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Top Trends for Social Media in 2016

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With nearly 2 billion active social media users and with nearly 9 out of 10 companies in the US utilizing social media for marketing purposes, it is almost impossible for your business in today’s world to not be apart of the social media world in some regards. Here are some top trends for social media that could help to increase your company’s overall goals.

Top Trends for Social Media

Allocate More To Video In 2016

In case you are living under a rock, social video exploded in 2015. Last year Facebook users around the world posted 75% more video than they did in the previous year, and with SnapChat tripling its daily views since May and reaching 6 billion daily video views, video is now one of the strongest contenders in 2016. Those numbers will steadily increase throughout the year and with most social networks like Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter seeing increases in 2015, other social networks are hopping on board. It was reported that Pinterest could also be hopping on the video advertising bandwagon in 2016.

Not only have video views and shares exploded on these social networks, but the use of video for advertising purposes has also steadily increased. A video can engage with your current audience and potential customers like never before. If video is not somewhat apart of your content strategy in 2016, it might be time to re-evaluate and allocate more efforts in creating relevant video content.

Allocate More Resources and Budget To Social Media

With the increase of users on every social media channel, advertisers are taking notice and increasing their advertising spend on these social channels. Not only are advertisers spending more but they can reach their audience like never before. Now advertisers can not only set up their target audience using their age and gender, but they can also target their audience by interest and location. The ability to now target your audience more specifically can help your business get the most value from your ad spend by reaching only the people that matter to you.

Employee Advocacy

For larger companies having a team dedicated to marketing and social media can have its benefits, but any company, no matter the size can benefit from your employees being advocates for your company.  When it comes to sharing the latest and greatest news about your company and or products or services, who knows your brand better than your employees? Content first relayed by your company and then shared by your employees has the potential to reach more current and potential customers. But be careful, you will want to connect with your employees who will be doing this and create viable content for them to reuse so that your brand message and  the image will stay consistent.

Communicate  With Your Customers

With so many people on social media, your company can respond to questions, comments, or concerns that your customers have in a timely fashion. Even if you have an angry customer commenting or posting a question, engaging with that customers and staying on top of comments and questions will get your company out in front of those negative comments. Not only does this engagement help to answer your customer’s questions, but it can also help to create meaningful relationships with your customers and your timely response could have the potential to create a customer for life. These few social media trends in could help improve your company’s reach, brand awareness, and overall goals.  Will your company be on board?
For more trends or information regarding social media, Follow Us on our Social Media Channels or Contact Us today!

Project Management: Frequently Avoided Questions

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In my previous blog, Project Management: Frequently Avoided Questions Part 1, I discussed the challenges one may face when attempting to ask their clients the right questions so that every project may run smoothly. Part 2 will focus on the right questions to ask either your employees or your co-workers so that your team is successful.

Project Management

1. What are your goals?

Whether you’ve just begun getting to know your newest employee or coworker or they’ve been by your side for years, gaining a clear understanding of where they want to be in life could benefit your relationship and your team’s success. Finding out someone’s motivator and driving force can lead to understanding how to work with, and towards, your company’s goals. If Peter Parker needs to motivate Bruce Wayne, it would behoove him to understand that Alfred is his only ally.

2. What challenges are you currently facing?

Take the opportunity to ask and listen to the challenges that your employee faces when completing their work. Time will always be a constraint, and organization is a quite common downfall as well, but what resources could you provide to truly help this employee succeed? Additional training may initially seem to undermine your coworker’s skills and knowledge but what has changed since they were originally trained to do their job? Have processes and regulations become an ever changing source of frustration? LinkedIn’s recent purchase of Lynda.com makes it even easier to provide knowledgeable training during any stage of learning at any time. At times, simply lending a listening ear could alleviate frustration as well.

3. How can we do better?

The most important question to ask yourself, and your employee, is “How can we do better?”. No matter how smoothly your relationship has transitioned from stranger to employee or co-worker, it’s best to self-reflect. Spending 40 hours a week with someone is challenging and can leave your relationship in murky waters. Creating the habit of optimizing your relationships with others to a healthy and happy work environment can lead to your company’s success.

Frequently Avoided Questions Asked

Don’t waste your time wondering how to become a business owner, project manager, or co-worker – take a chance and ask the right questions!

For more advice or information regarding Project Management, Contact Us today or leave us a comment below!

Outdated Hardware and/or Software Affect Internet Browsing

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Your Outdated Device Will Affect Internet Browsing

There are a lot of factors that will affect internet browsing and assist in allowing a website to show correctly. Two factors that people tend to overlook are outdated devices and software updates. These two factors don’t stop your device from working, however, they can affect your browsing experience in negative ways. What might seem like a small, or not needed update might be a critical factor affecting your browsing experience whether it be on your Android Smartphone, iPhone or your computer.

During testing one of our client’s website, there were issues with how the site rendered on their iPhone. They were having issues with how some elements on the page were appearing. As most of our clients would do, they turned to us for answers. After hours of thorough mission critical updates that were directly related to their poor browsing experience, we advised them to update their device’s software and that resolved the issues for most. Others weren’t so fortunate however, they had to upgrade or purchase a new device because of outdated hardware.

browers-2015
Image from the following blog: Browser usage between March 2014 – March 2015

According to Circle Studio, Internet Explorer is the 3rd, 4th, and 5th most popular browser being used today. The problem with this is that 2 of the 3 Internet Explorer browsers (versions 8 & 9) are no longer supported because of their inability to render HTML5 code which is the new standard for creating websites. Now do you see the problem with using outdated browsers?

outdated browser
Fig 1. A website in Internet Explorer 8. Not what you thought. Everything else is updated. To view the correct display of this website, see figure 2 below.

Why it matters to you?

Have you ever browsed the internet and stumbled onto a site that had jumbled text or graphics? Did it look anything like Figure 1? If not, congratulations your device’s hardware and software are most likely up to date. If you did see something like Figure 1, then the hardware or software of your device might be outdated and needs to be updated. This can be an issue not only for your company when you are trying to market your website but it can also be an issue if people are trying to get to your site. If these potential customers do need to update their device’s hardware or software, they might find your website hard to use if they are on an outdated browser. Another reason this is an issue is because most people surfing the web are using outdated browsers; about 14.5% of those are using a previous version of their current browser, and 8.5% are using, even more, outdated versions. So let’s resolve this issue.

updated browser
Fig 2. Same site as Figure 1. On IE11, the latest software and updated hardware.

How to resolve the issue

One way (highly recommended) is to take your device to a professional like your IT tech or a local computer shop and they will update the software on your device. If your device is utilizing Microsoft XP or Vista operating systems then it is time to get a new device as they are no longer supported. Below are some general guidelines to assure your internet poor browsing experience is rectified:
  1. Schedule regular operating system and software updates.
  2. Make sure you’re using the latest browser versions
  3. When a new Windows Operating System is released, your hardware is out of date. Time to get a new computer.
Do you have any questions regarding updating your computer? Leave a comment below or Contact Us today!

5 Tips for Mobile SEO

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Earlier this year, Google released an algorithm change that essentially said that websites that were not mobile friendly would be penalized and fall in their rankings. This algorithm change means that it is vital for every business to make sure their site has a mobile design to perform well. Here are 5 tips for mobile search engine optimization (SEO) every business owner should follow to make sure their website is successful.

1. Have a Responsive Design

Many business owners fear that by creating a mobile site, they will either need to have a complete overhaul of their current site, or create a new, separate site. Fortunately, this is not the case thanks to responsive design. A responsive design means that the appearance of your site will change based on the device being used by visitors. With a responsive design, you only use one URL, which eliminates the possibility of being penalized for duplicate content. A responsive design is also recommended by Google because it is more efficient for Google to scan and review, which will help increase your businesses rankings within search engines. Shown below is the desktop view of our site (left) and the mobile design (right) using responsive design.

Mobile SEO Responsive Design

2. Consider Mobile Design first

According to Google, more searches happen on their platform via mobile than on desktop in the U.S. We can predict that these numbers will only continue to increase as more Americans obtain mobile devices, thus putting more importance on mobile design. More mobile traffic means that when designing your site, you should consider the mobile design first. Once you’re finished the design, use your mobile site as a core basis for developing your desktop view. There is nothing you can put on the mobile version of your site that you can’t put on the desktop version.  Progressively enhance your desktop view with extra information and a more extensive navigation (as long as it’s relevant).

3. Design for the Existing & Prospective Customers

Just as you should design the desktop version of your site with the user experience in mind, the same applies to the mobile design. With that being said, there is a slightly different art to it. For one, the navigation of the mobile version should be condensed to only include the most important pages that drive the most traffic. Also, the buttons and links on the site should be designed for bigger fingers. Bigger buttons and links will increase the ease of use that will certainly impact the user’s actions. If the buttons and links are too small, many users may become frustrated attempting to travel through your site, which will likely cause them to leave.

 The page speed and load time of your site are not only a ranking factor but also impacts the user’s experience. Obviously the faster the speed of the site, the happier the user will be. In order to reduce loading time, rich content (images and video) should be optimized (fitting the size of the image to the screen size) and used sparingly.

4. Enhance Your Site for Local Customers

Just as mobile has become increasingly important for search engines, so has local SEO. In fact, they are directly correlated. According to Google, 50% of consumers who conducted a local search on their smartphone visited a store within a day, and 34% who searched on computer/tablet did the same. This means that your business name, address, and phone number should consistent all throughout your site, and off your site as well on local listings (Google My Business, Bing Places, Etc). This allows search engines to associate your business with a specific geographic location, which in turn increases your business’s local search rankings.

5. Add a Click to Call Number

The goal of a successful SEO campaign is to generate sales and leads, so why not make it easy for your customers to reach you? Adding a click to call number on every page of your mobile site allows users to take the next step in your sales process. Here at DaBrian Marketing, we use a click to call number on our mobile site, as seen below.

Click to call button

As the number of mobile devices and traffic continue to increase, so will the importance of Mobile SEO. To make sure your business does well, it is imperative to adhere to the tips listed above.

For more advice or information about mobile SEO, please Contact Us today or leave us a comment below!

By: David McDowell

DaBrian Marketing Designs A Local Holiday Tradition’s Website

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DaBrian Marketing Group Designs Website for Reading's Christmas On The Mountain

Digital Marketing Agency, DaBrian Marketing Group, has donated their time to construct a new website for the popular Reading holiday tradition, Christmas on the Mountain.

For 24 years, the Hillside Playground Association has transformed Hillside Playground (located on North 14th street in the city of Reading) into a Christmas attraction for all. It has become affectionately known as Reading’s “Christmas on the Mountain”.

This summer the Association disbanded and announced the end of their operations. When Savage 61 General Manager Tim Profit, saw the news, he knew he wanted to do something and was going to try and keep the tradition alive. He contacted local businesses, and DaBrian Marketing Group’s, CEO and President, Daniel Laws, to help Reading’s Christmas on the Mountain reach its 25th year.

DaBrian Marketing Group, along with the local community, the Reading High School Marine Corps JROTC, and a list of other companies have donated their support to the cause. Reading’s Christmas on the Mountain is set to open on November 29th, 2015 and will continue until January 1, 2016.

Tim Profit was overjoyed with the website and said, “It’s almost hard to believe DaBrian Marketing is a small business in our community. You think you are working with a fortune 500 company when dealing with them.”

The new Reading’s Christmas On The Mountain website can be found at readingchristmas.com

About DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC

Founded in 2008, DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC is a full-service digital marketing agency focused on providing marketing solutions to businesses that want to obtain digital awareness, cultivate meaningful customer relationships, and develop innovative strategies. DaBrian Marketing Group’s services include email marketing, search engine optimization, website design, web analytics, social media marketing and more. Company headquarters are centrally located at 500 Penn Street, Suite 201, Reading, Pennsylvania 19602. For more information about DaBrian Marketing Group, visit dabrianmarketing.com or call 610.743.5602.

Project Management: Frequently Avoided Questions

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We’ve all been there, down in the dumps, confused about our client’s or boss’s wants and needs. We’ve all paced around struggling with questions that we couldn’t possibly begin to answer. So ask those questions, get the right information, and produce the best results for your team!
This blog will be part of a two part series that discusses Frequently Avoided Questions in two facets: Client Facing, and Employee Facing. I’ll tackle the thoughts we’ve all had when working on a project with a client as well as directly with your employees. Part One will delve into the questions you might be afraid to ask your clients. But it’s best to ask all of your questions for optimal Project Management, so let’s begin!

1. What are your expectations for our project?

Whether you’ve just begun to outline the plan for an upcoming project, or if you’re six months into the process, examining and determining clear goals and objective is priority number one. So maybe you’re thinking, “Ok, but what if we’ve had the goals outlined and the methodology keeps changing?”, have no fear! Simply ask the question again. Neither the client or the provider (Project Manager) wants to finish a project that’s nonsensical. You wouldn’t build a window just to lay bricks over the top and then expect your customers to be able to see your business through this nonexistent window. Reexamining the goals of the project and clearly defining the “Why?” to every project can go a long way. If you can’t proudly gleam at what you’re going to be doing, reassess.

2. What are some timeline goals we should be working towards?

Time! The ever closing window of opportunity. Don’t let that window slam down on your hand! Take control of the tasks that should be completed to finish the project on time. If you’re going to be developing an outdoor swimming pool, chances are, the deadline coincides with Memorial Day. But not all deadlines are as easily known. Create a space for your client that shows your flexibility and understanding of critical deadlines. Check out this blog from Mashable about Document Collaboration tools to see how you can connect on notes, rough drafts of documents needed for your project, and more.

Checklist

3. How can we do better?

The most important question to ask yourself, and your client, is “How can we do better?” No matter how smoothly the project has gone along, the level of stress derived from the project, or how the finished project compares to previous ones, it’s best to self-reflect and reach out for help doing so. Creating the habit of analyzing the outcome of every project will help to create a happier and cohesive workforce and client rapport. Understanding your team’s downfalls will help to correct them and provide support to assure your business thrives.

Frequently Avoided Questions Asked

So you’ve gathered the expectations of the project, worked to uphold the timelines in place, and reflected upon the shortcomings of yourself as a project manager and your team as a whole, now it’s time to tackle your next project with even more ambition and determination as last time! There are plenty of ways to assess your project’s goals and to create a seamless plan for success. Most importantly, find time to evaluate every project and work to better in the future.

For more advice or information regarding Project Management, Contact Us today or leave us a comment below!