TikTok vs. Instagram Reels: Which to Choose for Your Business

Instagram is at it again copying features from other social media apps (sorry, Snapchat). Their new feature called Reels launched on August 5th and allows users to record and edit 15-second multi-clip videos with audio, effects, and new creative tools. You can then share the videos to your Feed or Story. Your Reel could also appear on the Explore page if you have a public account. (Which, let's be real here, is not likely - but I digress). 

This functionality is an exact rip off of the popular app TikTok, which has left many to wonder if the Gen Z favorite will soon be old news. But according to a recent survey, most Tik Tok influencers have given Reels a hard pass. 75% of TikTok creators polled said they would not move their content to Instagram Reels, citing concerns over Instagram's algorithm. 

Now that leaves us wondering whether it makes sense for businesses to give Reels a try, stick with TikTok, or do both? Our take is: it depends (very unsatisfying, I know) 

As with all social media efforts, it's vitally important that you consider three big things: 

  1. Who is your target audience?
  2. What creative resources do you have?
  3. What is your expected ROI? (both your time spent as well as monetary investment)

Target Audience

Demographics wise, TikTok has 26.5 million monthly active users in the U.S., and people spend an average of 52 minutes per day using the app. The catch here is that 41% of TikTok users are between 16 and 24 years old, and roughly 50% of TikTok's global audience is under the age of 34. If this is your target demo ” GREAT. But for many of our clients, this isn't the best fit. 

On the other hand, Instagram has 1 billion monthly active users, and people spend an average of 28 minutes per day using the app. As of May 2020, 35.2% of U.S. Instagram users were between 25 and 34 years old. The second-largest user group was 18 to 24-year-olds with a 21.4% share. 

Creative Resources

Social media can be a total time suck if you don't plan accordingly. For most business owners, your time is likely better spent selling rather than writing captions for social media. With that said, social media is still vital for business owners to raise awareness of their business. So, before you download TikTok and spend a full day practicing dance moves, take stock of your creative resources.  

Do you have the bandwidth and the interest to create videos yourself? Is there someone on your team who could take this on? Should you hire a freelancer or small agency to manage social media or build you a strategy? 

If you barely have the time to create content for Facebook or Instagram now, you probably don't have the time to make content for Reels or TikTok. 

What is your expected ROI?

Return on investment is huge when it comes to social media. Now that Facebook de-values branded content, some major corporations have decided to stop posting organically and instead push their resources into social advertising exclusively. 

We think this is a bit extreme and unrealistic for most small to medium-sized businesses. However, it raises an important question to consider: What does social media success look like to you and your business? Are you looking for clicks to your website? General awareness of your products/services? Going viral? (that last one will probably never happen) 

Hot Take: You don't need to be on TikTok

10 Black Podcasts that You Need In Your Life

If you believe that #BlackLivesMatter, it's not enough to merely post a black square or post protest photos and links on your Instagram Stories. As allies, it is imperative to support and advocate for Black People in America through our votes, our donations, and the media that we choose to consume. You can sign a petition, donate to your local bail fund or Black Lives Matter, purchase from Black-owned restaurants, stores, and businesses. Start at home by having tough conversations with friends and family members who may be either blissfully unaware or militantly vocal about their implicit biases. Stream movies, support Black artists on Patreon, and subscribe to podcasts from Black creators. 

We've curated a list of podcasts to get you started and would love to hear additional recommendations you all may have. At Random, we are committed to educating ourselves and our clients on how to be better allies and responsible global citizens. While you make your way through these trailers, take a moment to ensure that you are registered to vote for the upcoming primary and general elections. And while you're at it ” fill out the 2020 Census. It's never been more important. 

1. Scam Goddess

Scam Goddess is a podcast dedicated to exposing fraud and all those who practice it. Each week, host Laci Mosley keeps listeners up to date on current rackets, digs deep into the latest scams, and breaks down historic hoodwinks alongside some of your favorite comedians. Every episode starts with a recent scam, funny story, or letter from a listener. My favorite episode so far featured Jameela Jamil and was released during quarantine. Together they broke down the scam from Caroline Calloway ” the Instagram influencer who launched a "creativity workshop" that failed in a spectacularly public fashion. Some even called it a one-woman Fyre fest.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/09S0PCArMmrvnogyL0uX3c?si=ur8CvqNvQ0KjQWtl-x_5EA

2. What A Day

What A Day is a daily podcast that cuts through all the chaos and criminal activity to help you understand important initiatives and how you can contribute“ all in just fifteen minutes. The show is hosted by comedian Akilah Hughes and reporter Gideon Resnick. Episodes are available at 5 am every day, so it's a perfect addition to your morning routine. 

3. Keep It!

Keep It! has been around since 2018, which means there are SO MANY great episodes to binge. Each week, hosts Ira Madison III, Louis Virtel, and Aida Osman discuss the ways pop culture and the entertainment industry intersect with politics and society. They're joined by insanely popular guests on every episode ” Issa Rae, Tim Gunn, Ronan Farrow, and Angela Bassett just to name a few. In a recent episode with Bowen Yang, the Keep It! hosts discuss #BlackLivesMatter protests in the wake of George Floyd's murder, #BlackoutTuesday, and more. If you're a white person with questions about substantive allyship, give this episode a listen.

4. Nerdificent

This podcast is a must-listen for the inner nerd inside us all ” whether you like virtual reality or Dungeons & Dragons. Each episode focuses on a nerdy topic and is hosted by Dani Fernandez and Ify Nwadiwe. Whenever I listen to an episode of Nerdificent, I feel like I'm nerding out with friends and it's just pure, unadulterated fun. And if that wasn't enough, they also break down the history, culture, and future of every topic. Below is one of my favorite episodes on my guilty pleasure: Pokémon

5. Margaritas & Donuts

If you love romantic comedies, this podcast is for you! Faith McQuinn created this sensational  audiodrama about dating over age 40. The story centers around Josephine, her best friend Katrina, and her love interest named Malik. The casting, sound effects and masterful storytelling really sucks you in ” I'm not even embarrassed to say that I binged all 6 episodes in one day.

6. Code Switch

NPR's Code Switch tackles the subject of race head-on ” how race impacts politics, pop culture, history, sports, and everything in between. It's an extremely impactful and important examination of the structures that shape our lives, whether or not we are conscious of them. To keep up with the latest around the protests, #BlackLivesMatter, and policing, subscribe to the podcast, but also follow @CodeSwitch on Twitter. You won't regret it. 

7. Boom

If romcoms aren't your thing, you should definitely check out Boom: A Serial Drama, another audiodrama created by Faith McQuinn. BOOM is an exploration of  loss and recovery. Porter, a computer technician and outdoor enthusiast, must come to terms with the tragic murder of his best friend”and love of his life”Genevieve. It's far from an easy road for Porter who suffers through a harrowing  physical recovery as well as a mental one. The lead detective on the case believes Porter is the killer, and his two best friends are trying their hardest to get him to resemble  the guy he once was. This story was a great commute podcast for me, and I highly recommend it as a switch up from Audible.

8. The Nod

While this podcast is no longer actively producing episodes, it's still on our top 10 list due to  the amazing stories of Black life and culture that don't get told anywhere else. The show ranges from an explanation of purple drink's association with Black culture to the story of an interracial drag troupe that traveled the nation in the 1940s. They celebrate the genius, the innovation, and the resilience that is so particular to being Black ” in America, and around the world. If you're a white person looking to expand your knowledge and understanding of the Black experience in America , this podcast is a must-listen. 

9. Why Won't You Date Me?

I have been a fan of Nicole Byer since her days on Girl Code in 2013. Her career in TV has skyrocketed since then, and like her other projects, this podcast doesn't disappoint. Perpetually single, Nicole invites her friends, comedians, and ex-lovers to interview them about their love lives. Below is one of my favorite episodes with Ann Payne where they discuss a guy she met in AA who ended up in prison for arson. And when you're finished binging her podcast, check out Nicole Byer's original show on Facebook Watch called Loosely, Exactly, Nicole. It ended 2 years ago, but it's worth every second of your attention.

10. Ear Hustle

Ear Hustle is a partnership between Nigel Poor, a visual artist, and Earlonne Woods, formerly incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, and was co-founded with former San Quentin resident Antwan Williams. The show takes a deep dive into the life of prisoners at San Quentin State Prison with most episodes recorded inside prison walls. Ear Hustle reveals deep insight into the American prison system and the cultural factors that influence recidivism in the U.S. One of my favorite episodes in the latest season is called "Hold That Space." In this episode, Nigel and Earlonne interview four women in relationships with incarcerated men and the unique challenges they face. 

What You Need to Know About Facebook Shops

Calling all business owners! If you sell a physical product, there's never been a better time to revisit your Facebook strategy. Shopping on FB/IG has been around since 2017, but the new Facebook Shops online store is a whole new level. Facebook Shops is a single online store that lets customers purchase your products right on Facebook or Instagram without visiting your website. For the customer, this means no more app switching or re-entering credit card numbers when you see something fun on IG Stories. 

THE DETAILS

Facebook Shops are free and easy to create. When you set up your shop, it will appear on your Facebook and Instagram accounts and will soon be available on Messenger and WhatsApp. Products in Facebook Shops will be featured across FB and IG, including a new dedicated shopping tab on Instagram and within Explore. 

If you have an online store through Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Channel Advisor, CedCommerce, Cafe24, Tienda Nube , or Feedonomics, you will be able to import your entire catalog of products into Facebook Shops easily. Facebook Shops will sync with your current site so you can easily keep track of sales and inventory. 

FEATURES COMING SOON:

WHAT IT ALL MEANS FOR YOU:

Facebook Shops won't replace websites for most small businesses; however, we predict that conversion rates for eCommerce ads and overall sales numbers will increase for companies that use this new feature.

If you are a small business that wants to try eCommerce but doesn't have the budget or resources to integrate eCommerce into your existing website, or if you don't have a website at all, Facebook Shops can be a great option. 

Overall, Facebook Shops removes friction from the clunky mobile shopping experience and will likely result in more spontaneous purchases. How many times have you changed your mind about a random purchase from an IG ad because you didn't want to get up off the couch and grab your wallet? For me, it's more times than I'd like to admit. 

Facebook Shops is also Facebook's latest move to keep people on the platform, for longer. With the pixel losing relevance, this is a way for Facebook to prove that their platform truly works to drive sales. 

Who knows? Maybe they will get rid of outside shopping links all together in the coming years. 

RANDOM RECOMMENDATION:

If you have an online business, take advantage of this new feature, but don't abandon your website altogether. Remember: the data you collect on your website is yours forever. Facebook owns all of the data and content on its site and can shut down features anytime. 

7 Tips to Help you Prepare for Local Search Being the Only Search That Matters

I want to paint you a picture and I'm sorry it's not a pretty one. In fact, it's going to make many of you angry and it'll probably make some of you scared. If you need an SEO hug hit my inbox and I'll give you an e-hug free of charge.

Most of Us are Pros at Something Other Than Digital Marketing

And that's okay! Picture yourself as a small business person (like maybe a car dealer? I know shocking, right?!) you're an expert in your craft or service, you're focused on providing great service to your customer, you've got the tools and the skills to succeed. Sounds like you're ready for customers to pour in, but that's usually the problem. Business doesn't come just because you turn the open sign on. In a world that is increasingly digital, increasingly skeptical, and increasingly overwhelmed by new choices both online and in real life or IRL as the kids say. So what do we do? We pay for some marketing right? Where do we start though? That's the real question.

The Marketing Playbook is a Dusty Volume Written in 2010

Most businesses start with a website. I could write a whole series of articles on websites, but for most small businesses it's the equivalent of their storefront online. It's a place to drive digital advertising, communicate pricing and product offerings, your website acts as your home online. However, far too many businesses have what I call the "Field of Dreams" problem. They think if they build it customers will come. The hard truth is that there are over 1.5 billion websites on the web and without some very clever strategies there is a high likelihood that yours won't rank highly in organic search. Also, there's a good chance no one cares about your website anyway. Check out my last article about why no one cares about your website anymore.

There's a New Set of Basic Best Practices for Digital Marketing

Next, you might consider some advertising. Potentially paid search, social advertising, or even display advertising. You might send some direct mail, buy a billboard or a radio spot. All of these can be effective, but they still ignore a few fundamental truths about the digital behaviors of your customers. Let's take a look at why I think that's true.

Organic Search is the Single Most Powerful Lead Converter

SEO has long been seen as a dark art, but as technology improves and more of us move from black and grey hat to focus on actually answering questions that our customers are searching for measurement has improved dramatically. In fact, at least 51% of your website's traffic probably comes from organic search or what we know as SEO. We know that many small businesses have been trying to reach "page one of Google" for years and we also know that the best place to hide a body is on page 2 of the search results. Search is changing though and while your website is still an important information and content hub for your business you need to work a little harder to get the same benefit you did from SEO 4 or 5 years ago.

Local Search is the New SEO

Let's start with the fact that almost half of all searches are local (46%) search and local are becoming so connected that "near me" searches have increased 900% in the last two years. You might be thinking that seems a bit high, but do a quick search for anything that has a location near you on your mobile device (at least 60% of searches come from mobile) what you'll see is that the first organic search result is likely at least one long scroll down the page. As you've probably guessed this means that while the SEO work you've done to your website is important even if you have that coveted first position you're really much farther down the search results. What you'll notice is 3-5 ads and then what we call the "map pack" this is where Local Search becomes powerful and where your ratings and reviews can impact your business.

Local search is a powerful signal of purchase intent much more so than much of the website content driven SEO we have done for the last 20 years. Most local searchers (88%) visit a store within 24 hours which confirms our intent theory and 28% of those conducting a local search will make a purchase. Not only do local searches convert they convert much more quickly than traditional SEO with 18% converting within a day compared to only 7% for organic search. This further reinforces that local searchers are primed to spend with your business they just need to be able to find you!

How to Make Sure Your Business is Found in Local Search

  1. Titles and Meta Descriptions: Focus on one keyword as close to the beginning of the meta tag as you can and try to include targeted location names as well.
  2. Makes sure your Online Business Info is correct: SEOs call this NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) these are what are called Citations that we update on what we call Directories. For example Google My Business is the largest directory we work with.
  3. Optimize your Google My Business: Making sure your Business Name, Address, Phone Number, Website, Hours, and amenities are updated on GMB is very important, but those only go so far to help you rank. You also want to pay attention to Relevance, Proximity, and Authority as it relates to GMB.
  4. Claim and verify your GMB: There are hundreds of thousands of small businesses that miss this step and it's super simple. Follow this link https://www.google.com/business/ to claim your business. Once claimed you will need to verify your business by requesting that Google send you a postcard to your business's physical address (NO P.O. Boxes). Follow the instructions and you'll open up a ton of new functionality in GMB.
  5. Relevance, Proximity, and Authority: These three elements help Google determine what the best local search results to serve the searcher are. They're relatively easy to plan for as long as you know what they are and how to influence them. Relevance can be viewed as a measure of consistency. To be relevant in Google's eyes you must 1. have a complete listing 2. Include the most relevant GMB categories for your business 3. Align your primary category with the <H1> tag on your website. Proximity is simple to understand for the most part if someone is not within 5 miles of your business you will not appear in local search. Authority is the hardest to understand but it is a measure of confidence that the information you provided is accurate and correct. The best way to influence the Authority signal for Local Search is to make sure your NAP (remember, Name, Address, Phone Number) is correct in as many places as possible across the web. There are tools that can help you do this and some are even free.
  6. Earn Reviews: Sure, reviews are a great way to show potential customers what kind of experience they will have, but I have a secret. They're WAY more powerful than that. The volume of reviews you earn the your star rating in those reviews can actually help you jump over other local businesses in the map pack and earn you more traffic and sales. This is because Google uses this as a signal for ranking you to improve the quality of their results. Google makes money off the value of their SERP (Search Engine Results Page). Here's proof (business names changed for the example) You'll notice John Smith is further away that Hometown.

7. Use Structure Data: If you're technical enough or have resources that are using Schema.org to structure your data will help Google understand what your website is about and rank it more frequently. Especially for local information that can be hard to find on a website. Even with a sitemap and XML Sitemap crawlers still might miss it. Learn more about structured data here: https://moz.com/blog/structured-data-for-seo-1

So now that you know how to dominate local search be sure to do some testing. Pay attention to your website, phone call, and foot traffic and see if implementing these tips provide increases that deliver to your bottom line.

10 Reasons to Hire Random Agency

  1. We don't do copy/paste strategy.
  2. We only work with clients we believe in.
  3. We don't have giant executive salaries.
  4. We don't do it just for awards.
  5. We won't say "yes" to every idea.
  6. We believe great (and horrible) ideas can come from anywhere.
  7. We know the difference, and we promise we'll tell you.
  8. We're a small and mighty team with a big network to support.
  9. We bring big agency talent without big agency price tags.
  10. You pay what we say and nothing more. Keep your nickels and dimes.
  11. We're not going to play it safe. We'll push you based on data and insights.

10 Digital Tips to Prepare Your Business for Quarantine

I am not here to write paragraphs or prose about the current state of digital marketing during a global pandemic. Coronavirus is real, stay home and wash your hands, nothing is as important as your health.

However, if you are looking for some easy, fast, free ways to help keep your customers informed the tips below are what SMB's on the cutting edge are updating as a part of their digital quarantine. There are a few things that you should do on Facebook and Google to make sure your customers are in the know of what is going on.

Update your Google My Business           

Hopefully you (or your agency) have access and have claimed your Google my Business (in the biz we call it GMB). This is one of the easiest but most important steps for you to take and during a quarantine or shelter in place situation these updates can help you keep your customers informed and engaged. After quarantining these tips will help you be on the cutting edge of local search.

  1. Update Hours Regularly - It doesn't matter as much what your hours are or how often you change them as much as it does that a customer knows what to expect. Especially if you have a physical location that is still open in some capacity it's important that your customers know when you are open. It's also good to update your hours to closed if you've been mandated to close which will put a banner on your GMB and let your customers know. You can also include when you will reopen in your update as well.
  2. Update Your Photos to Include Products - GMB photos is still the wild west. My guess is that if I went to your GMB right now I would find the most random and poor-quality pictures. Probably some that you would be upset that your customers can see. Google aggregates this from the web and allows users to upload them as well. Now is a great time to update your GMB with some great photos of your products or services. This will allow your customers to see your products or before and after images of your services. This is something that isn't just great for quarantine this is a great best practice for eCommerce in general.
  3. Avoid Penalties While Making Updates - This is a crucial time to avoid getting your GMB suspended. There's a full list of what will get you suspended here (https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177?hl=en). The most important things to avoid are: 
    • Using a URL that redirects to your website's URL, rather than the actual URL itself.
    • If you're thinking of building a Coronavirus landing page don't put that page on your GMB as tempting as it might be!
    • Trying to awkwardly add keywords into your business name field
    • This is not the time to be opportunistic or try to keyword optimize any part of your GMB. Google is on high alert for scams during a crisis and will tend to suspend accounts and ask questions later if they are suspicious
    • Having multiple local listings for the same business location
    • You should ALWAYS keep an eye on your duplicates but especially during a crisis it's important that you have claimed your business and then claimed and merged
    • Using any address for your business that isn't a physical storefront or office space where you meet with customers
    • If your business has a physical location and you're able to provide some services at home during quarantine (if that is allowed) don't change your businesses physical address your GMB will get suspended
  4. Stay Informed - Be sure you keep up to date with Google's help center. They have a COVID-19 specific page that can be found here . They also have an entire GMB resource section you can find here.

Be Cautious About How You Use Social Media

Social media is a major source of information and misinformation in times of crisis like the one we're experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some social media considerations.

  1.  Pause and Evaluate All Social Media - Stop publishing immediately and look at your content calendar. During a crisis social media is the number one source of misinformation try to be sure that you're not adding to the noise.
  2. Help Don't Sell - Now is not the time to focus on pushing out sales focused content. This will likely be poorly received at best and creates more noise in social media that doesn't add value during a time when most are looking for very specific information 
  3. Update Your Listing Info - Many small businesses don't even realize that they have business listing info on Facebook. Facebook has the ability to showcase hours as well as pricing information, contact info, product categories, and a brief description. You may have set this up when you started your page and forgotten about it since then. Now is a great time to update it!
  4. Be Careful What You Share - We talked about misinformation and you don't want to be a part of them problem and cause more confusion. My recommendation is not to share anything that doesn't come from a reliable source (CDC, WHO, etc.). When posting about your business only post necessary information about operations. If you're offering special services to support your customers during the crisis you can communicate those but be careful not to be opportunistic or appear predatory. Remember, help don't sell.
  5. Engage Your Customers - Even if you're not posting your customers are looking for information be sure that you are monitoring your pages during a crisis and responding if you are able. However, it's important that you don't try to answer questions you're not qualified to answer. If you're not a doctor and it doesn't come from the CDC, WHO, etc. DO NOT POST IT. Misinformation is the most dangerous thing we can spread now.
  6. Check to See if You Qualify For a Facebook Advertising Grant- Facebook is offering $100 million in grants to 30,000 small businesses around the world. That may not be much given the number of businesses they are targeting but during a global pandemic if you qualify it could help give your business just enough momentum to continue to grow. Make sure to sign up for updates.

These are stressful and trying times for all of us both personally and professionally. In a largely and increasingly digital world there's hope for savvy businesses. The tactics I've laid out here will not cure COVID-19, guarantee your business is successful, or even sell your products. You, the business owners still have to create value and differentiate your business. What these tips will do is make sure that you don't alienate your customers, that they can find you online, and that they know when, how, and why to do business with you.

 

Update: Google has release some new insights on ThinkWithGoogle that show how search behaviors have changed.

What I think is most interesting is that 85% of consumers still want to hear from brands and think that brands communicating is okay. I would highly suggest you think carefully about your message though. Now is not the time to sell products now is the time to solve problems.

Google also said that over 25% of Americans can't find the products they need. Ease of access is a new key way to differentiate you product or service. Simply being easy to find and do business with will go a LONG way right now.

Limited retail availability is also forcing trial of new brands for some consumers. 3 in 10 customers are being forced to buy a brand they don't normally buy. Again, if your product is available, high quality, and you make online, no-touch, and delivery as frictionless as possible you can actually grow your sales and retain some of the forced switchers post quarantine. If you've been slow to embrace digital transformation you're going to have to adapt quickly or you will likely continue to see your revenues drop even post quarantine because there will be a new consumer expectation of ease of access.

More than anything how you communicate with your customers is crucial right now and I highly suggest you adopt a model I have been using my entire career. HELP DON'T SELL. There are three components that Google talks about as well that support my mantra.