, why would they? GIFs, however, are a different conversation. Memes are here to stay, and we don't suspect a day that they'll ever leave. Because Gen Z is the ultimate humor-driven generation (sorry, millennials). Memes on social media will stick around, stay as chaotic as Michigan weather, and might even make their way into other platforms (if Twitter finds its way in the trash bin). So if you're not a fan of memes, you may want to re-evaluate your sense of humor, please and thanks! 

Speaking of memes, check out our round-up of the year's best memes below.

The 2022 Meme Hall of Fame

These memes will live forever in our hearts and minds.