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The Small Social's Mother's Day Gift Guide

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:13:18 GMT

Mother’s Day is the perfect excuse to slow down and celebrate the women who do so much, often without asking for anything in return. Whether she’s juggling a busy schedule, caring for everyone else, or simply showing up with love day after day, she deserves to feel appreciated in a meaningful way. And really, moms deserve nothing but the best.

That’s where a thoughtful gift comes in. From skincare that encourages a little self care, to stylish accessories, relaxing getaways, and practical household items that make everyday life easier, the right pick can go a long way. In this guide, our team has rounded up some of our favourite ideas to help you find a gift that truly says "thank you, Mom".

Household Must-Haves

The best gifts aren’t always the flashiest ones. Sometimes they’re the things that make everyday life feel a little easier, a little more beautiful, or just more enjoyable. Whether she loves to host, garden, or keep things organized, these thoughtful home picks strike that perfect balance between practical and special.

Elevated kitchen staples, charming décor, and time-saving tools, these are the kinds of items she’ll reach for again and again.

A set of quality gardening tools is perfect for moms who love spending time outdoors, whether it’s tending to a backyard garden or a few balcony plants. For the kitchen, a retro-inspired Smeg toaster adds both style and function, while a Cricut cutting machine opens the door to endless creative projects.

If she appreciates unique home accents, anything from MacKenzie-Childs , like a whimsical spoon holder or decorative pot, brings personality into the home. A stylish striped picture frame is a simple but thoughtful way to showcase favourite memories.

For everyday convenience, a durable Yeti Rambler keeps drinks at the perfect temperature, while the Lefant Robot Vacuum Cleaner takes one more chore off her plate. And for a classic, can’t-go-wrong option, a fresh bouquet from Selby Garden Center adds a beautiful, personal touch.

Skincare & Beauty

Skincare and beauty gifts are always a welcome treat, especially when they encourage a bit of well-deserved self care. Whether she’s someone who loves a full beauty routine or prefers a few trusted staples, these picks are all about helping her feel refreshed and confident.

A bond-building haircare routine like the Olaplex Set is a great option for strengthening and restoring hair at home. The almond collection from L’Occitane is another beauty favourite, known for its rich, comforting formulas and subtle scent. It’ll turn an everyday shower routine into a spa-like experience.

For a natural, everyday makeup look, the MERIT Beauty complexion stick paired with their blending brush keeps things simple and polished. On the skincare side, the Alastin Skincare Ultra Nourishing Moisturizer delivers deep hydration, while a classic “French girl” staple like Embryolisse face cream is loved for its effortless glow.

For barrier repair and long-lasting moisture, the Skinfix Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream is a go-to that feels both indulgent and effective. And for moms on the go, the Sun Bum Baby Bum hand sanitizer spray is the perfect item to toss in a purse for keeping hands clean without that overly harsh feeling.

Jewellery That Will Make Her Sparkle

Jewellery is one of those gifts that feels instantly special. It’s personal, timeless, and something she can wear as a reminder of how much she’s appreciated. Whether her style leans minimal or a bit more bold, the right piece can make even the simplest outfit stand out.

These picks are modern, versatile, and designed to be worn on repeat. Because when it comes to meaningful gifts, you really can’t go wrong with something she’ll treasure for years to come.

The Lisa Gozlan Paperclip Bracelet is a sleek, contemporary piece that layers beautifully with other favourites. For something a bit more playful yet still refined, the Mejuri Puzzle Stacking Ring offers flexibility and a touch of personality, perfect for mixing, matching, and making it her own.

Every Day Accessories

When it comes to gifting accessories, the sweet spot is finding pieces that feel both stylish and easy to wear. Think everyday essentials with a bit of polish, items she can throw on without a second thought.

These picks are all about comfort, versatility, and those little details that make a piece stand out. Because helping her feel confident in what she wears is always a good idea.

The Poppy & Peonies Sidekick bag is a practical yet stylish option for everyday use. The Mini Essential Crossbody Black Purse is another go-to, perfect for keeping things simple while on the move.

Her eyes also deserve a little treat. For daytime, gift her a stylish pair of Cake Bristol sunglasses that go with absolutely any outfit. For night time, you can’t go wrong with a silk sleep mask that adds a small touch of luxury to her routine.

Relaxing Getaways & Experiences

Sometimes the best gift isn’t something you can wrap, it’s time to relax, recharge, and step away from the usual routine. Experiences create lasting memories, and they give her something to truly look forward to.

Whether it’s a full day of pampering or a quiet evening out, these ideas are all about helping her unwind and feel taken care of. Because more than anything, moms deserve nothing but the best when it comes to rest and relaxation.

A visit to Ste. Anne’s Spa offers a peaceful escape with spa treatments, nature, and incredible food all in one place. For something closer to the city, a spa day at Wander The Spa is a perfect way to reset and recharge.

And for a memorable meal, dinner at Rosetta in Picton delivers a cozy, elevated dining experience that feels like a true treat.

Make Her Mother’s Day Special

At the end of the day, Mother’s Day isn’t about finding the most expensive gift, it’s about showing appreciation in a way that feels personal and sincere. Whether it’s a small luxury she wouldn’t buy for herself or something that brings a bit more comfort to her daily routine, every thoughtful gesture counts.

No matter what you choose, the goal is simple: make her feel seen, valued, and celebrated. Because if anyone deserves a little extra care and attention, it’s her.

Why Simplicity Wins in Social Media Marketing

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:45:28 GMT

In today’s fast scrolling digital world, clarity is everything. People are consuming content while multitasking, commuting, or winding down after a long day. If your message is not immediately clear, it gets skipped. As Donald Miller says, “If you confuse, you lose. The clearest message always wins.” Simplicity is not about saying less for the sake of it. It’s about making sure your audience actually hears you.

Many businesses believe that more information will help their audience understand them better. In reality, the opposite is true. The more crowded your message becomes, the harder it is for people to grasp what you offer and why it matters. Simplicity is not a limitation. It’s a competitive advantage.

Clarity Builds Trust

Clear messaging builds confidence. When your audience instantly understands what you do, who you help, and why it matters, they’re more likely to engage. Confusion creates friction, and friction stops action.

We know that the average human attention span is just eight seconds, and with the fast pace of the social media landscape, it’s getting shorter. That means you have only moments to make your message land and resonate with your audience. If your content feels overwhelming or complicated, your audience will not take the time to decode it. They will simply move on.

Think about your own scrolling habits. When you see a post that feels cluttered or unclear, you skip it without a second thought. When you see paragraphs of text in a post caption, you’re less likely to stay to read the whole post. Your audience behaves the same way.

Simple messaging answers three questions quickly:

What do you do?
Who is it for?
Why does it matter?

If those answers are not obvious, your message likely needs refining. Clarity shows professionalism. It demonstrates that you understand your audience and respect their time. When people feel understood, they trust you more. And trust is the foundation of every strong brand.

Simplicity Drives Action

When businesses try to say everything at once, they end up saying nothing clearly. Bombarding your audience with multiple offers, ideas, and calls to action in one post creates decision fatigue. Instead of motivating people, it overwhelms them. Effective marketing focuses on one idea at a time. One clear takeaway. One clear next step.

When your messaging is concise and focused, your audience does not have to work to understand it. That makes it much more likely for your audience to listen and respond. This is why the most successful brands repeat their core message often. They do not reinvent the wheel every time they post. They reinforce what they want their audience to remember. Consistency paired with clarity creates momentum.

How to Simplify Your Social Content

Creating simple messaging is a strategic choice. It requires intention and discipline, especially when you feel tempted to share everything at once. Here are a few ways to bring more clarity to your marketing:

Use Plain Language

Skip jargon and industry buzzwords. Speak the way your audience speaks. If someone needs to pause and interpret your message, it is already too complicated.

Focus on the Customer

Talk less about your features and more about how you help. People care most about how your product or service improves their life or solves their problem.

Say Less, but Say it Better

One strong message is more powerful than several scattered ones. A single clear idea has a much better chance of being remembered.

Choose One Clear Call to Action

Don’t overwhelm. Guide. Whether you want someone to click, comment, save, or buy, make the next step obvious.

Repeat Your Core Message

Repetition builds recognition and trust. Your audience should be able to describe what you do even if they have only seen a handful of your posts.

Edit More Than You Create

Often the best content comes from refining, trimming, and simplifying. Ask yourself, What is the simplest way to say or show this without losing meaning?

Remember, clarity doesn’t limit your brand. It strengthens it. When your message is simple, your audience feels confident engaging with you. And confident people take action.

Keep It Simple

In social media marketing, more is not better. Clearer is better. When you avoid bombarding your audience and instead deliver focused, concise messaging, you increase trust, engagement, and action.

Ready to Simplify Your Social Media Strategy?

A strong, concise, and clear social media strategy will help you build online brand recognition and retain a loyal audience. If you’re looking for support to simplify your messaging and create content that stands out, send us an email to hello@thesmallsocial.com . Our team of social media strategists are here to support you and help you achieve your online goals.

The Small Social's Spring Must-Haves

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:53:25 GMT

Spring has officially arrived and the team is more than ready for longer days, lighter layers, and a fresh wave of colour. To celebrate the new season, The Small Social team has rounded up the items we are loving right now. From rainy day staples to soft pastels, and skincare that keeps the glow going, here is what we are reaching for this spring.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn is stepping into spring with her new favourite Cake Sunglasses , the perfect look to complete any outfit. She has been wearing Sunlit Vanilla Eau de Parfum for a warm and cozy scent that feels perfect for sunny afternoons. Her striped crew cardigan has become her go-to layer for breezy mornings and easy spring styling.

Ashley

Ashley has been filling her home with fresh local tulips that instantly brighten up her space. For a flawless spring makeup look, she loves the Merit - Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick for its natural and effortless finish. Her Icon Juice Glass is absolutely adorable and makes her morning routine feel extra enjoyable.

Madi

Madi is keeping her skin radiant with Supergoop! Glowscreen SPF 40 Face Sunscreen , which gives her a dewy finish while keeping her skin protected. She has also been loving the Aurora Carryall Espresso , a chic and spacious bag that fits everything she needs for busy days on the road.

Jules

Jules is loving her Pink Hunter Rain Boots that bring a pop of colour to those rainy and grey spring days. She has been loving the Bala Wrist Weights to add a little extra challenge to her walks and workouts. When she is winding down at night, she reaches for her soft Aerie PJs that are perfect for cozying up on the couch with her family.

Vic

Vic is keeping things timeless with a classic trenchcoat that works with every spring outfit. Her Lululemon Scuba Hoodie has quickly turned into a cozy favourite for days spent working from home. She has also been sipping Lemon Sorbet Bubly , a refreshing drink that tastes like spring in a can.

Nicole

Nicole has fully embraced the bow trend with her Ayieyill Canvas Tote Bag that adds a feminine touch to any outfit. She has been loving her favourite Self Tanner for a subtle early season glow. With spring showers in full swing, her new Rain Boots have become a daily essential.

Barb

Barb is prepared for spring showers with her Lole Piper Oversized Packable Rain Jacket that is easy to bring anywhere. She has been wearing her Babes Supporting Babes - Baseball Cap for a casual yet empowering touch. Barb is also loving the L’Occitane Almond Shimmering Oil for a soft glow that makes her skin feel like sunshine.

Lara

Lara is heading into spring with her Poppy & Peonies Tote , a roomy and stylish bag that keeps her organized even on the busiest of days. She loves her cozy Aerie Vacay Crew Sweatshirt for its lightweight comfort, especially on cooler evenings. For unpredictable weather, she relies on her The North Face Rain Jacket to keep her dry without sacrificing comfort and style.

Carolina

Carolina is all about hydration and new beginnings this season. She has been loving the COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence for its dewy finish and skin smoothing magic. When she is not working, you can usually find her tending to her garden with help from her Gardening Kit and enjoying the first signs of spring. Her Gingham Crocs have become her footwear of choice for running weekend errands in style.

Britt

Britt is always running from the rink to the ball diamond, so staying protected and comfortable is key. She’s loving the Cake Dubai XS Sunglasses for stylish eye protection during long days outdoors. For everything she needs on the go, she’s using her favourite Lululemon Crossbody Bag for snacks and all the mom essentials. She’s also living in her Adidas Grand Court 2.0 Sneakers , a lightweight, comfortable option for busy days on her feet between games and practices.

Spring brings a sense of renewal and we hope our team’s picks spark a little inspiration for your own seasonal reset. From rainy day essentials to bright accessories and fresh beauty favourites, these are the pieces putting a spring in our step. Here is to sunnier days ahead and all the small joys that come with them.

Why Good Quality Images Sell Products

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:20:41 GMT

In a digital-first world, images are often the first (and sometimes only) interaction a potential customer has with your brand or product. With shorter attention spans, and the impulse to scroll without fully absorbing information, it’s important to ensure you’re using quality images to market yourself in the online space.

Image quality directly impacts perception, trust, and purchasing decisions. Why? Because when someone is scrolling on social media to pass the time, there isn’t necessarily a search or purchasing intent. But a visual asset that stops the scroll and triggers curiosity can drive traffic to your profile or website, and lead a potential customer further into the purchasing funnel.

Keep reading to find out why good quality images sell.

First Impressions and Perceived Value

When you only have a few seconds to capture someone’s attention, what you want to communicate matters. A high quality image instantly communicates professionalism and credibility. It’s calculated, intentional, and meant to deliver a value message about your products or services, and your brand as a whole.

Customers often associate image quality with product quality and pricing. If the lighting is poor, the composition feels rushed, or the image appears grainy, your audience can subconsciously assume the product itself is low quality. Think about how you scroll social media. A low quality image might get your attention, but not for the right reasons. On the other hand, sharp images with a clear focus suggest care, expertise, and confidence in what you’re offering.

In a competitive market, what people think of you plays a significant role in their purchasing decisions. It’s emotional before it becomes logical. Premium brands rely on high quality visuals because they understand that presentation can shape expectations. When your imagery conveys the right message, your customers are more likely to believe that your product is worth the investment.

Trust, Clarity, and Reduced Buyer Hesitation

According to Statista, mobile traffic accounted for 80% of all retail visits worldwide. That means a lot of purchasing is taking place on small screens. Clear, well-lit images help customers understand exactly what they’re buying. In online shopping, there’s no opportunity to pick up a product, feel its texture, or see its true colour in person. There is also no time for guessing what that item is going to look and feel like when it arrives. Your images have to sell the product in a very short amount of time.

Providing multiple angles and detail shots reduces uncertainty and increases confidence. Showing scale, texture, packaging, and real life context answers questions before they’re asked. The fewer unknowns a customer has means an easier user experience and customer journey.

In 2026 with the rise of AI generated content, authenticity has become even more important. Consumers are more and more aware that not everything they see online reflects reality. Clear, honest product photography reassures buyers that what they see is accurate and attainable.

User generated content (UGC) also plays a valuable role here. Featuring UGC alongside professional branded imagery allows a potential customer to see how products look in every day settings. It’s one thing to have imagery of a pack shot or still of your product. There’s a whole new level of trust and credibility when a customer can see someone handling or using it. UGC reinforces relatability and social proof. That, combined with polished brand assets, creates a balanced and trustworthy brand presence. It reduces buyer hesitation and fosters a loyal, long term customer relationship.

Engagement, Conversion, and Shareability

At a time when social media interaction is being increasingly passive, capturing attention and stopping the scroll is important in building engagement. Scroll-stopping visuals increase the time people spend on your social media pages and website, which creates more opportunity. The longer someone engages with your content, the more likely they are to explore, follow, subscribe, and eventually purchase.

High quality images perform better across digital channels. On websites, they improve the overall user experience and reduce bounce rates. Remember the part about credibility? People are going to leave a website before they give it a chance if their first impression is low quality. On social media, they capture attention in crowded feeds. In digital ads and email marketing campaigns, they increase click-through rates (CTR) and reinforce brand recognition.

Consistency across platforms matters. When your visuals feel cohesive, customers begin to recognize your brand instantly. That recognition builds familiarity and familiarity builds trust. Over time, strong imagery does more than attract attention, it strengthens your overall marketing performance.

Good Quality Images Sell

Good quality images are not just aesthetic. They are a sales tool. When you invest in strong visuals, you invest in better engagement, stronger trust, and higher conversions. Quality imagery increases perceived value, reduces buyer hesitation, and helps customers feel confident in their decision to purchase. The result is products that sell faster and at higher value with greater potential for consumer loyalty.

Ready for a Refresh?

If you’re ready to improve your brand presence, book a professional photoshoot or content day with The Small Social in 2026. Start building the recognition your business deserves.

Reach out to us at: hello@thesmallsocial.com to learn more.

Madi Harker Featured Among Leading Advertising Agencies in Canada

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 21:24:41 GMT

We’re excited to share that Madi Harker has been featured by Digital Reference in its editorial highlighting the best advertising agencies and ad companies in Canada . This recognition reflects our commitment to building authentic, social-first campaigns that help growing businesses connect meaningfully with their audiences.

Who We Serve and How We Work

The Small Social Company works with small-to-medium organizations looking to strengthen their online presence without losing their voice. Our approach blends social media strategy, content creation, and digital advertising into campaigns that feel human, intentional, and scalable.

We operate through fractional, virtual, and project-based marketing partnerships, allowing brands to access experienced advertising support without unnecessary overhead. Learn more about how we support clients through our marketing and social media services and what makes our approach different on our About page.

From day-to-day content creation to full-scale digital growth strategies, The Small Social Company offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to help brands grow with clarity and confidence. Our expertise includes strategic Content Creation , Social Media Management and Ads , Google Ads campaign management, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Email Marketing , and integrated digital campaigns tailored to your goals. Whether you need consistent brand storytelling, lead generation support, or performance-driven advertising, we build customized strategies that connect with your audience, drive measurable results, and evolve alongside your business.

The Role of Advertising and Social Media Consultants Today

Modern advertising is no longer about volume alone. It’s about relevance, trust, and sustained engagement. Today’s leading advertising consultants and social media specialists help brands show up consistently across platforms while staying aligned with business goals.

Being recognized among top advertising agencies and advertising firms in Canada underscores the importance of working with a team that prioritizes strategy as much as creativity.

Meet Our Founder: Leadership Rooted in Authentic Connection

The Small Social Company is co-founded by Madi Harker , whose leadership blends strategic oversight with hands-on creative execution. Madi ensures every campaign resonates across platforms while staying true to the brand’s identity and values.

Her approach emphasizes transparency, collaboration, and social-first thinking, helping clients grow communities, not just impressions.

About the Founder

Madi Harker brings a thoughtful, engagement-driven approach to advertising and social media strategy. Her leadership focuses on balancing creative storytelling with data-informed decision-making.

• Social-first strategy and creative execution

• Hands-on leadership across platforms

• Emphasis on authentic audience engagement

• Transparent, collaborative client partnerships

Why This Recognition Matters

Being featured by Digital Reference reinforces our belief that meaningful growth comes from clarity, consistency, and genuine connection. It also helps businesses discover trusted advertising specialists and social media experts in Canada who lead with intention and insight.

If you’re looking to build a stronger social presence or launch performance-driven campaigns, we’d love to connect. You can get in touch with The Small Social Company here .

About Digital Reference

Digital Reference is a trusted editorial platform that spotlights top-performing fractional executives, consultants, and agencies across industries. On a mission to digitize the professional references process using a video resume tool that focuses on transparency, impact, and subject-matter expertise, Digital Reference helps businesses discover the right professionals to guide their next stage of growth.

Explore more at digitalreference.co .

Our Galentine's Day Must-Haves

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:45:36 GMT

Galentine’s Day is one of our favourite days of the year. A day dedicated to showing your gal pals just how much you care? We’re in. And if gift-giving is one of your love languages (like it is for so many of us), then you’re exactly where you need to be.

From goodies for a night in together to relaxing getaways that actually make it out of the group chat, our Galentine’s gift list has exactly what you need to show appreciation for the besties who always have your back.

Girls' Night In

We love a night where we can be wrapped in blankets, drinking great wine, watching Bravo, and catching up over treats. If your Galentine’s Day plans sound like ours, you’ll love our must-haves for the perfect evening (or slumber party).

Crate and Barrel Edge Wine Glasses

Enjoy wine night with in these beautiful Crate and Barrel Edge Wine Glasses. They’re perfect for gifting your Galentine who loves to host, and pulling them out for wine, charcuterie, and an overdue yap.

Oh Goody! Rosé

Would it be girls’ night without your favourite wine? We can’t get enough of the Palatine Hills Estate Winery Oh Goody! Rosé. It’s perfectly fruity without being sweet. Grab a bottle from your local LCBO for a perfect Galentine’s day glass or hostess gift.

23 & Co. Cookies

Freshly baked and made to be shared, 23 & Co. Cookies offers up delicious baked goods in unique flavours. The Henley, JT, and Top Shelf (to name a few) will have you reaching back into the box to sneak another treat. Order your box for Galentine’s Day.

Collagen Mask

Remember high school slumber parties with face masks and friendship bracelets? We don’t need to say goodbye to that because we’re older. Add some nostalgic slumber party magic to your Galentine’s celebration with this hydrating collagen mask. It will be like the good old days, but with better skin benefits.

Overnight Lip Plumping Mask

Take your slumber party up a level with the Lawless overnight lip plumping mask. Put it on before going to bed for a line-smoothing treatment that supports natural collagen production. Because we’re just girls , but we take better care of our skin now.

Girls' Night Out

For the Galentine who’s always down to get dressed up and head out for a night of fun, these picks are made for them.

Gucci Floral Gorgeous Perfume Set

Everyone loves a signature scent, and these floral fragrances might become theirs. Gift your Galentine this Floral Gorgeous Gardenia Perfum set from Gucci for scents that will last through the entire evening, no matter where the night takes her.

Starlet Crossbody Bag

We’ll say it again and again. We love a bag that’s fashionable and functional. This Starlet Crossbody Bag from Poppy & Peonies makes a statement and is the perfect accessory to her girls’ night out outfit. Wear it with jeans, a little black dress, or a fur coat. You can’t go wrong with this gift.

Self Care & Peaceful Moments

Are any of you Galentines self care queens? We have some perfect gifts for them.

TheraFace Red Light Therapy Mask

A high-tech skincare splurge, this red light therapy mask helps promote glowing, healthy skin. It’s a luxury item for the friend who’s there through it all and loves the latest beauty innovation.

Le Labo Shampoo

Turn an everyday activity into a moment of calm with the Le Labo Shampoo. Its plant-based formula is thick, rich, and deeply nourishing. The woody, aromatic scent is reminiscent of the Hinoki trees that surround Buddhist temples in Japan. You Galentine will be inspired to pause, and take a moment to breathe.

Olaplex Set

For your bestie who loves a hot hair tool, but not the damage that comes with it, the Olaplex set is the perfect gift. This set is practical, but pampering, with hydrating properties to help them have a good hair day no matter how often they’re using the curling wand.

Aesop Body Scrub

If your Galantine is after perfectly smooth skin, you need to gift them the Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Scrub. This exfoliating formula feels like a spa treatment at home. It encourages softer skin, and provides a thorough cleanse and polish.

Necessaire Lip Balm

We all know someone who has a lip balm everywhere . Give them the gift of perfectly hydrated lips anywhere they go with the Necessaire Lip Balm. Instant relief for dry lips, 5 essential ceramides, and pure essential oils are just a few of the features of this magical formula. Your Galentine will have this in their purse, in the car, and on their desk for sure.

Bath Bombs

We all deserve a little self care that feels relaxing and playful. That’s what you can gift your gal pal with these all natural bath bombs from 1000 Islands Soap Company. With 15 scents to choose from, your bestie will be reaching for a bath bomb on a regular basis to slow down and relax.

Jet Lag Travel Set

Is your Galentine a winter adventurer or travel queen? They absolutely need this set from Summer Fridays. With a hydrating mist, deep hydration serum, mask and eye patches, this is a must-have set to combat dry skin.

Relaxing Getaways

Catch up, unwind, and pamper yourself and your Galentines with a getaway that will have you feeling rejuvenated and recharged.

Ste. Anne's Spa

When it’s time to spend some more intentional quality time with your Galentine, a trip to Ste. Anne's Spa is the destination for you. Ste. Annes offers the ultimate relaxation retreat. You can book a day trip with full use of their facilities and delicious afternoon tea, or extend your stay for a night or two in one of their onsite cottages to take advantage of all their amenities. You won’t regret booking a massage or facial, or enjoying all your meals there for 24 hours. It’s a great place to catch up, unwind, and spend some quality time with friends.

Apparel & Accessories

Give them a gift that’s comfortable, stylish and uniquely them .

Cloud Fleece Crew Neck

This cozy crewneck from Aerie is a gift your Galentine will live in. It’s soft, oversized, and perfect for movie nights, errands, and everything in between. It’s a great choice for anyone who lives in loungewear.

Two Piece Winter Set

Warmth meets fashion with this cute winter set from Fashion Nova. It’s a great accessory for winter walks or sitting around a fire. Available in 3 different colours, it’s a thoughtful gift that says “stay warm”.

Electric Heated Blanket

Your Galentine will never complain about being cold again with this SOCO-favourite heated blanket. It’s soft, big enough to wrap around yourself, and heats up quickly. For the friend who’s always freezing, even with 3 pairs of socks on.

Unreliable Narrator Ball Cap

Full of personality, this Unreliable Narrator Ball Cap is a book lover’s go-to. It’s a casual accessory that provides comfort for everyday wear. This will celebrate your Galantine’s appreciation for a good book and a narrator who might be a little questionable.

Pela Phone Case

Sometimes the most simple gifts are the most appreciated. And that’s sure to be true when you give your Galentine their new Pela phone case. Pela cases are free of toxins and microplastics, while offering fun designs. It’s a small way to give their phone a refresh and find something that celebrates the season and their personal style.

Drinkware, Decor & Every Day Essentials

Cute enough to gift, practical enough to keep. These are the everyday items that your Galentine will reach for again and again.

Run Wild Stoneware Mug

This one is for the Galentine with a little country flare and love for a good quality mug. Perfect for morning coffee or a late-night tea, this Run Wild stoneware mug from Anthropologie will be a great addition to their cupboard. Get on the waitlist to grab yours when it’s back in stock.

YETI Travel Straw Mug

For gym days, highways, and everything in between, this YETI mug will keep your Galentine hydrated no matter what they’re up to. With a leak proof lid and a cupholder compatible design, it fits in the car or in a bag, staying within reach on the go. Our top colour pick? The Tropical Pink.

Griddle Pan

Is your Galentine a culinary queen? Make their meal prep easier with a versatile griddle pan from Our Place. This sturdy, non-stick sheet pan doubles as a stove-top griddle which means you can make casseroles in the oven, or pancakes on the stove with one easy kitchen tool. It’s available in 7 colours to match their kitchen decor.

Simple Modern Trek Tumbler

Can you tell we love a good drink tumbler? The Trek Tumbler from Simple Modern is a favourite on our team. It’s cupholder friendly, leak-resistant, and ergonomic. Available in up to 40oz, this cup will ensure your Galentine is hydrated all day. It’s available in over 30 patterns and colours. We love the Cream Leopard and Crimson Hearts.

Embossed Red Heart Icon Mug

Sweet and cute without being over the top, this red heart icon mug from Indigo is another great choice for the Galentine who loves a good piece of drinkware. With its subtle red heart design, it’s a perfect nod to the season.

Essent ial Oil Diffuser

At the end of the day, we all want a nice, calm atmosphere in our home. Help your Galentine achieve that with this must-have essential oil diffuser. It's elegant and small enough to place on a coffee table or bedside table. It features gentle warm light, dual mist modes, and has a timer feature to ensure it doesn't run longer than they need.

They’re the people you call with your biggest news, and the ones who are there to support you when life just isn’t going your way. Celebrate them with thoughtful gifts, time well spent together, and a whole lot of love. Happy Galentine's Day!

The Small Social’s Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 20:02:15 GMT

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and the last thing you want to do is get caught buying chocolate at the last minute. If you’re looking for something to gift that special someone, you’re in the right place. We’ve curated a list of our favourite gift-worthy Valentine’s Day items so you can take the guesswork out of making the day memorable for the most special person in your life.

Jewellery

Is there a more classic Valentine’s Day gift than a thoughtful piece of jewellery that matches their personal style? Here are some of our top jewellery picks for the perfect Valentine’s gift:

Louise Carter Jewellery

Find rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces that are perfect for everyday wear. Louise Carter Jewelry is water proof, available in both gold and silver, and comes in a variety of styles.

Initial Charm Necklace

Help them keep their loved ones close to their heart with a simple and dainty initial necklace. It’s a great gift for the sentimental soul who loves jewellery that they can dress up or down.

Raven James Bracelet

This beautiful bracelet from Raven James is perfectly delicate, but with a lot of personality. It’s perfect for stacking or wearing solo. The best part? It can be styled as-is, or converted into a charm bracelet for customizable style with any outfit.

Heart Stud Earrings

Subtle, understated, and an undeniably perfect Valentine’s Day gift, these mini heart shaped earrings from Mejuri can be worn with just about anything, for any occasion.

Olive & Piper Necklace

Add a little sparkle to their life with this beautiful, soft necklace from Olive & Piper. It’s a piece they’re sure to reach for to wear at their next special event.

Mejuri Bold Ring

Sleek and modern, this Bold Ring from Mejuri is a timeless accessory with just the right amount of edge. It’s designed to be worn daily or stacked for a more dramatic look.

Skincare & Beauty

Gifts that help your Valentine feel their best are always a good idea. Our team’s skincare and beauty must-haves will do exactly that.

Extra Moisturizing Balm

Say goodbye to dry winter skin with this all purpose Egyptian Magic skin cream. It’s a rich, hydrating formula that’s made with simple ingredients. This balm is a versatile must-have for hands, lips, cuticles and dry patches. It will become an essential in their skincare collection.

Salt & Stone Saffron Set

Gift your Valentine a self care set that will have them feeling like they just spent an afternoon at the spa. With calming scents that are reminiscent of the Pacific Coast, the Saffron Set from Salt and Stone is perfect for anyone who loves skincare that feels a little indulgent.

L’Ange Hair Flat Iron

A soon-to-be beauty staple, the L’Ange Hair flat iron gives you both perfectly sleek styles and effortless waves with one lightweight hot tool. It’s designed to protect all hair types while delivering long-lasting results they will love.

8-Piece Brush Set

A complete brush set is a game changer for any makeup enthusiast. This set from Sephora includes all the essentials to get a picture perfect makeup look every single time. It’s a practical and thoughtful gift to add to their beauty routine.

Fashion & Accessories

Fashion forward gifts are a great way to show that you’ve been paying attention. Find out what comfy and stylish pieces we think would add a little love to their wardrobe.

OFFLINE By Aerie Fluff Love Full Zip Jacket

At the rink, apres ski, or simply running errands, this soft and comfy full-zip jacket is the best layering piece for the cold weather. It’s the kind of cozy must-have they’ll never want to take off.

Maison Maia fur coat

Is your Valentine someone who likes to make a statement? They need this luxurious cardigan from Maison Maia. It’s stylish, polished, and made to be versatile. Comfort has never looked so good.

Poppy & Peonies Haul It Hobo Leopard

We love a bag that combines fashion and function. The Haul It Hobo bag does exactly that. It’s spacious, practical, and designed for busy days on the go.

Poppy & Peonies Crossbody Bag

For your busy Valentine who’s only wants the essentials when they're on the move, you can’t go wrong with a compact, stylish cross body bag. It’s chic, versatile, and perfect for everyday wear.

Sweet Treats & Bites

If your Valentine is all about culinary experiences, we’ve got gifts for them too.

Dinner at Le Jardin

Make it a memorable evening with a thoughtful dinner at Le Jardin. Offering signature cocktails and curated wines, the dining experience at Le Jardin is a unique one. All of the food is carefully prepared on their 9-foot wood fire grill, including the desserts. You can sip your drink and watch your food being prepared from your table, enjoying the warm atmosphere and good company.

23 & Co Cookies

If a quiet night in is on the schedule for Valentine’s Day, wrap up your meal with some delicious 23 & Co cookies. Choose from flavours like the Kinder, the Mars, and the Brookie (yes, that’s a brownie on a cookie), for a sweet treat they’re sure to love.

Sweet Treat from Card’s Bakery

Looking for more of a variety for your Valentine’s Day dessert table? Check out Card’s Bakery. With a variety of cakes, cupcakes, pies, squares, tarts, and muffins, there’s something every sweet tooth will enjoy.

Relaxing Staycations

Sometimes the best gifts aren’t things, but time well spent. These gifts invite relaxation, connection, and a break from the day-to-day. Pick up a gift card or book a day at some of our favourite places to relax and unwind.

Thermea Spa

Give your Valentine (and yourself) the gift of relaxation at Thermea Spa Village. With a selection of thermal pools and saunas, it’s an experience designed to melt stress away and help you reset from your busy routines. Add on the Kalla experience to float in the salt water pool, or book them a massage. They deserve it.

Hammam Spa

A quiet retreat in the middle of the city, the Hammam spa is inspired by traditional rituals that encourage deep relaxation and rejuvenation. Promote healing with a steam ritual, specialty massage, or a body wrap that will have them feeling refreshed.

Stay and Spa at Wander

Extend the relaxation with a spa day and stay at Wander. Perfect for reconnecting and unwinding with some well-deserved downtime. Choose from a day or night time spa pass, add on treatments and massages, and step into stillness with Wander.

Ste. Anne's Spa

A long-standing favourite for wellness and relaxation, Ste. Anne’s Spa offers a full retreat experience. Choose from the day spa package, or an overnight retreat. With thermal pools, professional treatments, and delicious meals and afternoon tea, Ste. Anne’s is ideal for anyone looking to fully unplug and recharge.

Nordik Spa

Tucked away and surrounded by nature, the Nordik spa provides a tranquil setting for rest and renewal. It has the widest selection of baths, saunas and rest areas in North America. If you’re looking for extra self care, there’s even an exfoliation space to have you feeling your best before your next relaxation session.

Unique Finds

For the Valentine who already has everything, unique gifts are the way to go. Thoughtful, unexpected, and gifts that keep on giving.

Dahlia May Flower Farm subscription

Fresh, locally grown blooms that make a meaningful and memorable gift for Valentine’s Day and beyond. Get your Valentine a bouquet, or a subscription that delivers something beautiful all year long.

Swarovski Snowflake 2026

If a stunning keepsake is what you’re after, the Swarovski Snowflake should be on your shopping list. This tree ornament becomes hard to find around the holidays. If your Valentine is a collector, they will be thrilled to receive this thoughtful gift early.

NETVUE Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder

Blending technology and nature, this unique, smart bird feeder allows you to watch birds right from your phone. This gift is perfect for a bird lover or outdoor enthusiast, and is something they can enjoy through all the seasons.

Frameo

For the sentimental Valentine who doesn’t like the clutter of photo albums, gift them a Frameo digital photo frame. It lets you upload and display all your favourite photos with ease. This is a thoughtful gift that keeps loving memories front and centre.

Whether you’re shopping for your Valentine or treating yourself (because self love always counts), we hope this guide helps make gifting a little bit easier, and a lot more thoughtful. Happy Valentine’s Day from the team at The Small Social!

2025: A Year in Review

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 14:35:56 GMT

2025. What a year.

When we started this year, we had no idea how incredible it would be. We’re wrapping up 2025 feeling grateful for our team, partners, and especially our clients. At The Small Social, we value the relationships we build, and we want to thank you for trusting us with your business, and being an integral part of our journey in 2025.

Looking forward to the new year, we’re excited to bring you innovative strategies and fresh, new ideas to help you achieve even greater success. Here’s to another year of collaboration, growth, and meaningful results.

A Year In Review

We Grew Our Team

This year, we welcomed 3 new talented members to our team. Barbara joined our management team as a Digital Marketing Manager, while Carolina and Emily joined us as Digital Marketing Coordinators. Each of these women bring unique talents to the team to support our clients achieve their goals.

We Said “See You Soon” & “Welcome Back”

In March, our Digital Marketing Coordinator, Nicole, took some time off to take care of her son who is undergoing treatment for cancer. We’re excited to welcome her back in January and continue supporting her family.

In July, our Digital Marketing Director, Cat, went on maternity leave. She will be off until late summer 2026 to enjoy life with her new family.

Our Digital Marketing Manager, Lara, returned from maternity leave in August. We’re happy to have her back supporting our team and clients.

The Small Social Turned 5

The Small Social turned 5! We can’t believe it’s already been 5 years since we founded The Small Social Company. In that time, we’ve supported over 300 clients to achieve their online goals. Many of our clients have been with us since the very beginning. We believe in building lasting relationships with our clients and partners, and this milestone means so much to us.

We Celebrated Some Big Milestones

We Expanded Content Creation Offerings

In 2025, we saw a significant increase in inquiries for photo and video shoots for small and large businesses alike. We proudly captured content for 50 businesses across Canada and the US, leveling up their brand image, and expanding our portfolio.

Is a content day in your future? We’re now booking dates in Q1 and Q2 for 2026. Send us an email to inquire.

We Gave Back to our Community

Supporting our community beyond business is important to every member of The Small Social team. This year, we proudly supported 5 organizations and causes to help make a positive impact in the communities we serve.

The Food Sharing Project : This amazing organization helps ensure students in the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington area have access to healthy food.
Ovarian Cancer Canada : This not-for-profit funds research and programs to create a future where ovarian cancer is preventable, curable, and ultimately eradicated.
Team Bolton , Napanee Curling Club: we are proud to have created the logo for the U18 Women’s curling team and to sponsor the team for this season.
Smiths Falls Frost Hockey: We love supporting organizations that empower young girls in sports.
Lawson’s GoFundMe : Earlier this year, Nicole and her family found out that their son, Lawson, has cancer. This is something no family should have to go through. We are proud to support Nicole and her family on this difficult journey.

We Had a Great Team Building Retreat

We wouldn’t be who we are without our incredible team, so we make sure to take some time to reset and reorient as a group. This year, we went to Nashville for our team retreat. Between the delicious meals, line dancing lessons, and late night laughs on Broadway, we planned for the new year, strategized for our clients, and got back to the basics of who we are as an organization.

Check out our Guide to Nashville to get inspired for your next trip.

Ready for the Holidays

Our team will be out of office from December 22nd until January 5th to enjoy the holidays with family and friends.

If you’re interested in learning about digital marketing services for 2026, send us an email to hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call in January. We’re now onboarding for February and beyond.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at The Small Social Company. We’re excited to come back from the holidays refreshed and ready to support you in achieving your business goals in 2026.

Our Favourite Canadian Brands

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 18:34:06 GMT

It’s been a crazy year in the ecommerce space. With tariffs that are on-again, off-again, rising trade wars, and Canada Post strikes that never seem to end, Canadian brands have had to navigate a lot in 2025. And while our team does our best to shop local no matter what’s happening in the world, we’re showing Canadian brands a little extra love this holiday season.

If you’re still looking for the perfect gift, or you’re simply wanting to support more Canadian brands heading into the new year, keep reading to find out which businesses we love to support.

Jewellery + Accessories

Santa Isla

Looking for a unique accessories brand? Look no further than Santa Isla. This Canadian brand works in partnership with Embera Chami artisans of Colombia to produce beautiful beaded jewellery and accessories. These products are woven with “spiritual intention as a way to connect back to nature.” These pieces are playful and meant to bring joy to those who wear them. The best part? 20% of each sale goes back to the Embera Chami artisans to support their communities. We love their beaded rings for a fun personal touch that’s sure to start a conversation.

Lisa Gozlan

Lisa Gozlan is a top favourite brand on our team. We love them for their easy to wear, versatile pieces that go with just about any outfit for every occasion. Our favourite products? The Happy Face Collection and Horoscope Bracelets .

XXL Scrunchie & Co

Scrunchies and claw clips that are cute and functional? Can’t ask for anything better. XXL Scrunchie & Co is a family run business based out of Prince Edward County. It started with the founder, Tina, who used to hand-sew her own scrunchies to match her outfits, and transformed into a beauty brand shipping across Canada and the US. With scrunchies and claw clips for all hair types, XXL Scrunchie and Co operates by the motto, “Go Big or Go Home” not just in hair accessories, but in life. Tina is taking a pause on production in 2026, but she still has lots of amazing products on her website.

Beverages

Palatine Hills Estate Winery

Palatine Hills Estate Winery is located in the beautiful Niagara region. It’s a second generation, family-run winery that’s rooted in tradition, but always looking forward to future adventures. They carry everything from bright rosés to full bodied reds, and even delicious ciders and spritzes. We always reach for the Oh Goody! Rosé , Movin’ to the Country Peach wine , and Ramblers Schmoozer Cab-Merlot .

BLUME

Delicious drinks that are good for you? Sign us up. BLUME is a Canadian beverage company focused on gut health, sleep, energy, and recovery from exercise and illness. Their goal is to tap into superfoods to help their customers live a healthier, happier life. With simple ingredients and a mission to be kind to the planet, we love everything BLUME stands for. We reach for the Reishi Hot Cacao Blend for a good night’s sleep and the Superbelly Strawberry Hibiscus for a caffeine-free afternoon burst of hydration that’s also digestive health-friendly.

Skincare + Beauty

Sidia

Toronto-based Sidia is a SOCO favourite for their luxury body care products at non-luxury prices. The brand was established in the search for the perfect hand cream, and is now an iconic Canadian skincare brand. Products include hand creams, serums, perfumes, exfoliants, and more. Check out their BRALESS: Body Mist for hours of hydration and a lightweight scent you can’t get enough of.

Lake and Main

If you’re looking for a natural skincare line, Lake and Main is it. Located in Westport, this women-run business offers body, face and home care products that are 100% natural. They’re transparent about their ingredients so you always know what you’re using. Our favourite product? The Radiant Eye Oil is seriously a 10/10.

LUSH

Body scrubs, soaps, bath bombs, and more. LUSH has been a Canadian favourite brand since 1996. Their products are developed with environmental consciousness, and they refuse to test on animals or work with suppliers who do. Our go to? The Snow Fairy Lip Mask for all day hydration.

Vintage Noon

The jet-setters on our team love Vintage Noon, a skincare brand tailored to the travel-inclined. While fun, travelling can be hard on your skin, and Vintage Noon’s founder noticed this first-hand. She set out to create a brand that not only solves these problems, but creates an inclusive community of travel and beauty enthusiasts. The goal is simple: uncomplicated skincare for busy people on the go. Our top choice is the Overnight Mask for vacation recovery of red, sensitive skin.

Sueet

Do you ever look at a skincare routine and think, “that’s too many steps”? If that’s you, check out Sueet. This skincare brand supports the natural functions of your skin and believes less is more, both in steps and ingredients in their products. They are fully transparent in what their products could do, but don’t make promises, and simply want to promote skincare that feels good and works for all skin types. What are we reaching for from Sueet? The Tallow Barrier Balm that’s packed with vitamins and fatty acids to rejuvenate dry winter skin.

Mintier

Founded by two friends who believed there had to be a better way to freshen breath and get a good night’s sleep, Mintier is a clean oral wellness and beauty brand changing the way we freshen up. They create oil-based, sugar-free fresh breath staples and skin-loving face tape to help show up as your best self every day. Our top picks include their original Fresh Breath Serum and their Mouth Tape for a restful sleep.

Three Ships Beauty

Built on the pillars of transparency and empowerment, Three Ships Beauty is a skincare line that helps you make informed beauty choices. Three Ships is all-natural, vegan, dermatologist-tested, and sustainably sourced. The founders believe you don’t need a 12-step beauty routine to love your skin. Be sure to check out their routines for every skin type.

BushBalm

Say goodbye to razor bumps and rough skin. BushBalm offers gentle, effective solutions for ingrown hairs, razor burn, and bikini-area irritation. It’s backed by clean ingredients and real results. Their routines will help you feel smooth, confident, and cared for from head to toe. Our must-try is the 2-Step In-Grown Hair Routine .

Cheekbone Beauty

Cheekbone Beauty is an Indigenous Canadian cosmetics company established to create a space in the beauty industry where everyone, including Indigenous people, feel represented and seen. Every year, Jenn and her team release a new product in the For Future Generations line with 100% of profits going toward providing Indigenous students with access to post-secondary education. With sustainable products and a commitment to bettering our world, Cheekbone Beauty is a brand we’re proud to support.

Apparel

KOTN

Consciously designed in Toronto and ethically made in Egypt and Portugal, KOTN is an apparel and home brand that’s all about making things in a way that’s good for people and the planet. They use sustainably sourced materials and a portion of every purchase goes toward funding schools, supporting farms, and changing lives. Check out their gift guide for pieces that last.

Huha

No one likes a UTI and that’s exactly why the brand Huha was created. Huha is a line of breathable, mineral underwear, designed to be gentle and comfortable to wear. They’re versatile, and designed with women’s health in mind. No matter what style of underwear you prefer, there’s something for you at Huha.

Brunette The Label

Comfy sweaters, stylish jackets, and matching lounge sets you’ll never want to change out of. You can find all of these with Brunette The Label. Based in Vancouver, the brand operates by the motto “Babes Supporting Babes”. We love clothing that inspires, strengthens, and elevates women. The Brunette crew necks and hoodies are some of our favourites.

Little Buck

Based in Bowmanville and founded by Marianne and Shane, Little Buck started as a baby brand for their premature son. It’s since grown into an accessories brand that creates quality pieces for adults and children alike. Our top pick is the Waffle Cabin Beanie for warmth and style from fall to spring.

Made for the Lake

Inspired by cottage country living, Made for the Lake brings you cozy, durable apparel that celebrates life by the water. Think comfy hoodies, campfire-ready tees, and timeless lake-day staples. It’s the perfect blend of relaxation, nostalgia, and outdoorsy spirit. We love a good crew neck , but everything at Made for the Lake is perfect for hanging out by the lake, sitting around the campfire, or lounging at home.

Smash & Tess

The queens of everyday comfort. Smash + Tess is known for their iconic Romper collection. Every piece we have is soft, flattering, and made for days on the go and nights on the couch. We’ll never say no to clothes that we can dress up or dress down and make getting ready feel simple and fun. Items we love? Their Romperalls and the Sunday Romper .

Hooky

Here’s an idea we should all get behind in 2026: rest isn’t something you earn, it’s something you take. That’s the motto behind Hooky, an apparel company that wants to restore your sense of worth, and remind you that skipping the grind is not indulgent, but essential. Each piece created at Hooky is handcrafted in small batches in Vancouver in an effort to prioritize quality and intention. What’s our favourite item? Their bathrobes are unbeatable.

Show Local Love

As you finish your holiday gifting or look ahead to a fresh start in the new year, we hope this list inspires you to explore and celebrate the countless incredible Canadian brands who operate in and support our local communities.

The Small Social’s 2025 Holiday Gift Guide

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 16:51:08 GMT

The holiday season is here! If you’re like our team, you have a shopping list the length of your arm this time of year. And no doubt, you’ve got some people who are tricky to shop for. Our team has rounded up a list of our favourite items to help you make completing your gift list easier. Check out our 2025 Holiday Gift Guide to get inspired.

For the Ultimate Cozy Champion

Sometimes the best gift is comfort, and this list has nothing but items for the person who loves to relax in a calm, cozy environment. These picks are perfect for curling up while tackling your to-do list or enjoying a well-deserved break.

Winter Candle Collection from The Good Home Company
Vintage Collection Candles from The Good Home Company
Le Pearle candle warmer lamp from Anthropologie
Cooling blanket
Nespresso Pixie

For the Self-Care Enthusiast

In 2025, we’ve really leaned into self care. And we want that for everyone heading into the holiday season and new year. Treat your loved ones (or yourself!) to a little indulgence this holiday season. Our team’s self care gift recommendations make it easy to recharge, refresh, and feel great every day. Our top self care items?

For the Fashion-Forward Friend

We all know someone who loves to express themselves through fashion. Help them elevate every outfit with these on-trend picks. For some people, it’s statement jewelry or the perfect sweater. For others it’s cozy-but-stylish work from home wear or the perfect winter beanie. Regardless of who you’re shopping for, these gifts are made for showing off their personal style.

For the Foodie & Entertainer

Perfect for those who love to host, snack, or sip their way through the holidays. These picks are thoughtful gift ideas. Consider gifting these to create moments that are as memorable as they are delicious.

For the Sports Enthusiasts

If you’re shopping for someone who was glued to the TV cheering on the Jays, or never misses their favourite NFL team on Sunday nights, these gift picks are a thoughtful way to score every time. Consider these items for the sports enthusiast on your holiday shopping list.

For the Sentimental Soul

This list is all about gifts that tug at the heartstrings and make memories last. If you’ve got someone on your list who loves capturing memories and documenting life’s moments (big and small), there’s something here for them!

35mm Camera to capture holiday memories
Frame Ornament for hanging your favourite memories on the tree
Skylight Frame to display all the moments you’ve captured in one digital photo album

No matter who you’re shopping for this holiday season, these gift ideas make it easy to show a little love and appreciation, and create some holiday magic. Happy gifting, and here’s to a holiday shopping season that’s easy, stress free, and full cheer.

The Ultimate 2025 Social Media Manager Gift Guide

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 18:38:00 GMT

If anyone deserves to be spoiled this holiday season, it’s social media managers (we might be a little biased). Between staying on top of trends, creating content that strikes a perfect balance between creative and effective, and last minute requests that have to go live ASAP, our team is a group of multitasking pros that deliver outstanding results for our clients, no matter the challenge. We asked our team to share their gift ideas for the holiday season. The comfy, the practical, and the items they need before they launch their next campaign. This gift list has so many great items for the social media manager in your life.

Keep reading to get inspired by our team.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn’s picks for the holiday season are all about creating cozy vibes for an easier work day. She starts her morning with a coffee in this adorable vintage Coffee Mug . When the days get a little chilly, she uses her favourite Heated Blanket to help stay warm and focused. And for the days when she doesn’t take her eyes off the screen, these Blue Light Glasses come in handy to reduce eye strain so she doesn’t miss any small details while building out her next website.

Ashley

Everyone has their favourite coffee mug, and Ashley’s pick for the holiday season is this festive stoneware Coffee Mug from Crate & Barrel. For days on the go, she doesn’t leave the house without this Battery Bank . Because there’s nothing worse for an SMM than a phone dying mid-content day. When she’s at home crushing calendar reviews, Ashley loves a comfy Sweatshirt like this one from Aerie. It’s perfect for WFH, and all your cozy weekend plans.

Madi

When she’s on the go between in-person meetings, Madi always keeps her favourite Cake Prague XL Round Sunglasses close by. They’re stylish, not flashy, and great for any occasion. She also loves this LONG USB C Charger to make sure she can charge her phone or laptop whether she’s sitting at her desk for a call, launching ads from the couch or sitting in the back seat of the car on the way to a content day. And, when she’s capturing video testimonials, she loves this Ring light with phone holder for optimal lighting with every take.

Jules

Jules is a photo editing queen who needs to zone in and focus. Her gift list picks include these Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Headphones which are a must-have for blocking out the external noise and staying on task. To keep her laptop protected, she loves this Heaven Mayhem cheetah print laptop case which is a perfect combination of stylish and functional, especially when she’s on the move. For a work day self care essential, Jules is loving the Snow Fairy lip mask from LUSH Canada to battle the chapped lips in the dry, cold weather.

Vic

Our SEO guru’s top picks are all about creating an environment that helps her stay focused and comfortable while she’s working on technical tasks. For those cold mornings when she comes in from walking her dog, Vic turns on this handy desktop space heater to help her warm up. She loves her Spotify Premium subscription, and recommends it as a great gift for any SMM who likes listening to music or podcasts throughout the workday. She suggests pairing the subscription with the Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Headphones (a gift so good, it made the list twice!)

Addie

After a busy day of client meetings and content creation, everyone deserves a little self care. Addie’s holiday gift list focuses on exactly that. Her top holiday picks include the Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask , because no one has time for dry winter skin (you can gift the full size, or there’s a mini version that’s the perfect stocking stuffer). To create a relaxing holiday atmosphere, Addie loves candles from Mala the Brand. Her current favourite? Milk & sugar. And for all around comfort during the work day or downtime, Addie always reaching for the Pink UGG Tasman Slipper .

Barb

While Addie’s list is all about self care after the work day, Barb’s is all about starting off the day on the right foot. On her list? The Hatch Restore alarm clock. Not only does it have great features for your evening routine, but the sunrise alarm ensures gentler wake ups so to start the morning on a calmer note. For her morning coffee, Barb goes for the Ember Mug . It’s the perfect choice to keep your coffee warm, especially when the day gets away from you. To keep her workspace calm on stressful days, Barb uses this beautiful Aroma Cocoon Diffuser from Saje. Pair it with your favourite diffuser blend for your perfect work environment.

Lara

Lara’s SMM gift list is all about staying organized and on top of things no matter what the day throws at you. Lara loves a good planner, and for 2026, she’s excited to try out the Colibri Planner . It’s perfect for keeping track of deadlines, meetings, and creative ideas all in one place (and a great alternative to the Dailee Planner). When she needs a little wellness boost during the day, she reaches for her Saje Pocket Farmacy because no one has time for a headache or sore throat when there are deadlines to meet. And every social media manager needs a reliable, stylish bag that fits it all on the go. Lara’s top pick is the Multitasker Tote from Poppy and Peonies.

Carolina

Carolina’s list is filled with cozy comforts for a little warmth while working from home. Her go-to for winding down after a busy day of crushing calendar creation is a mug of Blume hot chocolate . It’s like a hug in a cup and a perfect treat in the cold weather. To complete the cozy setup, she recommends a pair of cozy slippers to stay warm during the work day, and when she puts her feet up for some knitting in her downtime.

Emily

Emily’s gift recommendations are all about convenience and comfort for the SMM who’s always multitasking. Her must-have water bottle? An Owala to make staying hydrated throughout busy days a little easier (and cuter). She’s also loving a sleek laptop bag

that fits everything she needs for work sessions with the team or at the cafe. And because snacking is serious business when you’re editing reels or scheduling posts, she suggests a compact snack tray to make sure the SMM in your life always has something yummy nearby.

If you’re shopping for a special social media manager (or treating yourself to a little holiday joy), these great picks from our team are sure to bring comfort, creativity, and a touch of luxury to every workday. Whether you know a content creation queen, a scheduling superhero, or an SEO star, there’s something for everyone to make their holiday season brighter. Happy gifting!

The SOCO Guide to Nashville

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 17:05:02 GMT

Team building? Live music? Delicious southern food? Sounds perfect. Our team recently went on our annual retreat where we reoriented our goals, reset as a team, and had more fun than we could have ever expected. This year, we chose Nashville as our retreat location, and we’re not exaggerating when we say more than one SOCO girl didn’t want to leave. Music city stole our hearts, and whether you’re going for a night, a weekend, or a week (luck you!), we have recommendations everyone will love.

Where to Eat

Martin’s BBQ Joint

If you’re looking for traditional southern bbq, you have to check out Martin’s BBQ Joint . With a huge smoker onsite and an incredible selection of bbq options, you will leave Martin’s feeling happy (and full). The mac and cheese is some of the best you’ll ever have. The hush puppies are perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. If you’re going with a group of friends, try as many menu items as you can. Because between the brisket, ribs, and pulled pork, there wasn’t a bad bite to be found.

Los Toritos Mexican Restaurant

Madi is a big Mexican food fan. So when she calls something her favourite Mexican restaurant, we listen. Los Toritos serves up authentic Mexican dishes you’re not going to find at your local chain restaurant. Some of our favourites? The guacamole, queso, and street corn are incredible starters. The birria tacos, nachos supremos, and Pollo con Queso were all popular choices. 10/10 would go back again. While you’re there, treat yourself to a margarita. They’re amazing, refreshing, and come with the cutest surprise.

Raising Cane's Fried Chicken

When you think of southern food, what comes to mind? For us, Nashville is synonymous with fried chicken. And when you need crispy chicken done the right way, you stop at Raising Cane’s Fried Chicken. Nashville’s Raising Cane’s on Broadway delivers exactly that. Golden, crunchy perfection paired with their signature sauce. They’re open late with extremely fast service. A stop at Raising Cane’s is a perfect way to end the night.

The Pancake Pantry

Whether you’re a breakfast person or not (we’ll only judge a little), The Pancake Pantry is a Nashville institution. Expect a line, but trust us, it’s worth every minute. This Nashville staple features a large menu of sweet and savoury breakfasts. So whether you’re looking for a light bite like avocado toast to start the day, or you want to experience the legendary southern pancakes, there’s something for everyone. We loved the pancake sampler, the Pantry wrap, the chicken fried steak and the vanilla cold brew.

Where to Shop

Nashville’s shopping scene is a perfect mix of southern charm and cool, modern vibes.

Fifth + Broadway

This area off the main strip is a one-stop spot for small boutique shops and local brands. Check out The NASH Collection for a souvenir sweater that’s anything but souvenir quality. The area also has a cute store called Little Words Project where you can make or purchase Taylor Swift style friendship bracelets. Addie was so excited to get a Life of a Showgirl inspired bracelet on album release day.

Our team loved Molly Green for trendy country-inspired fits. If we make it back to Nashville, some of us will for sure be stopping at STUDS for a piercing experience that’s as stylish as it is fun. When you’ve got so much packed into a 3 day trip, it’s impossible to get to everything.

12 South

For a more local vibe, head to 12 South. It’s walkable, and packed with so many fun stores and photo op locations. A few of our team members spent some time at Hart Jewelry to make beautiful charm bracelets and necklaces. Some of our Bravo girls, like Vic, were so excited to shop at Sewing Down South and picked up some adorable sweaters and canvas bags. And while we didn’t stay for coffee because the line was crazy long (a local told us to order ahead by an hour), we dropped by the famous La La Land Cafe to check out their adorable merch.

The Strip

How can you go to Nashville and not shop the strip? Broadway is full of stores. It’s the perfect place to find souvenirs like t-shirts and magnets to bring back home. And of course, a trip to Broadway wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Boot Barn . Even if you’re not in the market for a new pair of boots, you have to check out the incredible collection they offer.

What to Do

The Grand Ole Opry

No trip to Nashville is complete without music. And we hit some unforgettable highlights. We were lucky enough to visit the Grand Ole Opry during its 100th anniversary weekend, complete with appearances from Country music legends including Terri Clark, The Gatlin Brothers, Riders in the Sky, Don Schlitz, and Ricky Skaggs. The highlight of the evening? A surprise appearance from Garth Brooks! It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that gave us all chills, even those of us who aren’t die-hard country fans. The Opry is worth the visit for the music, history, and culture. It’s what country music is all about.

Pedal Tavern

Sometimes team building looks like activities in a boardroom. Other times it looks like a Pedal Tavern ride through Downtown Nashville. We laughed, sang, and did some sightseeing together. The Pedal Tavern is such a fun way to see the city.

Line Dancing

When in Nashville, you have to find somewhere to learn how to line dance. And lucky for us, we did! Category 10 (among other places) offers multiple opportunities to learn to line dance during the week. It was packed, but a fun, pressure-free environment for all skill levels. A few of us left Nashville line dancing like pros.

Broadway

Nashville is known as Music City for a reason. And there’s no better place to experience that (other than the Opry), than on Broadway. There are countless celebrity bars to check out. It’s not just about the celebrity name attached to these places, but the spectacular variety of music offered along the strip. Everywhere we went had live music from talented local performers. A few of them had rooftop bars with beautiful views of the city. And when we wanted to dance, we found spots with DJs offering exciting club vibes. Some of our favourite spots? Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge , Morgan Wallen’s This Bar , and Jelly Roll’s Good Night Nashville .

Looking for some place to ride a mechanical bull in Nashville? Carolina was. She found it at Wild Beaver Saloon . And she rocked it!

Would we go back?

In a heartbeat. Nashville truly has it all: incredible food, vibrant energy, and that unmistakable southern hospitality that makes you feel right at home. Whether you’re traveling for work, play, or a little bit of both, we promise you’ll leave already planning your next trip back.

Influencer Marketing in 2025: What You Need to Know

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 18:27:56 GMT

Influencer marketing has become a staple in the marketing strategies of small and large businesses alike. The practice of partnering with individuals to promote and support your brand became popular in the mid-2010s on YouTube, and grew to become a 10 billion dollar industry by 2020. The value of influencer marketing continues to grow.

Today, influencer marketing is one of the primary ways consumers make purchasing decisions. It’s been reported that some consumers trust the opinion of their favourite influencers over their own friends and family. This speaks to the power of influencer marketing and the overwhelming value of social proof in the online space.

It’s not just large brands using influencer marketing either. More and more small and medium sized businesses are incorporating influencer and affiliate marketing into their business plan to support growth, expand brand awareness, and attract a new consumer base.

Types of Influencers

When influencer marketing first became popular, it really focused around mega influencers and star power. But just like how it’s not just large brands dominating the influencer space, it’s not just celebrities influencing the purchasing behaviours of the average consumer. There are different types of influencers, including:

Mega/Celebrity - 1M+ followers
Macro - 100K-1M followers
Micro - 10K-100k followers
Nano - >10K followers

Micro influencers in particular are growing in popularity. They have the ability to blur the line between personal content and marketing, staying relatable while talking to their target audience. There is also the consideration of affordability. Compared to macro influencers, and certainly celebrity influencers, micro influencers offer brands the opportunity to reach a larger, localized customer audience, often without a massive budget requirement.

Benefits of Influencer Marketing

Increased brand awareness: An influencer will support your brand by getting your products or services in front of a new group of potential customers.

Audience targeting: Getting your product or service in front of more people is important, but it’s crucial to make sure you’re reaching the right people. When you partner with an influencer in your niche or with interest in your industry, you’re reaching people who would actually use your products and engage with your business.

Authenticity + trust: Online marketing is all about showing, not telling. When your audience sees a real person they trust using your products, it creates credibility for your brand.

Higher conversions through social proof: People want to live and behave like people in their circle. This extends to trusted public figures like influencers. For many people, their favourite influencers are part of their daily lives. They want to use the products they recommend and live in a similar way. Partnering with the right influencer will create social proof around your products or services to make it a reliable choice for your target audience.

Creating an influencer strategy

We love a good influencer partnership. But the partnership has to make sense. An influencer strategy is necessary to ensure you and your influencer partner are getting the most out of your agreement. When crafting an influencer strategy, consider these key points.

Clearly define your goals: We create influencer agreements for our clients that clearly outline the terms and goals of the influencer partnership. At this stage, you should be able to answer questions like:
Is the partnership paid or are you gifting product/services?
How many blogs, posts, reels or stories is the influencer required to produce?
Is this an ongoing partnership or a one-off project?
Is there an affiliate component where the influencer earns commission from any sales they help produce?

By being clear about your expectations, you can create an influencer agreement that ensures the partnership is mutually beneficial and both you and your influencer partner are aligned.

Determine campaign goals and messaging: Before you reach out to influencers for a partnership, you should determine what your desired outcomes are.
What message are you trying to deliver to your potential customers?
What is the call to action?
Do you have a dollar amount or number of sign ups you expect to receive from this partnership?

These should all be laid out in your influencer agreement.

Research Influencers: Creating a strong influencer partnership relies on choosing an influencer who has a clear interest in and understanding of your industry. While an influencer may have a strong following, that won’t help you if their community has no interest in what you have to offer. Finding an influencer in your niche will help you tap into a new consumer base for your business and produce a loyal, engaged following for your brand.

Influencer Outreach: Once you have determined who you’re going to reach out to and what your goals and expectations are, it’s time to reach out to your potential influencer partners. We recommend creating a canned message that can be customized to the influencer. Keep the message short with some details about who you are, what you offer, and how you would like to partner with them. Invite them to learn more about the collaboration on a call to make the experience more personal and professional.

Avoid These Mistakes

Partnering with an influencer can be an exciting way to support your business growth on and offline. But it’s easy to get wrapped up in the excitement and fall into a few common influencer marketing traps. Avoid these mistakes to ensure your influencer partnership delivers on your expectations.

Seeking star power over brand alignment: We know that it sounds appealing to reach out to mega and macro influencers for their star power and large following. But if their content and interests aren’t aligned with what you have to offer, it isn’t a good use of time and resources. You want your partnerships to support your growth, not drain your marketing budget.

Failing to define success: It’s easy when you get swept up in the world of influencers to establish partnerships without a clear definition of what success looks like. Make sure you and your influencer partner are on the same page about what they will be delivering and how they will be supporting your business through your partnership.

Accountability: In the terms of your agreement, outline clear deliverables and deadlines. Whether it’s a one-off project or an ongoing partnership, you’re investing time, money, and resources into your influencer marketing. Establish how you’re going to keep each other accountable and on track for the best chance of success.

Is Influencer Marketing in Your Future?

Influencer marketing is an amazing way to help your business reach potential customers. The benefits are endless if you partner with the right influencer for your brand. We understand that navigating the world of influencer marketing can seem overwhelming, and our experienced team is here to support you.

We’ve helped brands in a variety of industries, including apparel, men’s and women’s accessories, and food and wine, leverage influencer marketing. Not only have they seen engagement improve online, but they have experienced tangible growth and increased interest in their businesses.

We take on a limited number of influencer marketing clients each year and are now onboarding for 2026. If influencer marketing is in your future, let’s chat. Send us an email to hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call and learn more.

SOCO Fall Faves

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 18:09:03 GMT

If you’ve been following us for a while, you know that our team has some must-have products we can’t live without. And while we try to keep up with trends, there are simply products that we keep around through it all. As we embrace cozy girl fall, we’ve made a list of our fall faves. Some of these you’ve seen on our other gift lists, some are products we might have been gatekeeping a little bit. But they all make the work day easier and help make our downtime a little more fun.

Here’s our roundup of fall faves:

For Slaying WFH

Staying Hydrated and Energized

There’s a small divide on our team between the Brumate Era Cup users and the Stanley Cup fan. You can head to our Instagram to find out who the Stanley Cup lover is on the team. �� A new addition to our team’s roster is this amazing glass infuser bottle , which is perfect when you want to brighten up your water with things like strawberries, lemon, or cucumber. Regardless of which brand you prefer, a large capacity water bottle or cup that keeps our drinks cold throughout the workday is a must-have for staying hydrated.

Need an energy boost? Pick up our team’s fall favourite Nespresso Maple Pecan pods and enjoy it in your Yeti tumbler to keep it hot for hours. Coffee not really your style? We won’t judge. But we do recommend the Alani NU Fall Favourites , which includes flavours like witch's brew and pumpkin cream.

Desk Essentials

We love the basics like our Air Pods and Dailee Planners (2026 planners just dropped). But what else does our team have on their desks to get us through the work day? Our desk essentials include a good USB desk fan and a desk lamp to shine some light on the situation. We also have some cute additions like Good Home Company Candles , Pumpkin Sticky Notes , Crochet Coasters , and this beautiful candle warmer to enjoy your favourite fall candle, flame-free.

For Crushing Content Creation

We’re always working on perfecting our content creation game and we couldn’t do that without some top rated tools.

Capturing product photography can be challenging when you don’t have the right light or backdrop. That’s not a problem with this amazing, portable Photo Studio Light Box and Product Backdrops . We also love this set of Mirrors for Product Photography when capturing items like jewelry, fragrances, and sunglasses for a polished look. When we’re capturing video, this Handheld Gimbal always comes in handy for stable video, even on the move (this is a personal favourite of Jules) and these Wireless Microphones for clear, crisp audio, even when recording on an iPhone. And because we need the absolute best lighting on content days, we can't go anywhere without our Video Rig With Ring Light .

For Your 5-9 After the 9-5

The 5-9 after our 9-5 is all about spending time with family and friends, unwinding from the busy workday and enjoying our hobbies and recreational activities. Whether it’s whipping up the perfect meal, enjoying your favourite after-work drink, or taking a little time for yourself, we’ve got you covered with our fall fave items.

For the Perfect Meal

Love it or hate it, cooking is one of those things that needs to get done. Our fall fave cooking items make getting meals ready a lot more fun. For cookware, our team is loving the Our Place Always Pan and Perfect Pot , this great Instant Pot dupe (that we think works better than the original), and the Cuckoo Rice Cooker for perfect rice without the fuss.

Say goodbye to guessing whether or not the chicken is cooked with this awesome Meater Plus smart thermometer. This wireless thermometer lets you monitor the internal temperature of meat in the oven or pan right from your phone. And you can add some fun and whimsy to your kitchen with this adorable Enamel Kettle , available in 2 and 3 quart sizes and a variety of colours.

All the D rinkware

If you’re like the gals on the Small Social team, you enjoy a wide range of drinks. From iced coffee and juice to wine and margaritas, we’ve got drinkware recommendations we know you’ll love.

Enjoy your ice coffee in our top pick Iced Coffee Glasses , or juice in these cute Anthropologie glasses . For wine night, choose between classic Fable Wine Glasses or add a pop of colour with these pink wine glasses . And for the perfect shot of tequila in your spicy marg, we love these beautiful, handmade Mexican pottery shot glasses .

For Self Care

At the end of the day, we all deserve a little self care. Whether your daily wind down routine involves watching some reality TV, colouring, or mindlessly scrolling social media, enjoy it cozied under our team’s favourite weighted blanket wearing the softest fuzzy socks . Watching the baseball game or enjoying some Monday night football? We love these soft blankets and cozy socks to rep our favourite teams.

If a full skincare routine is more your speed, incorporate this Beauty Sleep face mask from Lush into your regiment. Our team also loves the Rhode lip tint , these eye masks to depuff after a long day, and a good gentle microfoliant . Looking for a way to step up your skincare routine? Jules loves her redlight face mask from Omnilux for treating redness and inflammation.

This fall, treat someone you love (or yourself) to some new goodies, relax, and enjoy the cozy season.

Is Your Social Optimized for Search?

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 15:31:31 GMT

We think it’s safe to say that we all miss the days where strong social media marketing involved consistent posting, some solid engagement, and eye-catching visuals that told the brand story.

These days, the algorithm is changing at lightning speed, and it takes a lot more than a good video to get noticed. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for social media content has emerged to become a key aspect for brand growth and recognition.

A Refresher

SEO is the process of optimizing your online content to be searchable so it appears in search engines. For a long time, this was primarily focused on websites, since that used to be your primary digital storefront. But now, search engines like Google are indexing social media content to appear in search results. This means that when you’re creating your social media content, you need to consider what phrases or keywords your potential customers will be searching for in order to find your content.

How can I leverage social for SEO?

Social as search is a great tool for getting your content discovered on professional and creator accounts. You want your content to be searchable. But there’s nothing worse than reading a caption that’s obviously trying to incorporate keywords for discoverability. Remember that your content needs to remain authentic and sound natural. Avoid keyword stuffing and keep copy natural and engaging.

Prioritize the First Line of Copy

You’ve heard that you need to hook your audience in the first three seconds of a video. The same goes for getting the algorithm’s attention. A lot of platforms cut off longer text. If your keywords are buried at the bottom, your content is less likely to be effectively indexed for search. Use keywords early in your copy for the most discoverability.

Tag Relevant Locations

And use them in your copy. If you’re a business that operates exclusively in a particular area, you should take advantage of location tagging and local keywords.

A business that operates exclusively in a particular area should take advantage of location tagging, local hashtags, and local keywords in their content. Facebook and Instagram will suggest content that’s relevant to your audience, both in-feed and in the explore page. Local tags and keywords will help you show up in these places and support you getting your content in front of potential customers who are in your geographical area.

Optimize Your Profile

Keywords on social media aren’t just for copy. You can and should use them in your name, bios, and about section. Tell people who you are beyond your name, what services or products you offer, and where you are. Being strategic about keywords in your profile information will not only allow your content to be discovered, but could help your target audience find your entire profile with one search.

Be Consistent

Consistency is important for your overall online strategy, but showing up on a regular basis also shows the algorithm that your content is up to date, engaged, and worth indexing to appear in search results. Posting regularly with optimized content increases the number of times you’re using keywords and increases your chances of ranking higher in search results over time.

Consider Alt-Text

Google is testing ways to index instagram alt text in search results. Posts could be more searchable outside of the app making alt text an even more powerful tool for discovery. If you’re not using it, it could be time to start.

SEO Research Tools

How do you know which keywords to use so your content ranks? We asked our SEO queen, Vic, what her favourite keyword tools and tricks are.

Google Keyword Planner : this planner can target specific towns and cities to see how often keywords are searched on Google in that area
Semrush Keyword Planner : Semrush is less specific for geographical locations, but is a great starting place for keyword research
Use Google to understand Google : type keywords into Google and look at the “people also searched” section to get more ideas
Research platform-specific keywords : some keywords might rank higher from Instagram vs. TikTok

Don't Forget

While you want your content to be searchable, it’s crucial to stay true to your brand voice and personality. A major mistake brands make while trying to be searchable is writing captions that are very obviously trying to incorporate keywords. Avoid keyword stuffing, and keep copy natural and engaging to avoid alienating your loyal customer base. Your content should achieve one of three things: entertain, educate, or inspire your audience. Keep those principles in mind when creating your content and incorporate keywords into your priority messaging.

Do you need an SEO strategy?

SEO is one aspect of digital marketing that certainly makes a lot of people feel like they’re lost in the woods. The good news is, we’re here to help! Our SEO team is experienced with supporting brands rank on Google and other search engines, not just through website content, but from social media too. Whether you’re looking for a profile refresh, a full social media overhaul, or a full SEO strategy for your entire digital presence, reach out to us to set up a discovery call. Your online growth is our top priority.

Keeping Up with Self Care From Hot Girl Summer to Cozy Girl Fall

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 17:48:13 GMT

Do you find that you’re really good at taking time to unwind and do some self care in the summer, but terrible at it when you’re back into more structured routines in the fall? Us too. Summer feels like a time to prioritize yourself, get out, and have some fun. It’s a great time to take your PTO and enjoy time with friends and family, travel, and do things that are simply good for your soul.

Then comes the fall. And while we love the crisp mornings and the change in seasons that September brings, for a lot of us, it can feel like a snap back into reality, where self care, personal development, and healthy habits go out the window to prioritize life’s responsibilities. We’re here to tell you that just because we’re saying goodbye to the carefree days of summer doesn’t mean taking time to prioritize yourself should stop.

Here are a few self development tips and healthy habits you can incorporate into your fall routine to help you prioritize mindfulness and take care of yourself.

In The Morning:

Start Your Day Disconnected

We all know how it goes. Your alarm goes off, your phone is in your hand. What would it hurt to take a quick peek at your emails and do a morning scroll of social media? Turns out, it can actually rewire your brain and impact your focus for the entire day. It’s healthy to start the first hour of your day screen-free to give your brain the chance to wake up.

How can you avoid the temptation of the morning scroll? Try setting your phone to “do not disturb” at night, or setting a personal focus that only allows you to receive texts and calls. That way, you’re not seeing notifications from your social media accounts as soon as you open your eyes.

Establish a Routine That's Just for You

What are you going to do with that extra 20 minutes you got back from not scrolling? Try to create a morning routine that helps set a calm tone for your day. That could be journaling, meditating, a solid skincare routine, or just sitting outside wrapped in a blanket while you enjoy coffee from your favourite mug. Whatever your calm looks like, take some time to breathe and set yourself up for a positive mindset to tackle the stress of the day.

Enjoy Natural Light

You’ve probably heard it before, but we’re going to tell you again. Starting your day with natural light will not only help you by boosting endorphins at the start of your day, but it also supports healthy nighttime sleep. If you work from home, like our team, it’s a great way to signal the start of the work day as well. Get outside or sit by a window and bask in the daylight.

Throughout the Day:

Take Your Lunch Break

Remember those sunny days of eating well while you lounged by the pool or sat out by the lake? It’s just as important (maybe even more important) to continue fuelling your body while you settle back into your structured routines.

We know that some days are busy and it can feel almost impossible to pull yourself away from your desk, but we promise the task will still be there when you get back. Even if it’s just 10-15 minutes, step away, eat, and reset your brain.

Get Up and Stretch

When you log off, do you have to lower your shoulders and uncurl your back? Try to avoid ending your day looking like a little shrimp by getting up to stretch a few times throughout the day. Stretching helps to improve mood, boost blood flow, and reduce muscle stiffness and pain. Your body will thank you.

In the Evening:

You may have heard that the key to a good morning is actually a good evening the night before. With that in mind, here are a few things you can do to wind down from your day, re-centre yourself, and set yourself up for a good night’s sleep and a fresh start tomorrow.

Take a Walk After Dinner

If you spend most of the day sitting, going for a quick walk after dinner is incredibly beneficial. Movement after a meal helps digestion (goodbye nighttime bloating?) and stabilizing blood sugar. It will also help you burn off some energy and reach your daily step goal.

Go Screen-Free Before Bed

Do you catch yourself scrolling long after you turn off the light? Blue light from devices like phones and laptops suppresses melatonin production, which can lead to overstimulation, disrupted circadian rhythm and restless sleep. We know it’s tempting to unwind with your phone in your hand, but putting your devices away an hour before bed can help you have a more restful night and wake up feeling refreshed.

Practice Gratitude

When you’re back in the day-to-day chaos of balancing work, errands, relationships, and other personal commitments, it’s so easy to get caught up in the things that go wrong. Something we’re working on is practicing gratitude at the end of the day. This can be writing in a gratitude journal, pausing to do some meditation, or simply mentally acknowledging the people and things you’re grateful for. A bonus to this: there are actually proven health benefits to practicing gratitude. Positive effects include reduced depression and anxiety, improved sleep and mood, and less stress.

The Bottom Line?

The transition from the carefree days of summer back to the structured routines of the fall can be difficult. But making a few small changes throughout your day to take care of your mental and physical wellbeing and focus on yourself will have massive benefits.

Making Small Business Social Feel Simple

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 17:39:05 GMT

Here at The Small Social Company, strategy and storytelling go hand in hand. That’s why we’re so proud to share that Madi Harker, our Co-Founder and Director of Social Media, was recently featured by Digital Reference in their roundup of standout social media consultants in Canada.

This feature highlights what we’ve believed from the start: small businesses deserve smart, strategic support. From 1:1 coaching to complete content planning , we’re here to make social media feel less like a chore and more like a confidence building tool.

Where Strategy Meets Simplicity

Madi’s approach centers on helping founders feel confident navigating platforms with clarity. Her background in audience segmentation and performance analytics gives every campaign a purpose. She’s passionate about implementing and encouraging a tailored data-backed, human-centered strategy that works for each client.

Whether you’re a maker, a coach, or a local service provider, Madi’s frameworks help demystify content creation and give you room to actually enjoy it. It’s not about keeping up, it’s about showing up in a way that works for your brand.

We Build Social Brands That Feel Like You

At The Small Social Company, we know there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy. That’s why our services are built around personalized support, collaborative planning, and real conversations. Our goal is to help small business owners recognize their social media pain points and co-create sustainable solutions that align with their voice, values, and audience.

Explore our wide range of social media service options to see how we support founders at every stage of their social journey.

Powered by Women Who Get It

The Small Social Company is built by women who understand what it’s like to work hard. Our team knows firsthand the pressures of small business life, which is why our work is rooted in empathy, simplicity, and strategic clarity. Whether it's helping you find your brand voice, decode your analytics, or just feel good showing up online, we’re here for the real work of growth.

Being featured by Digital Reference is an exciting reminder that our approach is making an impact. We’re proud to support founders who want to grow their presence with intention.

We’re proud to share that our Co-Founder & Digital Brand Director, Jules Woods, and our Co-Founder & Director of Social Media, Madi Harker, were recently featured in a Digital Reference article celebrating standout professionals who lead with strategy, craft compelling stories, and drive engagement across Canada’s uniquely diverse markets.

About Digital Reference

Digital Reference is a trusted source for insights and recommendations across marketing , social media , and creative services. Their mission is to connect growing brands with real people doing impactful work, from consultants to agencies and everything in between.

We’re honoured to be part of their ecosystem of verified professionals and proud to keep showing up for small businesses that want to grow with purpose.

Our Summer 2025 Gift Guide

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 15:16:05 GMT

As social media managers, we spend a lot of time online, finding trends, discovering new products, and bookmarking things we can’t wait to try. When summer rolls around, it feels like the perfect time to refresh our routines and try out products that have caught our eye. From fresh scents to sun-ready staples, our team has rounded up the 2025 summer must-haves we’re currently obsessed with.

Keep reading to check out what our team is loving this summer. ⬇️

Cat

Being pregnant this summer, Cat is all about the effortless look. The Summer Fridays Tinted Moisturizer is her go-to for fresh, glowy skin without the fuss. It’s perfect for busy mornings when you still want to look put together without spending a lot of time getting ready.

Another thing to simplify her routine is the Shark FlexStyle. It’s a total game-changer for styling hair quickly (and with minimal heat damage).

Addie

If you want to bring a little vacation energy into your day, Addie swears by the Kayali Vacation in a Bottle mini perfume set. Each of the four scents is like a different getaway in a bottle.

She also loves a classic Tennis Bracelet. It instantly elevates any outfit, whether you’re in a sundress or heading out for an evening of fun.

Jules

Jules truly cares about her skin and she will never forget her SPF. She’s stocking up on Vacation Sunscreen, not only for the protection but for the nostalgic summer scent.

When it comes to the perfect summer outfit, this Free People Dress is her favourite pick. It’s perfect for production days or patio dinners after work.

Ashley

Ashley is enjoying trying new recipes this summer, and Earth to Table Every Day is the cookbook she can’t put down. From fresh salads to crowd-pleasing desserts, it’s inspiring all her meals this season.

For footwear that’s equal parts comfy and cute, she’s loving the UGG Goldenstar Glide Sunray sandals. They’re perfect for running errands or relaxing at the cottage.

Vic

Skincare is always top of mind for Vic, and the Supergoop Zincscreen Mineral Lotion is her summer must-have for staying protected without clogging pores.

To finish off any look, these Crescent Hoop Earrings are a simple, stylish accessory that goes with everything.

Barb

Barb never leaves home without a good lip product, and the Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil is her new staple for hydrated, glossy lips.

While she is out paddle boarding, you will find her wearing the Red Contrast Hat for a pop of colour. It keeps her protected and looking cute on even the hottest, sunniest days.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn has been reaching for the Kayali Yum Boujee Marshmallow perfume. It’s sweet, fun, and perfect for summer evenings.

For her kitchen, the Anthropologie Icon Juice Glass is her favourite new find, especially the hot tamale glass. It’s perfect for a margarita.

Madi

Madi is all about mixing comfort with personal style. She loves her Custom Name Necklace. With its simple, dainty design, it’s the perfect touch for any outfit.

When it comes to cozy essentials, she can’t live without her The Bar varsity sweater. It's the perfect oversized sweater for lounging around at the cottage.

This summer, treat yourself or use this list to find someone the perfect gift. Whether it’s a new signature scent, a must-have accessory, or sun essentials, these picks are sure to inspire all season long.

The Ultimate 2025 Social Media Manager Gift Guide

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 15:02:18 GMT

As social media managers, we’re always on the lookout for items that are new, trending, and can make our lives just a little bit easier. With the weather warming up and hot summer days right around the corner, our team has put together a list of things we’re absolutely obsessed with right now.

If you or someone you know is always glued to their laptop or scrolling through TikTok and Instagram looking for the latest content inspo, keep reading for all our summer favs.

Check out what the Soco team is loving this summer in our social media manger gift guide! ⬇️

Jules

Jules loves having fresh flowers on her desk, and she found the perfect flower vase any SMM would love to have. There is truly nothing like fresh flowers, and a pop of colour on your desk.

The Hatch Restore Alarm is something everyone needs to start the day without a blaring alarm clock. It's a great, gentle wake up and starts your day off on the right foot.

Madi

If you’re an SMM, you know how important it is to capture quality video content. Madi is a content queen. If you've ever worked with her at a content shoot, you won't find her without the HoverAir Drone. It’s a perfect splurge for capturing stunning aerial content with ease, bringing content to the next level as an SMM.

If you're looking for a book to read this summer, check out The Let Them Theory book. It offers a fresh perspective, offering a step-by-step guide on how to stop letting other people's opinions, drama, and judgment impact your life.

For a comfortable yet stylish footwear for those quick production day or casual office days, Madi is loving the Ugg Clogs for a versatile and cozy choice that'll keep her comfortable all day.

Cat

Cat was gifted the Ganni Oversized Tote, and it's become her go to bag, especially as an SMM. It's perfect for those days when she needs to carry all her essentials, from her laptop to content props, and all her personal belongings.

To keep her ideas flowing and organized, a Smart Notebook is on her wishlist. The ability to write notes in a book (because she still loves to take handwritten notes) and have them digitized to share with others makes it a game-changer.

Ashley

For Ashley, staying comfortable and having a fully charged phone are both non-negotiables. For those work-from-home days or at the cottage by the fire, an Aritzia Cozy Hoodie is her ultimate pick. You’ll also always find her with a Portable Charger. It's necessary for any SMM who's constantly on their phone, capturing content or managing accounts while out and about.

Brooklyn

Our team loves a good tote bag and for Brooklyn, the Poppy and Peonies Tote is the perfect bag for carrying her daily essentials. Brooklyn also loves Summer Fridays, and their Lip Butter Balm is perfect for hydration and shine. It's an amazing moisturizer that Brooklyn rates a 10/10.

Vic

Vic is all about comfort and keeping things practical in her busy life. She loves staying warm, even in the summer months. When working from home, she's always wrapped up in a Heated Blanket. A phone stand is also perfect for any SMM who needs their phone on display while working, or for hands-free content viewing.

Barb

If you have a SMM in your life, you know they love bags and tumblers. We see so many ads online for trending products but the Simple Modern Terk Tumbler is Barb's favourite, keeping her drinks cold all day long. The Tote from Permission is a stylish, yet spacious bag that can hold all her daily essentials, making days on the go a breeze.

Addie

We didn't lie when we said our team loves a bag. Addie highly recommends the Beis Work Tote, it's a classy and super functional bag that can carry everything a busy SMM needs for client meetings or on-location content shoots. To make her workspace a bit more calming, she loves the Saje Diffuser with her favourite essential oils.

This summer, consider these thoughtful gifts for the social media managers in your life. Whether they’re looking to boost their productivity, express their creativity, or simply enjoy a little comfort, these items are sure to bring a smile to their face and support their amazing work. Happy gifting. Stay tuned for our summer gift guide for everyone.

The Psychology Behind Digital Marketing

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 16:37:50 GMT

Learn how you can apply psychology to your digital marketing campaigns in order to foster success.

Psychology plays a crucial role in everything that we do. Every time you see an ad – whether on social media, print, or in an email – you’re experiencing a strategic, calculated effort to capture your attention and influence your behaviour. From fonts and colours to tone and messaging, marketers are using psychological principles to build engagement and drive action. But, how can you apply these principles to improve the performance of your ads? In this blog, we will discuss how you can effectively implement psychological principles to maximize the effectiveness of your digital marketing efforts.

Biases

Cognitive Biases

A cognitive bias impacts how we all interpret the world around us and make decisions, even without us realizing it. In digital marketing, understanding and leveraging these cognitive biases can help us influence the behaviour of our target audience and drive conversions.

Anchoring Bias

Anchoring bias refers to the tendency to put an emphasized focus on the first piece of information that we receive when making decisions. This initial piece of information, or “anchor,” influences how we interpret the value, price, and/or significance.

In digital marketing, anchoring bias can be applied through displaying a discounted price beside the original price within the ad. Additionally, showcasing a more expensive product next to a mid-ranged product within an ad will make the items seem more appealing.

Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias outlines that we are more likely to seek out, favour, and remember information that already aligns with our existing beliefs. Information that doesn’t align with these pre-existing views is often ignored or dismissed.

Successful digital marketing campaigns are created to align with their target audience’s already existing views and preferences. In doing so, they are more likely to engage and convert.

The Impact of Colour

Colours have a strong, distinct impact on how consumers perceive your brand and digital ads. By strategically choosing colour, businesses are able to influence consumer decisions, build brand identity, and improve user experience. Colours are proven to evoke emotions, so by harnessing their power, you are able to influence consumer behaviour and drive conversions.

Each colour has a different emotional impact on the consumer. Some may include:

Red : Strong emotions, urgency, excitement

Yellow : Optimism, happiness, positivity

Green : Growth, nature

Blue : Trust, calm, professional

Purple : Luxury, sophistication

By choosing colours that align with the emotions you wish to portray, digital advertising and company branding will enhance brand recognition and influence consumer decisions more effectively.

The psychology behind digital marketing plays a key role in determining its success. By leveraging cognitive biases and other psychological principles, you are able to create more effective marketing campaigns and drive conversions. Applying these insights will not only attract more potential customers, but it will also foster stronger connections, engagements, and improve brand loyalty.

Women In Leadership: Advice For Emerging Female Entrepreneurs

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 16:53:23 GMT

A woman's guide filled with advice and daily habits in order to be successful chasing your dreams as an entrepreneur.

Embracing the Journey

From a young age, I knew I wanted a career where I could help others. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be able to make a positive impact on the lives of those around me, and be the light in someone’s day. While my vision on how to achieve this evolved over time, my core values and dream remained unchanged.

Each of us has unique aspirations, and therefore, fulfillment looks different for everyone. Even though we both have different dreams, one thing remains the same – in order to be successful, we need to remain consistent, flexible and persevere.

I’m going to be honest. It may be exhausting. Frustrating. Scary. Push you to your limits.

But remember, the stronger the storm, the more beautiful the rainbow at the end of it.

Along the way, you may experience jealousy towards others achieving similar goals, or you may face judgment that makes you question your abilities. There are people who are going to become a test to see how much trust and confidence you have in yourself.

If this happens, it’s important to remember that there is no right or wrong way, just your way. We all have different paths. Just because your path may be different than someone else’s, doesn’t mean it is wrong. There will be obstacles along the way, but it’s important to keep moving forward – whether you’re walking, skipping, or running – and eventually you will reach your dream destination.

5 Tips For Emerging Female Entrepreneurs:

Set Clear Goals

Determine clear, measurable goals that align with your vision for your business. These goals will help you to navigate as your business grows and will help you track progress.

Stay Focused

Despite any challenges that you may be facing along the way, do not lose focus on your end goal. Remember who you are, tap into your strengths, and continue to remind yourself why you started.

Remain Persistent

Flexibility is the key to success – adapt when necessary and learn to view setbacks as just another part of your journey. After all, every good story with a happy ending has a couple of plot twists along the way.

Build a Supportive Circle

Surround yourself with people who will help support your dreams by uplifting and encouraging you. Attend networking opportunities to strengthen your connections within the industry, seek mentors, and tap into supportive online resources.

Marketing

It’s important to start your marketing efforts early on, and to have a consistent schedule. Determine who your target audience is, and cater your efforts towards their needs and preferences.

Daily Habits For Success

Have a healthy work-life balance
Exercise daily to boost mental clarity
Have a morning and an evening routine
Fuel your body with a healthy and balanced diet
Stay hydrated
Try time-blocking to manage tasks effectively
Set clear, daily goals and prioritize high-impact tasks
Continuously learn through podcasts, seminars, and courses
Stay organized and have a dedicated, clutter-free workspace
Journal and reflect on your progress

Entrepreneurship is a path filled with both the highs and the lows. Success is achievable, just remember to stay true to yourself and embrace the journey. We believe in you.

Employee Influencers

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 16:36:27 GMT

In today’s digital landscape, companies are turning to a powerful yet often overlooked marketing asset; their own employees. Employee influencers are reshaping the way companies build trust, engage audiences, and amplify their brand messages. By utilizing the authentic voices of their team members, businesses can create a more genuine and relatable online presence.

Companies are successfully utilizing employees as the influencer-style content, or more commonly referred to as employee-generated content (EGC), because of the many benefits of this strategy.

Benefits of Employee Generated Content

Cost-Effective Marketing Strategy

Investing in marketing tactics such as influencer partnerships and paid advertising can be expensive, however, employee-generated content offers a cost-effective alternative. By utilizing the voices of their own team members, companies can expand their reach organically without the need for a large marketing budget.

Positively Improves the Brand Reputation

A company’s reputation isn’t built on products or services alone—it’s shaped by the people behind it. Employee-generated content highlights things like the workplace culture, leadership values, and employee satisfaction, all of which contribute to a positive brand image.

Effective Tool for Recruitment

Potential candidates want to know what it’s really like to work at a company, and employee-generated content provides an inside look. When employees share their experiences, workplace culture, and achievements, it helps attract top talent who align with the company’s values. EGC serves as a powerful recruitment tool that showcases a company as a great place to work.

Is Employee-Generated Content Right for Your Company?

By embracing employee-generated content, companies can create an authentic, cost-effective marketing strategy that enhances trust, attracts top talent, and boosts their overall reputation.

Before deciding to invest in your next influencer marketing campaign consider if the real stars are already within your organization.

The Power of Influencer Marketing

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 18:46:46 GMT

In a world that has grown to put emphasis on digital content, we are seeing traditional advertising, such as print advertising, decline in effectiveness for the majority of target audiences. Today, a large portion of consumers have a strong social media presence. So it only makes sense to advertise on these platforms. To successfully promote products and services, many organizations have embraced influencer marketing.

What is Influencer Marketing?

Influencer marketing is the practice of brands partnering and collaborating with individuals with a strong social media presence, to promote their product or service. The influencer is often a prominent figure in the community that you wish to target. For example, an athletic wear company may wish to partner with a fitness influencer. The benefits of this would be that the product or service gains visibility online and to the influencer’s followers. In doing so, the brand is able to reach new potential clients and customers. Overall, increasing your brand exposure through influencer marketing is proven to boost your conversion rate.

Almost 70% of consumers trust what consumers say and recommend

In order for influencer marketing to be successful, it’s important that the influencer has established trust and loyalty with their following. If your best friend or family member came up to you raving about the latest product that they tried, you’d likely be more intrigued to try it for yourself. Influencer marketing follows the same idea. When an influencer you trust and admire is endorsing a product, you trust that you will also have a positive experience with the product or service. You would have more confidence purchasing a product or service, because word of mouth promotion has become much more effective than other forms of advertising.

Micro or Macro?

You may have heard about nano, micro and macro influencers before, but what does it mean?

Nano-influencers have approximately 1,000 followers

Micro-influencers have 1,000-100,000 followers

Macro-influencers have 100,000-1,000,000 + followers

Just because they have a larger following, doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be more effective promoting your brand. Often, smaller influencers have a close relationship with their following and may have a higher engagement rate. They also may be more flexible with their fees and content schedules. On the other hand, macro influencers have a more diverse audience, have a more established position within the industry, and may have more experience working with brands.

68% of brands prefer Instagram for influencer marketing, followed by TikTok

What’s Trending on Social Media?

Ever wonder how a product becomes trendy? Often, it is due to social media influencers promoting the product. When influencers showcase a product, it creates a buzz. When this buzz is created for a product, it can quickly be spread across multiple social media platforms. People often have the tendency to follow trends due to our need for social acceptance alongside the persuasive power that the media has. Additionally, when we start to see our peers purchasing items that are trending on social media platforms, we are more drawn to purchasing them ourselves.

While there is never a guarantee that a product or service will become trendy, working with social media influencers to broadcast your product or service on their platforms is an effective way to increase your reach to potential clients.

Influencer Marketing Benefits:

How can partnering with an influencer help your brand? Here are some of the benefits of influencer marketing:

Builds Trust and Credibility

Successful influencers have built a strong foundation of trust and loyalty with their followers. Building upon this trust is an effective way to promote your business.

Engaging Way to Reach your Target Audiences

Influencer marketing is able to use precision targeting to reach your desired audience with influence.

Demonstrates your Product or Service Hands-on

The content created through influencer marketing is able to showcase the features of the product or service, which intrigues potential clients and provides them with the opportunity to determine if it is the right fit for them.

Boosts Brand Awareness

Influencers are able to promote your business to their platforms and to their audiences. In doing so, it has the ability to increase your social media presence and drive sales.

Tips and Tricks

Here are four tips for marketing with influencers:

Clearly Define your Goals

Determine what objectives you’d like to achieve through influencer marketing. Is it to increase social media engagement? Drive sales? Promote a new product?

Know your Target Audiences

To effectively reach your target audiences, you must know their preferences, platforms, and interests.

Choose the Right Influencers

Not only is it important to choose influencers who align with the type of product you provide, but it’s also necessary to find partners whose values align with those of your organization. Make sure they have a strong and loyal connection with their audience.

Track Performance

Monitor the performance of your marketing efforts so that you know what’s working and what isn’t. In doing so, you are able to adjust accordingly.

Content Marketing: The Key To Growing Your Business

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 19:30:34 GMT

What Is Content Marketing?

Content marketing delivers targeted, informative, and engaging content that speaks directly to both your current and potential clients. It shows consumers that you understand their needs and are invested in their success. This approach helps build a partnership, positioning your brand at the forefront of their mind when it’s time to make a purchase.

Content marketing is all about creating and promoting brand content tailored to specific audiences. The goal is to raise awareness, engage, and build long-term relationships with potential customers for your product or service.

Benefits of Content Marketing

Content marketing is an essential part of any marketing strategy. It lets you share your expertise and boosts brand awareness. By providing valuable, informative content, you keep your brand top of mind for customers when they’re ready to make a purchase.

For example, a customer considering buying a new television. Brand A has been posting helpful blogs and how-to videos that highlight their product’s features. Brand B, however, doesn’t offer extra content. As a result, consumers are more likely to associate televisions with Brand A, which has built trust and supported their decision-making process along the way.

Content marketing also helps brands establish credibility, foster trust, and improve customer retention, leading to long-term loyalty.

The Three Stages of Content Marketing

Awareness Stage

The first stage, Awareness , is dedicated to providing insight into your brand and the services that it provides. Writing about challenges within the industry and how your brand addresses them will shape yourself to appear as knowledgeable and trustworthy.

For this stage, you want to ensure that you aren’t perceived as overly promotional.

Some content ideas include:

Blog posts
Educational videos
Infographics

Consideration Stage

Now that you have made your audience aware of industry challenges and your brand, you are now able to mix marketing with your informative content. While still providing educational content, you should also lean more heavily into what your product or service offers.

Some content examples include:

Case studies
Checklists
Live demos

Decision/Closing Stage

At this last stage, your marketing tactics are focused on converting leads into sales. It’s important to showcase why your product or service is the best choice for the consumer. It’s important to anticipate any hesitations that potential clients may be experiencing, and provide reassurance by showcasing your knowledge and expertise. Overall, showcasing the benefits of your product or service will help you to ensure your success in this stage.

Some content examples include:

Buyer’s guides
Success stories
Product videos

Are you ready to get started?

Do you think content marketing would be the right fit for your brand? Maybe you’re wondering where to start. Here at The Small Social Company, we are dedicated to providing tailored plans to help achieve your brand’s marketing goals. Reach out to book your discovery call today.

The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 13:20:26 GMT

This year, we’re sharing some of our favourite products that we’d love to gift (or receive!) this holiday season. Whether you're shopping for a family member, a friend, or someone who deserves something special, you can't go wrong with our gift guide.

Jules

If you know someone who is a coffee lover, the Nespresso Aeroccino 4 is a must-have for creating the café-quality foam at home. Pair it with Fable Wine Glasses , a timeless addition to enhance any gathering or a quiet evening in. For skincare lovers, Barefaced Liquid Gold offers hydration and brightness for that coveted glow.

Vic

Stay cozy with Ugg Tasman Slippers , the perfect mix of comfort and style. For drinks on the go, Vic recommends the Jessie James Decker Cooking Line Tumbler Set , a chic and functional way to keep beverages hot or cold.

Ashley

Bring fun to the kitchen with the Ninja Slushi , ideal for making slushi drinks. For a touch of style, an Accent Chair makes a perfect addition to any room. Everyone needs a high quality Knife Set , a staple for every kitchen.

Erin

The Poppy & Peonies Sidekick Bag is Erin’s go-to for its stunning, versatile design, perfect for work or weekends. She also loves the Brumate Tumbler , which keeps drinks perfectly hot or cold all day long, an essential for anyone on the move.

Cat

For a meaningful gift, a Custom Charm Necklace adds a delicate personal touch to any outfit. Busy days are easier with the Lululemon Tote Bag , a durable and stylish option for work, travel, or errands. The Summer Fridays Holiday Pack is on everyone's list and would make the perfect stocking stuffer.

Brooklyn

Transform any shower or bath into a spa experience with a Towel Warmer , because who doesn’t love a warm towel? For effortless styling, the SinglePass StyleMax Professional 1" Flat Iron delivers sleek or wavy looks with ease. And for laid-back comfort, Brooklyn loves the Buffalo Bills Graphic Crew Sweatshirt , the perfect oversized sweater.

Nicole

Nicole loves the Sephora Advent Calendar , a beauty lover’s dream with daily surprises to brighten the season. She also recommends the Simple Modern Tumbler in Hazelnut , which combines sleek design with functionality to keep drinks perfectly tempered all day.

Madi

Stay warm all winter with a Heated Blanket , perfect for cozy nights in. For casual comfort, Ugg Clogs are a stylish, versatile footwear option. And Madi swears by Devotion Eau de Parfum Intense , a luxurious fragrance that’s both memorable and timeless.

This holiday season, we’ve rounded up thoughtful gifts for everyone in your life. From cozy comforts to home essentials, these picks are sure to bring a little joy and make the season extra special. Happy gifting!

The Ultimate Social Media Manager Gift Guide 2024 Edition

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 13:26:25 GMT

Whether you’re a social media manager yourself or you have someone in your life who is always glued to their laptop or scrolling through TikTok and Instagram for content inspiration, you've come to the right place. Our team has put together a list of must-have items to make navigating the world of social media a bit easier and more enjoyable this holiday season. Plus, we added a few fun items and SMM would love to have!

If you’re looking for thoughtful gift ideas that can help the social media manager in your life boost their online presence while also bringing a smile to their face, keep reading!

Jules

If you know Jules, you know she loves looking for the latest clothing and apparel trends. This year, she wants the Dairy Boy Hat for those casual work-from-home days. As a SMM you’re always on your phone, so why not have a cute Bauble Bar customized cell phone case to add a personal touch. Our team loves our Nespresso machines, adding the Terracotta Nespresso Travel Mug to enjoy your favourite coffee on the go is a great gift.

Vic

Victoria values comfort and organization in her busy life. As someone who is always cold working from home, she wants the Dyson fan/space heater , a versatile tool to keep her workspace cozy throughout the year. To stay organized, she recommends the 2025 Dailee Day Planner to help keep track of her tasks and meetings. For those cozy nights in, the Favourite Daughter Sweater is a perfect way to stay warm.

Ashley

For Ashley, coffee is an essential part of her work day. Any SMM would love to receive Ellenas Coffee Beans to fuel their long work hours. A cute coffee mug is something Ashley, and everyone on our team loves. To keep things comfortable, she loves the Roots Dress —a perfect blend of style and comfort for those days spent in front of the screen.

Erin

Creativity flows freely when you’re equipped with the right tools. This year, Erin is hoping for a Polaroid camera to capture spontaneous moments, along with wireless earbuds for an uninterrupted work experience. To keep cozy during creative sessions, a fleece throw will add that extra layer of comfort.

Cat

This year, Cat is looking to increase her productivity on the go, dual portable monitor screens would be a perfect splurge. A new iPad Pro would also help the marketer in your life create stunning content and enhance their productivity. A StickyGrippy Suction Phone Case Mount will keep her phone securely in place to capture even more content.

Brooklyn

Comfort remains at the forefront for Brooklyn this holiday season. She thinks the Brumate 30oz is the perfect mug to keep her drinks perfectly chilled, along with an Ember Heated Coffee Mug to enjoy her coffee at the ideal temperature. To stay cozy Brooklyn loves an oversized sweater, she is currently loving the Buffalo Bills Oversized sweater.

Nicole

Nicole believes that every social media manager deserves a bit of luxury in their life. She’s asking for a collection of stylish coffee mugs to brighten up her workspace, as well as some fun Kitsch scrunchies to keep her hair in check during busy days. Additionally, she loves the eco-friendly Pela Phone Case , perfect for protecting her device while being kind to the planet.

Madi

Madi is the ultimate people connector, she recommends Cool to Connect Cards , which are perfect for sparking meaningful conversations and building connections. For skincare, Madi swears by ZO Skincare products to keep her skin looking fresh, she also loves facial treatments at The Beauty Development. Since she’s constantly on the move, AirPods are a must-have for taking calls or joining meetings on the go.

This holiday season, consider these thoughtful gifts for the social media managers in your life. Whether they’re looking to help increase their productivity, express their creativity, or simply enjoy a little comfort, these items are sure to bring joy and support their work in the digital space. Happy gifting!

Are You Ready to Boost Your Holiday Sales with TikTok?

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 14:57:36 GMT

The holiday season is fast approaching, and many brands have already started their holiday advertising campaigns to get ahead of the competition. With millions of shoppers gearing up for holiday purchases earlier than ever, now is the time to act. Brands that start early have a significant advantage, capturing attention and driving sales before the holiday rush. We don’t have you to be left behind, let’s capitalize on this opportunity to position your brand front and centre this season!

If you want your holiday campaign to stand out, TikTok provides an ideal space to connect with audiences who are actively planning, searching, and purchasing gifts.

Why Advertise on TikTok This Holiday Season?

Early Holiday Planning

TikTok users are highly organized when it comes to holiday shopping. In fact, they are 37% more likely to say their 2024 holiday shopping is more planned than it was in previous years. This means brands have a prime opportunity to target audiences early in the season when they’re finalizing their shopping lists. By launching your TikTok campaign early, you can capture the attention of these early planners, ensuring your brand is top of mind when they make their holiday purchases.

But it’s not just about early shoppers. TikTok’s 190% increase in #holidayshopping videos around Halloween indicates that the platform is a key space for pre-holiday conversations. If your brand isn’t part of that early buzz, you’re missing out on valuable exposure.

The Power of Brand Discovery

TikTok excels at helping users discover new products and brands. 58% of TikTok users discover new brands and products through the platform, 1.5x more than users of other social media platforms. The unique For You Page (fyp) algorithm continuously delivers personalized content that resonates with users, meaning your brand has a higher chance of being discovered by new potential customers.

Additionally, holiday shoppers on TikTok are more engaged, turning to the platform to not only find but celebrate their purchases. This creates an exciting feedback loop where users feel inspired by the platform, make a purchase, and then share their experience with their own followers. The opportunity for virality and word-of-mouth marketing on TikTok makes it an invaluable tool for brands looking to expand their holiday reach.

Increased Holiday Purchases

Discovery is only the beginning. TikTok also drives sales. 55% of TikTok users are likely to purchase a product for the holidays after seeing it on the platform. This positions TikTok as not just a place for brand exposure but as a genuine driver of conversions.

Users are 1.3x more likely to impulse shop on TikTok than on traditional platforms. The platform’s focus on short, engaging, and creative content ensures that users remain hooked and open to exploring new products and deals. Whether it’s through trending challenges, product showcases, or collaborations with creators, TikTok helps drive your audience from discovery to purchase faster than most platforms.

Holiday Shopping Trends on TikTok

The holiday season on TikTok starts earlier than you might think. 68% of TikTok users begin their holiday shopping weeks before the holidays, and 21% start more than a month in advance. This provides a clear opportunity to get ahead of the competition by launching your holiday campaigns early.

In addition to this, 87% of TikTok users shop for gifts for themselves during holiday events, creating even more opportunities for brands to promote both gifting and self-gifting incentives. Whether your products fall under categories like fashion, beauty, travel, or home decor, TikTok users are ready and willing to make purchases based on what they discover on the platform.

Capitalize on Peak Moments

TikTok is all about trends, and during the holiday season, trends are magnified. From hashtag challenges like #ChristmasGifts or #BlackFridayDeals to creative content showcasing your best-selling holiday items, you can position your brand to capitalize on peak holiday shopping moments. Popular holiday hashtags such as #CyberMonday or #HolidayGifts can increase your brand’s visibility, driving traffic and engagement when users are most active.

Another key trend is the Q5 period —the time between Christmas and mid-January when users continue to shop for themselves, taking advantage of post-holiday sales and deals. 51% of TikTok users plan to shop during this period, so don’t forget to extend your holiday campaign beyond December to capture these active shoppers.

TikTok Best Practices

Success on TikTok relies on creating authentic, engaging content that resonates with users. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your holiday campaign:

Create a Hook: TikTok users scroll quickly, so grab attention in the first 3-5 seconds. Use eye-catching visuals, call out a holiday promotion, or ask an engaging question to get users interested right away.
Highlight Key Selling Points: In the middle of your video, show why your product is perfect for the holidays. Whether it's solving a problem or making the perfect gift, make sure your content clearly communicates why it’s a must-buy.
Add a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): End your video with a clear CTA—whether that’s encouraging viewers to check out your website, take advantage of a special offer, or join a holiday challenge. Let your audience know exactly what they should do next.
Sound On: TikTok is a sound-first platform, so choose music, voiceovers, or sound effects that align with your holiday campaign theme.

Make 2024 Your Best Holiday Season Yet

The holidays are a crucial time for businesses, and TikTok offers a unique platform to connect with a highly engaged audience. With its ability to spark brand discovery, drive impulse purchases, and tap into trending holiday content, TikTok should be a key component of your holiday marketing strategy in 2024.

By starting your campaign early, taking advantage of holiday trends, and crafting creative content that resonates, your brand can maximize its reach and sales this season. Make this holiday season your most successful one yet on TikTok.

How TikTok is Redefining Search

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 15:33:48 GMT

Did it ever occur to you have your new go-to search engine might not be Google anymore? TikTok, the platform known for its endless stream of entertainment and meme-worthy content, is transforming into a wealth of information.

The Shift in Search Behaviour

Gone are the days when Google was the sole place where someone would go to gain knowledge on a topic. According to the New York Times, a growing number of younger users are turning to TikTok’s search algorithm to find what they need. This isn’t just about scrolling through endless videos; it's about harnessing TikTok’s features and soph isticated algorithm to serve up content that's aligned with users' preferences and interests. It’s like having a personal curator who knows exactly what you’re looking for, even before you do.

A Platform for All Ages

TikTok’s allure isn’t restricted to Gen Z. The platform’s universal appeal has attracted a diverse user base, with around 20% of users falling between the ages of 40 and 49. This wide age range shows that TikTok's relevance extends beyond youthful exuberance and into the mainstream digital consciousness.

Understanding TikTok’s Search Features

What makes TikTok so uniquely suited for information discovery? Let’s break down the latest TikTok search functionalities:

Discover Page: A unique place of personalized recommendations based on your interactions and browsing history. It’s a mix of trending content, tailored suggestions, and curated categories that help you uncover new interests.

Hashtag Search: Dive into specific hashtags to find content that matches your curiosities. Whether you’re exploring #tiktokers or #aesthetic, TikTok’s search algorithm ensures you’re getting the most relevant and popular content.

Keyword Search: Beyond hashtags, you can use keywords to find content. TikTok’s algorithm analyzes captions, profiles, and other data to deliver precise search results. Popular queries like ‘how to’ and ‘what is’ are leading the charge in 2023.

Sound Search: Search for videos based on your favourite tunes or sound effects. With TikTok’s extensive audio library, discovering content by sound has never been easier.

User Search: Looking for specific content creators or users? TikTok’s search feature helps you find and follow your favourites, or discover new ones.

Trending Searches: Stay on top of the latest trends with highlighted hashtags, audio, and challenges.

In-App Search Bar: Conveniently located at the top of your mobile screen, this feature lets you search for trends, topics, and content on the fly.

TikTok’s transformation from a social media platform to a full-fledged search engine is a testament to its evolving role in our digital lives. With its ability to deliver tailored, real-time content, it’s not just a spot for viral trends but a serious contender in the search space. So next time you’re on TikTok, remember—it’s not just about the dances and funny videos; it’s also about finding exactly what you’re looking for, all with a touch of fun.

Ready to dive into TikTok content creation? Send us a message to learn more about how to make the most of this dynamic platform.

Case Study: Content Creation & Social Media Performance

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 21:04:06 GMT

As a digital marketing agency, we have the opportunity to work with a wide range of clients in a variety of industries. This includes working with businesses that operate on a franchise or co-operative model. Developing a marketing strategy for these types of businesses is unique in that we are often representing the head office, while also creating content for smaller franchises or member businesses under the corporate umbrella. There is a head office content calendar and a calendar created for the franchisees or members to use that keeps their social media aligned with the overall brand without having to create their own content in-house.

In some circumstances, the independent franchise owners or member companies seek unique opportunities to work with us directly to create customized content and manage their digital marketing. What we have seen emerge is a significant difference in performance for those businesses. For social media specifically, the franchisees who work with us get a calendar tailored to their business rather than utilizing the more generic corporate content. When we work directly with the franchise owner, we have the ability to customize their marketing strategy and speak directly to their customers, creating familiarity and opportunities for engagement. It often ends up being the same amount of content with similar messaging to the corporate content, but with a more specific focus on the franchise location, customer base, and services.

So, what’s the difference between working with us directly and working with us through a head office partner? Keep reading to find out.

Customized Content

As part of the head office strategy, we perform semi-annual photo and video shoots to keep the content fresh. This is a huge benefit to the head office business accounts, but can often fall flat for the franchise accounts. Think about it: sometimes these companies are representing a significant number of franchises or member companies in different geographical locations. In this particular instance, there are approximately 30 member companies across Ontario. How would head office imagery with models and high level information deeply resonate with the customer base of all 30 of these businesses? It’s incredibly unlikely.

With our franchise management packages, we encourage business owners to choose the option that includes photo and video production, especially if their brand library hasn’t had a refresh in a while (or ever). These are a huge benefit to local businesses. Why? Photoshoots with smaller local businesses gives us as the agency the opportunity to create content that specifically highlights their team. Showing a familiar face allows customers to identify the team and builds trust. It also gives insight into what this particular company actually offers, rather than the services they could potentially offer. We’re not simply talking about them being part of a 30 year old organization. We’re showcasing that as an independent business that joined this organization, they have been serving their local community and providing outstanding service for nearly 50 years. Customized content for this member gives them the ability to share their unique stories, highlight their experience, and build a community of trust with the people they serve. The results are pretty amazing. But we’ll come back to that.

Location Tagging, Hashtags and Keywords

When we work on the head office accounts, we try to spread the love to ensure that all member or franchise locations have equal potential to reach their audience. But, with 30+ member companies, that means cycling through locations, hashtags and keywords. When we have the ability to work directly with a member or franchise owner, the ability to customize content and reach their desired audience becomes much more straightforward.

A business that operates exclusively in a particular area should take advantage of location tagging, local hashtags, and local keywords in their content. And we know… there are some people that believe hashtags are out the window, but they still provide value for organic search engine optimization (SEO) and have a place in the digital world. Facebook and Instagram will suggest content that’s relevant to your audience, both in-feed and in the explore page. Local hashtags and keywords will help you show up in these places and support you getting your content in front of people who may not be supporting and following you, but are in your geographical area.

There is also the case for using local hashtags and keywords if you are in tourism. For example, we have a client with a tourist destination in Cabo. If someone is looking for a place to stay in Cabo and is using hashtags and keywords relevant to the area to find places to stay or things to do, our client will start showing up in their search results. It’s an easy way to attract new people to your business page and improve your visibility.

What about if you’re an e-commerce business? Are location tags, hashtags and keywords still relevant? 100%. If you’re trying to attract people in an interest group to your product or you’re trying to expand your business into a new location, being strategic with tagging will be a huge benefit to you.

The Results: A Case Study

When the individual businesses within a franchise or co-operative based business structure focus on creating their own content and managing their accounts at a local level, they perform better online and convert more customers. In the case of a Woodbridge-based HVAC business, we saw some incredible results.

This client was posting content provided by the head office to promote HVAC products and services. While there was consistent branding and frequency in content, there was nothing to differentiate this business from the other 30 independent owners in the co-operative group. We were utilizing photos and videos captured for head office. These assets improved engagement for head office, but was not supporting engagement and brand recognition for this particular business at the local level.

Our recommendation was to maintain the frequency of posting to platforms like Instagram and Facebook, but lean into the local area and leverage the team. We also introduced consistent posting to the company LinkedIn page as a way to maintain the client’s professional network. The client opted to start with a completely organic strategy with emphasis on highlighting the team, community, and their specific service offerings.

The Process:

For this client, we wanted to leverage what makes them unique from not only the other 30+ member companies, but also other HVAC competitors in the area. We started with a full photo and video production on location at their showroom in Woodbridge and a home with their installed equipment. We captured images of the team, interviews with the owner, and action video clips that demonstrate the type of services they offer, as well as the personality and care that goes into what they do every day. With this production, it was all about storytelling for this specific member company.

With photo and video assets from the production, we developed a series of social media content including reels, posts, and stories with the goal of showing the people behind the brand. It’s much easier to trust someone coming into your home to service your furnace if you’ve seen them represent the business outside of the service call. It creates a sense of trust and familiarity when the people you see online are the same ones to show up at your door.

These assets also supported the storytelling of the business’ history. They are part of a co-operative that has been around for over 30 years, but their local story goes beyond that. Instead of simply saying “we’re local” from the head office content, we were able to highlight that they specifically service Woodbridge and the surrounding areas, and that they have been supporting their local community for nearly 50 years. Focusing on these key pieces help give the business more credibility in a highly competitive landscape. Working directly with this member allowed us to highlight events taking place in the local community and ensure the business is woven into the community. For instance, instead of posting a generic Happy Canada Day image, we highlighted Canada Day events taking place in Woodbridge. This helps build connections within their geographical area.

Loca tion tagging and industry/local hashtags were an important part of the strategy and process for this client to support their organic SEO on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. If you were to search “Woodbridge HVAC” or “HVAC services Woodbridge”, their content shows up in your search.

Overall, we maintained the consistency of posting that they were receiving from head office, but tailored the messaging, storytelling and imagery to be specific to the Woodbridge location. With the introduction of consistent posting to LinkedIn, we were also able to leverage an additional platform to improve visibility to the professional network and support growth on a different channel.

The Results:

Instagram

Facebook

In the first month, we saw an incredible increase in metrics across all platforms. There was higher brand recognition overall and the analytics showed an increase in non-followers viewing content on the Instagram account. With the introduction of consistent posting on LinkedIn, rather than sporadic reposting of head office content, the analytics jump significantly, and remain consistent in the months that have followed.

There has been higher levels of engagement on content that highlights team members because as we know, people get excited and want to interact with content that features people they know. The ability to showcase unique services and offerings of this location has differentiated the Woodbridge location not only from others in the co-operative, but competitors in the same geographical area.

So What?

The major shift we implemented for this client was pivoting their content to be more specific to their team, service offerings, and location. This shows the power of customizing content to reflect your team’s unique story, rather than relying on content from head office. While we agree that having head office marketing material does support visibility mainly through consistent posting, you can’t beat the outcome of having your own custom content to share your brand’s story.

We’ve seen outstanding results for numerous clients when tailoring their marketing strategy to prioritize custom content. It’s not limited to co-operative or franchise-based businesses either. In today’s digital space, where algorithms on platforms like Instagram are favouring original content, it’s more important than ever to ensure your brand library is stocked with photos and videos that tell your story.

Your audience wants to share local content. They want to be part of your community and engage with the people and businesses they know. Prioritize authenticity, maintain your brand identity and show your audience that you’re more than a business. You’re there to create relationships that last.

Create Original Content with The Small Social Company

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 17:09:37 GMT

We know that creating original content can be a challenge for a lot of businesses. You may have a whole list of great ideas you want to execute, but you’re short on time. Or you might not have any idea where to start. But one thing is for sure - in today’s online space, original content is key for growth and building brand recognition.

Our team LOVES creating original content for our clients. From original photos and videos, to interviews that capture the essence of your brand’s story, working with our clients to create stunning visuals and developing assets to elevate your brand is one of our favourite things to do. We travel across Canada and the USA to capture unique, competitive and stand out content for our clients to support the development of a compelling story that helps them connect with their audience.

The final edited assets from our content productions are used for organic social media, websites, advertising, and much more. We offer a variety of packages to suit the needs of each individual client, including full in-house production and partnering with professional photographers and video editors for larger scale productions.

Does this sound like something that would interest you? Keep reading to learn more about our process.

Pre-Production

When you book a photo or video production with us, it’s so much more than the content day. We have an entire pre-production process that helps not only our team get prepared, but also ensures our clients feel confident about the production.

It starts with brainstorming with our internal team. We gather ideas from our entire team about how best to execute your content day. This includes inspiration for photos, general videos, and reels that could be produced from your content, and more. All of these ideas are filtered through to create a fully developed production brief, schedule, and Pinterest board or inspiration presentation to help bring your brand to life. During this stage, we do a lot of industry and trend research to ensure your final assets are relevant and can be used to produce content that your audience will want to engage with.

After the internal work is done, we book a virtual pre-production meeting with you to share the brief and Pinterest board, gather feedback, and workshop any final ideas or requirements for the day of production.

Our goal is for you to leave this call feeling confident and ready to participate in creating original content for your brand. This is a great time to ask questions, make suggestions, and voice any concerns.

Looking for a unique location? If your storefront or office isn’t fitting the vibe you’re looking for, we’re also happy to recommend the perfect location for your content day in the pre-production phase.

On Production Day

On production day, our team makes sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. That means you show up and we take care of all of the execution and creative direction. You can usually expect 2-3 people from our production crew on-site, depending on your package and the size of your team.

If you selected a package with professional audio and video, we typically start with getting everyone mic’d up and ready to go. Sometimes people can feel awkward on camera, especially when they have to speak. By starting with the video content, we give everyone a chance to warm up, get comfortable, and get the part of the production that most people dread out of the way. It also gives us the opportunity to fine tune messaging and ensure you don’t feel rushed during your talking points.

Feeling a little uncomfortable, even with your prompts prepared? Our production team will work with you to turn your interviews into a conversation so they feel more natural. We always do our best to keep the energy light and fun - that’s how we get the best video content every time.

Once videos are complete, we move on to photography. By this point, the team is usually warmed up and feeling less stiff. We’ll start with group photos first, followed by individual headshots, before wrapping up with different team groupings, action shots, and product photography. The pre-production Pinterest board or inspo deck comes in handy here, and allows us to make the most of our time together to capture the essence of your brand and team. If you come to the production day with a few new ideas, we’re always happy to incorporate them.

When you work with us for content production, we do our best to keep everything flexible, fun, and stress-free. Because when you feel good on camera, the final results are incredible.

Next Steps

After the content production wraps up, that’s when we work our magic to deliver your final assets.

We’re usually on set with anywhere from 3 to 5 devices. That means we have a lot of files to offload and sort through at the end of a production day, especially if you and your team are really into it. We upload all photos and videos to a shared drive, and collaboratively work through the content to make the selections that are going to help you achieve your goals.

After that, it’s straight to editing. Depending on your package and the scale of delivery, photos will either be edited with light retouching in-house, or receive a full professional edit from our third party photographer. We’ll also work on cutting down nested videos, creating a few final reels, and editing interviews.

Once the edits are complete, we package up the final assets and deliver them for you to review with your team. We then incorporate your new photos and videos into organic and paid social media channels that are sure to resonate with your audience and tell your story.

Remember: the package you receive is only a small part of what we can do with the assets captured at your production. With a full library of edited assets, plus the raw images and videos, we can create content for your digital channels months.

Our Content Creation Must-Haves

Every production crew has their favourite tools. We have a full line up of products we use to capture incredible assets for our clients. Our must-haves include:

Cameras

Sony ZV E1 Vlog Camera
Sony ZV E10 Vlog Camera
This is similar to the Sony ZV E1, but the kit includes the additional mountable lens
Canon PowerShot G7 Mark 3

Microphone

DJI Mic 2
We love this mic set. It’s incredible for filming outdoors and reduci ng background noise to capture crisp, clean audio.

Accessories

Smartphone Light + Stablizer
DJI Gimbal
Both of these products are amazing for keeping your videos stable on the move, without the need for bulky equipment.

Get Ready to Stand Out

With updates to social media algorithms prioritizing original content, especially on platforms like Instagram, having customized assets is essential to helping your brand stand out online. The analytics don’t lie. We’ve seen firsthand how beneficial custom content is for our clients. It tells a story, improves brand recognition, and helps people relate to your brand personality. Whether you’re in a product or service-based industry, having authentic content allows you to build trust with your audience and create meaningful relationships, not simply transactional ones.

If this sounds like something that’s missing from your online strategy, reach out to us at hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call. Whether you’re looking for a small branding photoshoot, or a larger scale video production, we offer customizable packages that fit your unique needs and objectives.

SOCO Summer Fun

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 17:16:49 GMT

It’s officially summer! If you’re like the gals on The Small Social team, your calendar is probably packed with exciting events and social activities with friends. But, if you’re looking for some inspiration to fill up your weekends with summer fun, we have a few ideas for you.

Vic

Movies in the Square

Grab your lawn chairs and blankets (and maybe some bug spray) to enjoy one of Vic’s favourite summer activities: Downtown Kingston’s Movies in the Square. Throughout the summer, the City of Kingston hosts a series of movies in Springer Market Square. This year’s lineup includes classics like 10 Things I Hate About You, Beetle Juice, and Freaky Friday, plus newer blockbusters like The Barbie Movie and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning. Movies in the Square begins on June 20th and runs weekly on Thursdays throughout the summer beginning at dusk. Want to upgrade your movie watching experience? Check out The Star Lounge for optimal seating, snacks and drinks.

Live Music at Spearhead Brewery

If you’re like Vic, you love a good drink with friends. Add in some entertainment and it’s a formula for a pretty good evening. This summer, she’ll be frequenting Spearhead Brewery for some craft cider and live performances from local artists. Do you have a talent you’d like to share? Spearhead even has open mic nights for aspiring artists to show off their skills. Vic will not be participating, but she’s happy to go out and show the local community her support.

Wedding Reception Planning

Are you in the thick of wedding planning? You’re not alone. Wedding bells have been ringing for the last 3 summers at The Small Social, and this year is no exception. Vic is the newest bride on our team. She recently got married in a small, intimate wedding in Prince Edward County. She and her new husband will be spending the rest of the summer planning a big reception to celebrate the occasion with friends and family. We love a good wedding and are so happy for Vic!

Ashley

Empire Rockfest: The Beaches + Dizzy + Luscious

If there’s one thing Ashley loves in the summer, it’s a music festival. This year, she can’t wait for Empire Rockfest: The Beaches + Dizzy + Luscious . The event, featuring three incredible Canadian artists, will be held on July 19th at the Empire Theatre in Belleville. Grab a few friends, book a table at a local restaurant before the show, and make a night of it.

Annual Canada Day Party

It’s an annual tradition of good drinks, good food, and amazing company at Ashley’s Canada Day Party. Is there a better way to spend the holiday than at the cottage, taking in the summer sun on the dock or hanging out in the lake with friends? It’s hard to beat.

Cat

Blue Jays Game

Spending some time in Toronto this summer? A Blue Jays game is almost a must-attend event. Cat loves to head into the city to catch a game with her family and friends. With plenty of home games lined up for the season and fun themed events taking place, a Blue Jays game is a great activity for a big group of friends or an outing with the family. And, in the heart of the city with countless restaurants and attractions around, you can enjoy a day of fun with something fun for everyone.

Taylor Swift Concert

While it’s not technically happening during the summer, the Taylor Swift concert this November will be the highlight of Cat’s year… quite possibly her life.

Brooklyn

Glowball Golf Tournament

Brooklyn has a pretty packed summer planned, but one of her favourite activities with her mom and sister is a round of golf at a local club. She and her group are looking forward to the Glowball Golf Tournament at Briar Fox this August. This fun nighttime round of golf is a popular event at Briar Fox Golf Club. Registration includes your round, cart rental, dinner, and a unique glow in the dark experience on their beautiful, professional course. Registration opens in July. Keep your eyes on their social media channels and website to reserve your spot.

Nicole

The Toronto Zoo

For a day out with the little ones, Nicole will be spending more than one afternoon at the Toronto Zoo this summer. Between her and her group of friends, there are 14 kids to keep occupied and entertained. With a special kids zoo, 6 different zones to explore, multiple attractions, restaurants, ice cream stands, and a splash pad to cool off at the end of the day, the Toronto Zoo is a great place where the whole crew can enjoy the day.

Kingston Buskers Rendezvous

If you love spectacle and entertainment, you should check out the Kingston Buskers Rendezvous from July 4th-7th. This festival of street performers in Kingston’s Downtown features dancing, sword juggling, fire throwing, music, and much more. There will be workshops and interactive experiences for the kids, including a mini-plane ride event with the Royal Canadian Air Force. And if you’re looking for some evening entertainment, the festival has introduced a new Buskers After Dark highlighting street art, musical entertainment, and a circus-like atmosphere to celebrate the essence of Busking.

Jules

Lake House Canandaigua

Jules loves spending her summer at the cottage hanging out with friends. But this year, she’s bringing that vibe with her south of the border for a long weekend at Lake House Canandaigua . This beautiful resort in the Finger Lakes Region of New York is a perfect place to get away, unwind, and enjoy a combination of luxury living and an escape to nature. With a full service spa and waterfront access, Jules is looking forward to a fully relaxing experience.

Kidz Bop Concert

On the other end of the spectrum, Jules will be spending a lot of the summer taking her kids on excursions and looking for family-friendly activities. Both the kids are obsessed with Kidz Bop and they can’t wait to attend the Kidz Bop Concert in Toronto later this summer. They’ll be rocking out all night to popular songs covered by the kids music group.

Lara

Bite Beauty Lip Lab

As part of a bachelorette party for her sister this summer, Lara is going to the Bite Beauty Lip Lab in Toronto. This hands-on experience gives guests the opportunity to create their own signature lipstick, gloss or balm, completely from scratch. It’s a guided class with Bite Beauty professionals helping you every step of the way. Check it out for a fun afternoon with the lipstick enthusiasts in your group, then head out for a drink with friends on one of Toronto’s many patios.

All The Farmer's Markets

Lara loves a Farmer’s Market and lucky for her, there are many to choose from in her area. Some of her favourite items include local produce like strawberries and peaches, fresh baked goods, and all-natural, locally made skincare products.

Madi

Steve Earle: Alone Again Tour 2024

Madi has a very musical summer lined up, starting with the Steve Earle: Alone Again Tour . This sold out show with Jerry Leger as support act, highlights some of the best of country. Steve Earle is a master storyteller, with his songs being recorded by artists including Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris, The Pretenders before releasing his own record in the mid 1980s.

As a country girl through and through, Madi can’t wait for this concert!

Sean Paul: Greatest Tour 2024

She may be country, but Madi has a diverse taste in music. She’s wrapping up the summer in Toronto with th e Sean Paul: Greatest Tour 2024. If Sean Paul has ever been part of the soundtrack of your summer - like most of us millennials - there’s still time to get your tickets and attend this end-of-summer concert.

Erin

Fergus Highland Games

Are you looking for a summer event that combines storytelling and lore with music, pop culture, and sporting competitions? You should check out the Fergus Highland Games with Erin in August. The Festival, which is held near Guelph every summer, has been around since 1946, but quickly gained momentum over the last 10 years, thanks in large part to the popularity of the show Outlander. There will be Celtic music, crafts and events for children, music, beer tents, whisky tastings, and much more.

Westporch Festival

Less than an hour north of Kingston, is the town of Westport. And each September, they host the Westporch Festival. This unique event features fun, food, and fabulous entertainment, all from the front porches of the town’s residents. This one-day event is packed with entertainment - the 2023 festival showcased 18 different artists in one day. Erin can’t wait to enjoy the food, art, and celebration of all things local in Westport. Information hasn’t been released for 2024 yet, but you can see a recap of last year and get an idea of what to expect on the Westporch Festival website .

Other Summer Events

Most of our team is located in the Kingston area, which means there are a couple of events that at least a few of us will be attending.

Mackinnon Brother’s Back to the Farm

If you’re in the Kingston area, you’re probably familiar with Back to the Farm at Mackinnon Brothers. It’s a summer staple event for The Small Social team, where we enjoy great food, incredible local brews, and a full day of music and entertainment. The festival takes place rain or shine, so if you’re heading out on August 18th, be sure to check the weather and dress accordingly.

Big Ticket, Small Town - Glorious Sons

In case you didn’t know, Kingston has a major music scene, and The Glorious Sons are a local staple. We have a few Glorious Sons fans on the team, and they couldn’t be more excited to be attending Big Ticket, Small Town this July in nearby Tweed. The event is all about bringing big music to small towns that don’t normally get that kind of exposure, with The Glorious Sons headlining for the first time since 2018. You have the option to attend a solo show on July 13th, or purchase a package for the whole weekend. There are also accommodations available, so you can relax and enjoy without worrying about transportation.

Will you be attending any of these events or checking out our summer destinations? Tag us in your stories on social media! We love to see what you’re getting up to this season.

Finding Success in the New Instagram Algorithm

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 17:44:49 GMT

One thing you can count on in the digital marketing space is that platforms are always updating with the intention of enhancing the experience for both users and creators. Just when you think you’ve mastered the game and have figured out a solid strategy, things change. Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, recently announced some new changes to the platform and how the algorithm will prioritize content and determine what users see.

Shareable Content is Queen

Remember when it was all about engagement? There was a major emphasis on not just getting likes and comments, but also engaging back with your online community. While this is still important in social media marketing, the algorithm will now be prioritizing content that is shareable. In the new algorithm, shares = success. Which means it’s more important than ever to have content that people find entertaining, inspiring, and educational.

It’s beneficial to keep in mind that “the algorithm” is a general term for the way a platform prioritizes content and presents it to your potential audience. This new shareable content feature is a key way Instagram is determining which content and accounts are deemed favourable on the platform. But once you create shareable content, how can you ensure it’s actually going to be shared? Keep reading for our best tips to find success in the latest algorithm update.

Be Consistent With Your Content Schedule

Something that seems straightforward, but can be missed sometimes, is consistency in posting. Your content can’t be shared if it doesn’t exist. The current recommendation is to post to your Instagram feed 3-5 times per week. That way, you always have content circulating in the algorithm. But, while it’s important to be consistent and show up, it’s even more crucial that you’re sharing quality content that actually has a purpose. Content needs to be intentional to be successful. Our recommended approach to your content is to create a calendar. That way, you know what you’re posting and when, and you’re not scattering on a Monday morning because you haven’t posted in a week. Consistency is only effective if it’s also intentional.

Use Your Content Library

One of the best ways to stand out from the competition is to ensure you’re using personalized assets in your content strategy. People want to see the people behind the brand and engage with genuine content. Instead of relying solely on templated posts and things you create in a platform like Canva, post a raw image of your team with an engaging caption, or a reel that educates your target audience. Remember, the best content educates, inspires, and entertains people. By giving your audience something to think about and engage with, they’ll be more likely to share your content with family and friends.

Is your content library out of date? Ask us about our content creation packages.

Post Original Content

An earlier update to the algorithm this year shifted the way accounts and content reach audiences to give smaller creators an upper hand. Previously, the most common content users were seeing was from large scale creators with big budgets and huge followings. This meant that many smaller creators weren’t having their content pushed to their desired audience, even if they followed all the “hacks” and steps. This also became a problem when larger creators were reposting other creators’ content. Even if they were giving credit in the caption, the original creator was not seeing the benefit of their content being shared. The shares were being attributed to the repost. While this can be good publicity for a smaller creator (if they’re credited), it doesn’t automatically boost their profile or analytics.

Now, Instagram is prioritizing original content. If Instagram finds two identical pieces of content on the platform, it will only recommend the original one to potential audiences. The original content will automatically replace the reposted content in the Explore Page, Reels and feed recommendations. Instagram will also add labels to duplicate content, linking and giving credit to the original creator.

Don't Limit Your Content

Remember in 2021 when there was a dramatic shift toward video as the main form of content on Instagram? While video content is important in a well-rounded digital strategy, particularly when it comes to reaching new audiences, it’s crucial to have a diverse range of content. This includes reels of course, but should also feature static posts, carousels, and stories. Carousel posts in particular don’t get enough credit. They allow users to see your content multiple times, but it appears with a different image in the user’s feed every time they see it. They are a great way to post a variety of images and videos in a single post, so you’re not oversaturating your audience’s feed.

Don't Forget Hashtags...But Be Strategic

Have you heard that hashtags are dead? Well, we’re here to tell you they are alive, well, and an important part of your marketing plan. Hashtags and keywords in your post copy support organic search engine optimization (SEO). But, where it was common to put up to 30 hashtags in a single post, the current recommendation is dramatically different. Instead, be strategic with your hashtags using approximately 5-8 relevant ones. These can be related to your niche, location, or product offering. When using hashtags, think about what your audience might be searching for in order to find your content. Include all other relevant search terms as keywords in your post caption.

Location Tagging

How often do you push a post live without a location on it? This could be hurting your reach and visibility. People tend to follow and see content that’s happening locally. Posts with a location tag can reach up to 79% more people than posts without a location. Explore feeds will also produce relevant content to your potential audience and this can come from a well-placed location tag. This is especially true if you’re a local business operating in a relatively small area, or trying to attract customers in a new location. We recommend putting a location on all of your posts.

Take Advantage of Collab Opportunities

Have you been using the collab post feature on Instagram? If you haven’t, you should. When you collab with another Instagram user or multiple users, the post or reel has a home on all collaborators’ grids. That means, regardless of who pressed the post button, all accounts that are credited as collabs also receive the engagement. This can be a game changer, especially for smaller businesses. By collaborating with other businesses or influencers on Instagram, your content will reach a whole new secondary audience. Collaborating on posts is also a great feature if you want to leverage user generated content (UCG) since both you AND the creator will see the success in the analytics. Collab posts and reels are a great way to boost visibility, expand reach, and increase your brand awareness.

Other Changes to Instagram

Increasing Carousel Images
Some users have a new test feature that allows them to post up to 15 images in a single Instagram carousel, allowing you to share more content effectively.
Meta AI
Meta’s new AI assist feature on Facebook and Instagram allows you to search multiple sources and access AI-generated text and visual content within the Meta apps.
The End of Flipside
Did you ever use the invite-only Flipside feature on Instagram? Chances are low. That’s why Instagram officially revoked this feature effective May 24, 2024. It goes to show that even the social media platforms don’t always get it right.
Goodbye Blue Button
Did your buttons like “follow” and “message” on Instagram change from the signature blue to black? It looks like the end of an era with a shift to a more sleek look for the platform.
Tiered Meta Verified
Meta Verified, the subscription service that gives accounts the coveted verification badge, is now available as a tiered program. Starting at $14.99 USD per month and ranging up to $349.99 USD per month, each of the four tiers gives creators a variety of enhancements and benefits. These include support features, links in reels, featured account settings and employee impersonation protection.

Looking for Guidance?

We know that navigating the shifting world of social media can sometimes be a challenge. Whether you’re looking for support developing a well-rounded social media strategy , or you’re simply in need of a little advice to boost your digital game, our team of marketing experts is here to help you. Reach out to us at hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call.

You have goals, we’ll help you achieve them.

The Power of Storytelling in Social Media Marketing

Wed, 29 May 2024 19:28:25 GMT

A major flaw that we see some businesses and brands making online is talking at their audience rather than creating meaningful dialogue. In social media, the “social” part is the most important. It’s one of the key characteristics that distinguishes online marketing from traditional marketing. Social media allows you to connect with your audience and desired customers in order for them to feel like they are part of a community, not simply another purchase in your order history.

An important aspect of social media marketing, fulfilling the “social” part is storytelling. Establishing emotional connections and humanizing your brand can be the difference between converting and retaining a loyal customer, and having someone scroll past your content. Storytelling enhances brand identity to foster deeper connections, and establishes a consistent narrative that people can relate to. When you tell stories as part of your strategy, your audience will not just think of you as another business that sells products or offers services. They will feel like they know you based on what you share about your values, goals, and mission.

What is Storytelling in Marketing?

Social media storytelling consists of using social media platforms to tell stories about your brand or products to captivate your audience. But it’s important to remember that storytelling isn’t simply about selling something to someone. That’s a great end goal, but the primary objective should be creating a sense of community and personal connection with your audience. With the increased use of social media, audiences are more savvy, and can usually tell when a brand or social media personality is being disingenuous.

Storytelling - when it all comes down to it - is about showing rather than telling. Anyone can say that they’re different, but the natural next question is “how?”, followed by “why should I care?”.

Enhancing Brand Identity Through Social Media Storytelling

Storytelling allows you to establish a unique identity that resonates with your desired audience. It highlights your brand’s strengths and values to create a strong identity in the minds of the customer. Think about your favourite products. What draws you to them? Why are people so polarized between brands like Nike and Adidas, or Coca-Cola and Pepsi? It’s the unique qualities that differentiate one brand or product from another that make all the difference. And those qualities are communicated through careful storytelling.

Simply trying to sell a product by talking about it being different without showing how or why will never be effective. It’s the narrative around these products - the authenticity, humanity and values around these brands that make them stand out. Businesses that have ESG commitments, support local charities, donate a portion of their proceeds to causes they care about stand out to people. Brands that resist the urge to simply be a brand and choose to have an identity and personality behind their products have an advantage in a loud and saturated marketplace.

Consider a brand like Apple. Since its inception, it’s been a household name. This is partially because Apple introduced products that were new to the marketplace. But, it’s largely as a result of the ingenious storytelling around Steve Jobs as the master innovator. Apple as we know it today didn’t come on the market as a faceless brand. There was careful consideration in positioning Steve Jobs as the personality behind the brand, especially as other mobile and tech companies started rolling out similar products. Apple wasn’t simply an MP3 player or phone. It was inventive, innovative, and a new way of existing. This storytelling worked, with Apple providing a full line of tech devices that are used by approximately 50% of mobile device users in North America. When Apple came on the scene, having their products made you forward thinking, tech savvy, and ahead of the curve.

Connecting with Audiences on a Deeper Level

The case for Apple and many brands like it is simple. Through brilliant storytelling, owning an Apple device became a personality that many people still hold onto today. When people connect with brands on a deeply emotional level, their loyalty to the products they love becomes part of how they identify. They become passionate advocates for their chosen brands and that’s exactly the desired outcome. How many people sit around the table at family occasions calling out the singular person who owns an Android phone in a sea of iPhone users? It may not be about Steve Jobs as the master innovator anymore, but there is a sense of emotional connection and identity that comes with using one product over the other.

We all understand the hero, the underdog, the victory over struggle. We identify with the woman who started a business while on maternity leave who operates with her children and fellow moms in mind every day. We want to celebrate the student who started their side hustle as a way to get themselves through school. We see when personal experiences inform brand decisions. And these experiences, these stories , are exactly what make consumers feel a sense of personal connection to your brand. This connection and commitment to creating a community will help you reach your audience in an authentic way.

Elements of Effective Brand Storytelling on Social Media

Authenticity and Consistency

To earn the trust of your audience, it’s important to be authentic and consistent in your storytelling. Highlight some of the magic moments that helped build your brand and the setbacks you faced. Tell them about your team, the inspiration for what you do, and discuss the values and causes that matter to you. Being honest with your followers helps them relate to you and find the human behind the brand.

Know Your Audience
Knowing who you’re speaking to is crucial in striking the right message and delivering relevant content. Ask yourself questions like:

What’s your core demographic?
What are their aspirations and dreams?
What issues are you trying to solve for them?

Knowing the answers to these questions will inform the type of content you share and how you can create an emotional connection between your story and your desired

Connect with Your Community
Remember: the point of storytelling isn’t to talk at your audience. You want to foster a sense of connection and community to establish an emotional connection. Use your social media networks and digital platforms to interact with the people who have taken the time to engage with you. Try reposting images from customers and community members who align with your values. Share positive customer reviews. Take some time to comment on community content, like and reply to your comments, and engage with DMs. All of these actions go a long way in facilitating a relationship with your customers that keeps you memorable and makes them want to continue supporting you.

How to Execute Effective Storytelling

Storytelling can seem like a daunting task. It makes you feel vulnerable and definitely takes some additional time and consideration. But, like most other things in the digital space, it doesn’t need to be complicated. When it all comes down to it, your audience simply wants to know that there are people and values behind the products they love, especially when you’re a small brand or business. Take advantage of storytelling and connection through:

Personalized content like photo and video shoots
Blogs
Unscripted stories
Instagram Lives
Behind the scenes videos

Some of these can take as little as a few minutes a week. If a 10 minute Instagram Live gets you a handful of new followers or a single purchase on a product, that’s some pretty good ROI.

We’re Here to Support You

It’s important to remember that even though you might not have a big marketing budget, you can still make an impact on your audience through storytelling. Social media is a powerful tool that allows you to reach a huge portion of your audience and it’s important to use that to take advantage of storytelling to establish and maintain a strong brand.

If you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry! Our team of skilled and knowledgeable digital marketing experts are here to support you. Whether you’re looking for a full digital strategy that incorporates storytelling as a key component, or you’re looking for a bit of guidance to help you take your brand to the next level, we have a package that’s right for you. Reach out to us today at hello@thesmallsocial.com to inquire about Social Media Coaching or our Social Media packages. We’ll help you tell your story to attract and maintain a loyal customer base.

Level Up Your Brand Presence with Content Creation

Mon, 06 May 2024 14:49:26 GMT

In the online world, having engaging content is essential for connecting with your audience, delivering your message, and representing your brand. And, while technically creating posts and stories to publish on your Instagram page is content creation, think about the content that stands out to you online. Is it the designed posts? Or is it the authentic photos and videos that tell that brand or individual’s story?

We see it often when we develop campaigns for our clients and review analytics. The content that is curated and developed to capture the brand essence performs the best month over month. It’s the personalized content that is captured at photo and video productions that stands out among the rest. So, why do you need a content creation strategy in your marketing plan and how can you execute it effectively? Keep reading for more details.

Why Content Creation Matters

Think about your favourite brands and influencers. They’re not posting content to their feeds or on their website that’s generic or templated. They’re using personalized assets that will hook their audience and keep them engaged. This content is often video, although personalized photo content works just as well to elevate your brand and help you stand out against your competition.

The unfortunate fact is, a lot of segments of the digital market are oversaturated. Content creation in the form of personalized videos and photos is what differentiates you from others. Putting time into developing a content creation strategy will help separate you from the other people in your industry that are doing and offering similar things.

Content Creation will support with your overall digital strategy by giving you content that:

Talks about your brand
Showcases your team
Highlights your product and service offerings
Entertains your audience
Demonstrates your expertise
Provides education

Whatever your goals are for your business, stepping in front of the camera and highlighting the authentic work you do will always be a benefit to you, especially when executed against your business objectives. And, overall, it shows that there is a human side to your business. You’re not just someone offering products or services to generate revenue. There are real people thinking about their customers and wanting to engage with them.

Tip: the assets produced from a content creation day don’t need to be limited to use on social media. They can be used on your website, to support blog content, and in advertising, to name a few.

How to Execute a Content Creation Strategy

There’s no single perfect or correct way to execute a content creation strategy, despite what the marketing gurus say. It really depends on your brand, service or product offering, team, and budget.

The main goal in having a content creation strategy is to ensure you always have enough usable assets to reach your objectives. For example: if you’re in a service-based business that is seasonal, two photo and video shoots a year could suffice. During these content days, the objective is to capture enough content to deliver the messaging of that season. This would include photography and videography that educates the audience, delivers the important key messaging, and showcases your expertise.

If you’re a clothing company that has a new drop of merchandise once a month, you should be considering blocking off time to capture content for the new products whenever there is a new drop. It’s an opportunity to show off the new products and create content that makes your current customers want to buy and attract new customers through captivating visuals.

Remember: content creation is all about telling a customer why they would want to choose you over a competitor, and highlighting the benefits of your product or service offering. You want to make a connection between your brand and your customers to encourage them to keep coming back. When you know what your goals and strengths are, determining a content creation strategy is easy. Then, it’s all about putting it in the calendar and making it happen.

I Don’t Have the Time.

Now What?

We can acknowledge that content creation can be time consuming. From generating the initial idea to executing a successful content day. And, with how competitive the market can be, it can be difficult to effectively execute content creation in a way that differentiates you from the rest.

That’s where we come in. When you’re running a business, you may have ideas that you don’t know how to execute. Or, you may be stuck trying to come up with ideas all together for how to elevate your business, increase sales, and improve your brand presence. When you work with us, you have a partner in business that has your best interests in mind. We work with brands for one-off content creation packages, or to execute content creation as part of a full digital marketing strategy.

Content Creation Packages

Our content creation packages are fully customizable. They can be booked as one-off projects, part of a series of content creation days, or part of an overall, well-rounded digital marketing strategy.

All of our packages come with at least 1-2 creatives on-site, an inspiration deck shared before the content creation day, and a brainstorming session to ensure we’re meeting your goals and vision. There is always the option to select a package with a 3rd party photographer and videographer with our team on-site to support with creative direction. In our content creation package, we also offer the option to develop and final assets like reels and TikTok videos that you can post directly to your platforms. Whatever you’re looking for, we’re here to support you.

Fun fact: our Creative Director, Jules, has over 15 years working on production sets for major brands. She, along with our content team, have the skills, knowledge, and expertise to ensure your content stands out and makes an impact.

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re ready to elevate your brand with stunning visuals and impactful content, reach out to us at hello@thesmallsocial.com . Our team is always excited to support brands through content marketing and help businesses grow.

Spring Must-Haves

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 18:12:05 GMT

The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, the rain… is still pouring. But we’re looking on the bright side. Spring is finally here! And while we may be waiting for consistent sunshine and warm afternoons on the patio, The Small Social team is preparing for when that day finally comes. Whether you need a little pick-me-up after the long winter, you’re looking for a few new pieces in your wardrobe, or you’re simply in need of some motivation, we have you covered with our list of spring essentials.

Keep reading to find out what The Small Social team is loving this season.

Ashley

For our Financial Officer and Account Manager, Ashley, nothing says spring like a fresh bouquet of tulips from Dahlia May Flower Farm . Not only do they have a beautiful selection of florals that are updated every week, but they also deliver within 40km of the farm. Check out their subscription program to brighten up your home on a monthly basis.

Ashley is also spending some time getting active ahead of a busy summer. How exactly? She’s optimizing her exercise during the workday with this amazing walking pad . Designed to fit comfortably under a standing desk, it’s the perfect way to get in a workout without worrying about squeezing in movement between all your other after work activities.

And, if you’re like Ashley, you’re getting your yard ready for a summer of BBQs and entertaining. There’s a lot of grass seed involved.

Brooklyn

B rooklyn is all about the self care this spring and she’s got a couple of products in her getting ready routine that you’re going to love. Her current top pick for full-body moisturizer is the Josie Maran - Vanilla Vibezzz - Whipped Argan Oil Firming Body Butter . If you like a light formula with sweet floral scents, this is definitely for you.

In her skincare regimen, Brooklyn also prioritizes a good sunscreen application for healthy, glowy skin. This season, she’s loving the Skinceuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 . It’s a tinted mineral sunscreen that is great for everyone, but especially people who experience dryness and sensitivity. Remember: even on cloudy days, it’s important to apply your SPF!

For her spring workouts - and even just for casual outings around town - Brooklyn’s spring pick for footwear is the New Balance - 530 Running Shoes . These shoes are beyond comfortable and extremely lightweight. They pair amazingly with some joggers and a quarter zip. Check out the New Balance website for some style inspo.

Cat

Seaso n after season, Cat prioritizes incredible skincare and clothes that are both stylish and comfortable. With the dry weather, Cat is loving the Alumier HydraCalm Moisturizer . This is especially perfect if you experience redness and sensitivity, but want something that will leave your skin glowing and feeling hydrated.

If you’re looking for a lip gloss that will give you the perfect pout, go with Cat’s current obsession, the Rhode Beauty Peptide Lip Treatment . This Hailey Bieber lip gloss is part of an amazing collection of skincare products. The lip treatment is available in unscented or 3 lightly scented options. No matter your preference, there’s something for you.

While Cat is crushing her fitness goals at the gym or on morning hikes with her pups, Milo and Poppy, she’s living in her LuluLemon Scuba Full-Zip Cropped Hoodie , in Glaze Pink of course. This sweater is perfect for working out, heading to yoga, walks on the trails, or even running errands around town. We personally love how the full matching tracksuit looks.

Jules

Our Co-Founder and Brand Director, Jules, is a trend queen who pulls off looks like no one we’ve ever seen before. At the front of her closet this spring is this amazing Denim Skort by Free People. It would pair perfectly with a white top and Jules’ amazing white cowboy boots for the ultimate weekend fashion.

Also on Jules’ spring must-have list is this pair of Salty Blonde Dayglow Sunglasses . Available in 2 colour options, these sunglasses are giving 90s summer style vibes, with incredible eye protection from bright UV rays.

If you know Jules, you know she’s never without at least a couple of lip glosses and balms. But, there’s nothing she loves more than the Rhode Lip Treatment . Jules’ favourite is the Salted Caramel. Our team loves to share recommendations with each other, so it’s no surprise seeing this item twice on our must-haves list. Add it to your morning routine for the perfect spring lip. You won’t regret it.

Lara

For Lara , spring means healthy skin, delicious drinks, and lots of fresh air. She checks the first one off the list with the Summer Fridays Babymoon Belly Balm . Putting spring and a growing baby belly together can often mean dry skin. But this lightweight formula provides hours of relief with an extremely light scent. Mama-to-be or not, anyone can enjoy this incredible moisturizer for full-body, radiant spring skin.

Spring also means delicious drinks and this season, Lara is on a big smoothie kick. She is obsessed with the Ninja Blender . Whether she’s making drinks for one, or getting ready for an afternoon in the backyard with family and friends, this blender has a large capacity and the ability to make more than your average smoothie. It can also do crushed ice for snow cones and ice cream! Perfect to transition into summer too.

For daily walks to enjoy the spring weather and get her steps in, Lara’s footwear pick is this pair of comfortable Adidas Cloudfoam Pure SPW Running Shoe . These shoes can be dressed up with jeans, or down with leggings or joggers. We love a versatile pair of shoes.

Madi

In case you hadn’t no ticed, our Co-Founder and Social Media Director, Madi, has a great love of a few things: a practical and stylish bag, a good frozen drink with friends, and just about anything country. Her spring picks will have you ready to book a flight to Nashville for a weekend of fun.

For toting around her work equipment (and probably a few things for her kids) Madi is loving the Country Road Branded Tote . This bag comes equipped with internal pockets and a magnetic snap closure to keep everything safely tucked inside. Plus, it’s neutral colour makes it a great choice to pair with just about any outfit.

What’s better when the sun is out than a cold drink with friends? Madi is currently obsessed with the Margaritaville Mixer . This machine is small, but mighty and makes some of the most amazing frozen drinks. Dreaming of a frozen margarita or ice cold frozen espresso martini? This little blender does it all. Plus, it comes with a recipe book to help you get inspired. And, while you’re enjoying your drink with friends on the patio or in the backyard, make sure everyone knows whose drink is whose with these cute Giddy Up Drink Markers .

Nicole

With three-and-a-half year old twin boys running around, Nicole spends a lot of time outd oors in the spring, usually in rain or shine. For the sunnier days, she grabs her Coach Script Round Sunglasses before heading out the door. These glasses are available in 3 fun colours, so you can choose if you want to see the world through rose coloured lenses.

For the rainy days, Nicole opts for her favourite pair of rain boots so she can stay dry while she’s out mudding around with the kids. If you know Nicole, she loves a neutral earth tone. For her, these are perfection. She also loves that they’re durable and wipe clean after every use. Consider adding them to your wardrobe if you plan to be out splashing around.

A current staple in Nicole’s bag is a Palmer’s Dry Lip care treatment . With shea butter, cocoa butter, and vitamin E as some of the main ingredients, these lip balms will help you feel moisturized and glossy on even the windiest and driest of spring days.

Victoria

If you’ve made it to the end of this blog, you’ve likely noticed that most of our team has an affinity for a good pair of shoes and their perfect skincare. Victoria is no exception and actually has two pairs of footwear on her spring must-have list. When she’s out running errands or taking her pup, Eddie, for a walk, Vic can be found wearing her favourite pair of Lululemon running shoes . And because her sweet pup likes to head out for a good walk rain or shine, Vic’s backup footwear choice are her classic Tall Hunter Boots . These are great for muddy walks in the rain, or to wear out with a cute pair of jeans.

Everyone needs a good moisturizer and for Victoria, that’s The Ordinary - Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA . This cult classic is an affordable option if you’re in the market for new skincare. It’s safe for all skin types and is vegan, alcohol free, and gluten free. It’s also non-greasy, so it’s a perfect base layer for your getting ready routine.

5 Essential Tools for Social Media Managers

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 00:12:22 GMT

As social media continues to dominate the digital landscape, Social Media Managers (SMMs) are tasked with navigating a multitude of platforms, engaging with audiences, and strategizing content. To streamline our workflows and maximize efficiency, SMMs rely on a set of indispensable tools.

While every SMM has their own bag of tricks to make their work processes easier, our team has a few favourites that we absolutely can’t live without. Here are five tools that our team uses daily to enhance our social media management tasks.

Later

Are you manually posting all of your content across all social media channels? That’s extremely time consuming and we’re here to tell you that there is a better way. Especially if you’re managing platforms outside of Meta. One of our favourite tools we use for posting content is Later.

Later is a social media scheduling tool that allows SMMs to plan, schedule, and publish content across various platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Pinterest. While there are several scheduling platforms to choose from, we prefer Later for its visual content calendar, auto-publishing capabilities, hashtag suggestions, and analytics to optimize post performance.

How Our SMMs Utilize It Daily:

Plan and schedule posts in advance for consistent content delivery
Analyze post performance to refine future strategies
Collaborate with team members for seamless content creation and approval processes

Tip: While Later and similar scheduling platforms make SMM tasks simple and streamlined, it’s important to remember that engagement is key when it comes to social media. Even when you schedule content, it’s important to go to your platforms, check that your content is published, and engage with your audience. Don’t post and ghost. It will hurt your business in the long run.

Business Suite

If you’re a social media manager for Facebook and Instagram only, you don’t need to go looking for a third party scheduling tool to make your life easier. Business Suite is a comprehensive tool developed by Facebook that allows SMMs to manage their Facebook and Instagram accounts in one place. It provides tools for content creation, scheduling, analytics, and advertising.

We like business Suite for its unified inbox, which allows you to manage messages and comments across both platforms. It also has a great dashboard for viewing insights and analytics for tracking audience engagement and performance metrics. Plus, don’t forget to take advantage of the ad management tools to create and monitor ad campaigns

How Our SMMs Utilize It Daily:

Monitor and respond to messages and comments efficiently
Track the performance of organic posts and paid advertisements
Create and schedule content directly from the platform

Tip: with ongoing enhancements taking place in the Metaverse, it’s crucial to ensure glitches haven’t impacted your content. Be sure to cross reference your calendar with the content that has been published. Sometimes, content posts to Facebook, but not to Instagram, and vice versa.

Canva

Remember the days when creating stunning, impactful visual content required extensive knowledge of tools like Adobe Photoshop and InDesign? If you don’t, count yourself lucky. And if you do, let’s celebrate that those days are over. In today’s creative world, developing visuals that are eye-catching and engaging is crucial to a strong social media strategy, but you don’t need to have a diploma in graphic design to do it well. One of our favourite creative platforms is Canva.

Canva is a graphic design platform that enables SMMs to create visually appealing and engaging content for social media posts, stories, ads, and more. We love the drag and drop interface with customizable templates and the extensive library of stock photos, illustrations, and fonts. It’s also extremely collaborative and allows teams to work together on designs in a single file link. We also appreciate that with all the built in templates, it’s incredibly easy to find fresh, new design inspiration for any project.

How Our SMMs Utilize It Daily:

Design eye-catching graphics for social media posts and ads
Customize templates to match brand aesthetics and messaging
Collaborate with team members to workshop and refine designs

Tip: While Canva has pre-loaded fonts and colours, be sure to take advantage of the brand section of the platform. It allows you to create specific brand kits that include your clients’ fonts, colours and logos. You can upload .otf and .ttf files to ensure you’re always using the correct brand font. Building these out gives you the ability to toggle between different client brand kits while you’re creating content.

Capcut

Have you ever scrolled through TikTok or Instagram and were blown away by a video? Maybe you even thought, “wow, I wish I could do that.” Guess what? Most people on social media aren’t professional video editors, even if their content looks like it. Much like Canva, CapCut has revolutionized the way SMMs create content.

CapCut is a video editing app that empowers SMMs to create professional-looking videos for social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. There are countless templates on CapCut that make creating engaging and exciting video content almost effortless. We love the intuitive editing tools for trimming, cropping, and adding effects, as well as the built-in filters, transitions, and music library. There are also export options optimized for various social media platforms.

How Our SMMs Utilize It Daily:

Edit and enhance raw video footage for social media posts and stories
Incorporate music, text, and effects to increase engagement
Optimize video dimensions and formats for specific platforms

Tip: If you simply export videos out of CapCut to your phone, they will download with the watermark. Export your video to TikTok and save it from there without the watermark, but remember to trim your video before you post. Capcut adds a short animation with their logo to the end of every video, no matter how you export it.

Asana

As an agency team, we are constantly working collaboratively to bring client projects to life. Regardless of whether you like a good old fashioned list, calendar blocking, or emails to keep track of your tasks, you can’t beat a project management software to keep yourself and your team on track.

At The Small Social, we use Asana to help Coordinators and Managers to stay organized, track tasks, collaborate, and streamline workflows. It’s extremely user-friendly with the ability to create task lists, project boards, and calendars for visual project management. It allows you to effortlessly assign tasks, deadlines, and priorities to keep even the biggest projects on track. Asana also integrates with other tools and platforms for seamless workflow management.

How Our SMMs Utilize It Daily:

Plan and prioritize social media campaigns, content calendars, and tasks
Assign responsibilities to team members and track progress in real-time
Coordinate cross-functional collaboration between marketing, design, and other departments

Navigating the ever-changing world of social media can be challenging sometimes (like when Meta shuts down for the day). But with a few easy-to-use tools. You can streamline your workflows, simplify your processes, and take back some valuable time.

Leveraging Social Media for Nonprofits

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 13:54:16 GMT

According to a recent survey by Hootsuite, only 20% of nonprofit organizations are confident in their social media presence. That means that about 80% feel they can do better and are leaving valuable resources and strategies behind. Social media is a powerful tool across all industries, but particularly for nonprofits that are working toward multiple goals and often operating on a smaller budget compared to their corporate or private sector counterparts. With a variety of platforms and tools at their disposal, nonprofits can leverage social media to achieve their objectives. Keep reading to find out how.

The Purpose of Social Media for Nonprofits

Nonprofit organizations are often working toward multiple goals at the same time. With more than 4.6 billion people using social media every day, it’s the perfect place to support these objectives in a simple and effective way. By posting consistently on social media, it’s possible to build a community that supports volunteer initiatives, education, and growing a supporter base.

Social media is also an effective vehicle for storytelling in the nonprofit industry. People go to social media to be educated and find inspiration. Whatever your nonprofit represents, social media presents the opportunity to educate your audience and inspire them through the work that you do. This goes a long way to amplify the messaging of your organization and increase awareness around your brand and cause. With consistency, authenticity, and clear messaging, it’s possible that social media can become a primary source of information for your organization, which will support larger campaigns and objectives.

Fundraising is undoubtedly one of the most important objectives of any nonprofit. By using social media to build community and tell the story of your organization, you can also begin outreach efforts to bring in donations. Whether you’re running a special event or campaign, or you’re simply looking for ongoing donations, you can utilize social media to make the appeal. This can be done through organic posts, stories and reels, through fundraising tools on Meta, or through a paid ads program.

Branded Content is Key

When using social media in the nonprofit space, it’s important to ensure you have a full library of branded content. This means that you should invest in professional photo and video assets.

When you use personalized branded content instead of stock photography, you create consistency in your brand identity. Brand photos and video allow you to tell the story of your organizations through these visuals and makes your content identifiable. You want all of your assets to look like they belong together and fit into the narrative you’re trying to deliver. It may seem that there are infinite options for stock photography, but you would be surprised by how many businesses and nonprofits are using the same imagery in their social media content.

By having your own visual assets, you also have the ability to capture the stories of real people who have been impacted by your initiatives and the people behind the organization who provide that support. This is invaluable storytelling that not only makes your brand more authentic, but also more reliable and professional. Real photos and videos that represent your nonprofit add a layer of credibility, and often helps pull on people’s heartstrings and back your organization.

Case Study: Branded Content in the Nonprofit Space

A nonprofit ran a campaign with the goal to raise $300,0000 by the end of the year. This campaign used social media as a key vehicle to bring awareness, clicks to the website, and donations to the organization. The campaign launched shortly before Giving Tuesday and ran through the holiday season in both organic and paid social channels.

The client provided a full asset library of personalized video and photography to support shaping perceptions, building connections, and telling the story about why people should donate. This helped them stand out and made the content easily identifiable as the organization’s brand. It also positioned the organization as authentic, trustworthy, and relatable. The photos and videos that were posted shared stories of real people being supported by the nonprofit, and that was a crucial piece as to why this campaign reached their goal.

The results:

299,158 accounts reached
595,842 impressions
5,246 link clicks to the website
$300,000 fundraising goal achieved

Implement a Paid Layer to the Strategy

Like any strategy, you will always see more results with a paid program vs. an organic-only campaign. Social media advertising is a relatively affordable method of advertising compared to buying traditional media like billboards, distributing flyers and postcards, or buying ad space in print or online media.

Social media advertising amplifies your messaging and gets your content in front of new audiences. By building custom audiences, your investment in social media ads goes a long way. The ads specifically target people who may be interested in supporting your organization and the cause you represent. Ads provide better visibility for your nonprofit, and you don’t need a multi-million dollar strategy to see results.

Case Study: Ads for Nonprofits

We were tasked with running ads for two fundraising campaigns for a nonprofit client. The first was a series of 5 fundraising walk events across the United States. The second was an end of year appeal campaign. The client provided $5,000 for the walk campaign, but coming in under budget, we were able to maximize the budget and spread it across both campaigns with incredible results.

Total Advertising Spend: $4655.61

Link Clicks : 6,349

Directed to registration or donation landing pages
Other ad objectives included reach, event responses, ad recall, engagements
Link clicks was the most impactful objective, as that is what drove registrations and donations

Reach : 1,230,716 accounts reached

Impressions : 1,985,706 impressions

Dollars Raised for Campaign 1 : $417,873.81 (104% of goal)

Dollars Raised for Campaign 2 : 182,651.75 (35% more YoY)

Not only did we come in under budget for both campaigns, but with strategic advertising in the Meta Network, we were able to increase the visibility of the organization, support their overall objectives, and help them reach their fundraising goals. We completed two advertising campaigns in less than the cost of putting up a billboard or buying lists.

Are You Part of the 80%?

If you’re part of the 80% of nonprofit organizations that don't feel completely confident in your social media strategy, we can help. Our team is well-versed in supporting nonprofit clients to maximize their dollars and get the most return. We understand that you’re often not working with huge budgets, but we will work with you to achieve your internal objectives and see big results. Through carefully crafted strategies, stunning brand photoshoots, and expertly executed ad campaigns, we turn client problems into success stories.

One Agency for All Your Digital Marketing Needs

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 13:54:14 GMT

Digital marketing is now one of the most common and effective ways to promote your business. With countless avenues and the ability to target your specific audience, rather than investing in mass marketing, the digital space is the preferred way to grow businesses and brands across various industries.

While marketing in the digital space can be far reaching and produce positive results, it does require a strong strategy to be done well. If you’ve been looking at your digital marketing plan and it’s not supporting your business acceleration the way you hoped, there may be gaps in your strategy. Or, it’s possible that your business is running your digital marketing completely on the fly and the strategy is missing entirely. The issue with digital marketing in today’s world is everyone seems to have an opinion about it. There are countless people on social media claiming to be digital marketing gurus who can help you grow your business overnight with their secret formula. And while we wish that were true, the reality is, there’s no quick fix or overnight solution to growing your business in the digital space. You need a clear, solid, multifaceted strategy that will support long term growth and progress. But where do you start?

That’s where we come in. The Small Social Company is a full service Digital Marketing Agency. And when we say “full service”, we mean it. Our team is made up of 8 experts in the digital marketing field. Unlike a lot of the self-proclaimed digital marketing gurus, we have the credentials, experience, and references to prove it. Each team member has their own specializations that they bring to the table, but are trained to be well-rounded and able to support our clients no matter your needs. Whether you’re starting from zero and need guidance on where to start, or you feel that your digital marketing strategy is lacking in some areas, The Small Social will work with you through a variety of service offerings to ensure you feel supported and are seeing the results you need.

Social Media Management

Being on social media as a business is more important now than ever before. Our team of social media managers has a proven track record of boosting businesses through increased followers and higher levels of engagement across all social platforms. Here at the Small Social, we know the inner workings of social media sites, from Facebook to Instagram to LinkedIn to Pinterest. Our team can provide basic social media management, or help you build out complex campaigns to increase your business profile online.

Social media management isn’t just about vanity metrics like “likes” and “follows”. It’s about making lasting impressions on your consumer base or target audience that keeps them coming back time and again. Strategic social media management can position you as an expert in your field, a credible source of information, and an authentic voice in your industry. By entrusting our social media managers with your social media presence, we can ensure you’re fully taking advantage of the “social” part of social media, by joining important conversations, making connections, and being a consistent voice for promoting your brand.

Social Media Management packages include:

Creating consistent, branded posts, stories, and reels
Monthly social media calendars
Quarterly or annual strategy sessions
Engaging with your community to ensure you’re part of the conversation
Monitoring metrics and adjusting strategy to maintain consistent results
Maintaining your brand voice and identity in all interactions across all channels

Social Media Ads

When we talk about social media management, we’re referring specifically to packages that support organic social media. Unfortunately, in today’s competitive landscape, organic social media only goes so far. When you set up your business on social media, you often see a lot of traction in the beginning, especially if you have a team that is keeping you active and consistent. However, what often happens is results see a plateau. This can take weeks or even months if you’re really strategic, but it eventually does slow down and require some extra support. When this happens, it’s time to add a social media advertising strategy to your marketing plan.

Social media advertising allows you to leverage platforms like Meta, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and X to reach your target audience. The difference between organic and paid social media is, advertising in these networks is backed by ad dollars or an ad spend to help you achieve your objectives. This can include brand awareness, website clicks, purchases and much more. Essentially, you pay the platform to make your content more visible to your specified target audience.

When carefully crafted, paid social campaigns are the best way to reach a new target audience and convert them into customers.

Social Media Advertising packages include:

Creative development of ad assets
Competitor analysis
Creation of custom audiences
Targeting based on geography, consumer demographics, consumer psychographics
Monitoring metrics and adjusting ad parameters
A/B testing

Google Ads

Did you know there are around 5.9 million Google searches per minute? With that much web traffic, it’s important to ensure that your business is showing up in the first few results when your consumers are doing a targeted search.

Google Ads are an amazing platform to help generate leads and show up for the people who are looking for your products or services in their specific geographical area. Google Ads are extremely targeted and take a skilled professional to pull them off in a way that maximizes your ad budget and gets you the clients or customers you’re looking for. Whether you’re a product-based business looking to generate more sales, or you offer a service and are on the lookout for your next perfect client, a Google Ads strategy will support your visibility and SEO, and ultimate help you achieve your objectives.

We develop campaigns for Google Ads by:

Researching your competitors
Analyzing your consumer base
Bidding on specific keywords that your target audience is using to find you
Adjusting ads based on cost per keyword, cost per click/action, and click through rate (CTR)

SEO

Remember how we said there are 5.9 million Google searches per minute? The reality is, most people use online search engines to navigate the web. And being found by your target audience on a search engine is crucial, especially now that social media is emerging as a primary search engine. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is important in generating more website traffic, leads, and sales. Optimizing content on your website generates higher keyword rankings on Google, making your business more visible and more likely to be at the top of a search.

We use our programs and analytics to ensure your SEO is reaching its maximum capabilities. Our Website designs can be catered as specially as required for your brand or project. We integrate custom apps, create colour pallets and more!

Our SEO Packages Include:

Keyword research & analysis
Keywords and phrases optimized
Website pages optimized for search
Technical audits & adjustments
HTML optimizations
Content writing & adjustments
Monthly sitemap submission
Internal & external link building
Schema optimization

Branding

Strong, consistent branding is crucial for every business. It’s the strategy that helps you establish who you are and what your business is. Branding can help influence how people think and feel about your business. Through consistent branding, you can create long-lasting, impactful relationships with your customers by creating a story and personality behind your business.

When you’re building your brand identity, it’s important to consider: your logo, brand colours, design elements, brand voice, personality and purpose. All of these elements will impact how you connect with your audience and influence how they feel and think about your business. If you feel that your branding is out of date or it’s simply not working for the type of business you are, it’s time to consider a refresh. You should always feel confident in how you’re presenting your business to the world.

Our branding services include:

Logo design
Selection of brand fonts + colours
Established brand voice aligning with values
Mood boards for inspiration
Full brand guide including all brand elements

Email Marketing

Email marketing is an often overlooked aspect of digital marketing. Some professionals in the industry might even say email marketing is dead. But we couldn’t disagree more. Email marketing is an efficient medium that allows you to maximize your outreach and engage with your audience in a more personalized and customizable way. With effective email marketing, you can foster the relationship you have with your clients, reach a larger audience, increase brand awareness, promote products or services, nurture leads and generate sales. Plus, in a time where 3rd party data collection is being restricted, email marketing can allow you to collect invaluable insights into your consumers’ behaviour. The versatility, efficiency and customization available in email marketing makes it a crucial component of any successful marketing strategy, supporting long term sustainable growth for your business.

Our Email Marketing packages include:

Set up of segmentation
Establishment of automated flows
Integration of email marketing platform to website
Customized templates based on brand
Design and management of consistent emaills

Influencer Program

When you’re looking for information on a product, who do you turn to? More and more often, people are seeking advice from their favourite content creators. In fact, Millennials and Gen Z trust content creators more than traditional advertising. Influencer marketing is a great way to build trust and expand the awareness of your brand in a way that seems authentic and relatable to users. When you have an influencer who aligns with your goals and values, they can become a trusted representative to sell your products and services, and get the messaging out to a wider audience.

As an influencer, you can impact the purchasing habits of your audience through a consistent brand presence and authenticity. It requires making meaningful connections, not only with the brands you represent, but with the audience that trusts you and turns to you for guidance.

Whether you’re looking for influencers to promote your brand, or you would like to be an influencer yourself, we offer influencer marketing packages to support your growth and help you achieve your goals.

Our influencer marketing packages include:

Branding
Creative campaign development
Research into brands/influencer partners
Outreach to brands/influencer partners
Managing influencer partnerships

TikTok Management

When you’re scrolling through TikTok, watching videos, do the minutes pass by effortlessly? Do you find that it’s difficult to distinguish between entertaining content and advertising? That’s because TikTok strategies focus around creating content that is both entertaining and educational, while selling to the audience in subtle ways.

With more than 1 billion active users and counting, TikTok is a powerful tool for businesses. TikTok’s large audience creates a huge potential for reaching new audiences and expanding awareness of your brand. Utilizing TikTok to its full potential can seem challenging and time consuming. With the support of our team, it doesn’t have to be. We’re here to help you boost your video marketing game by implementing entertaining and educational video content to capture the attention of potential customers and keep your audience engaged.

We can support you with TikTok by:

Researching and recommending trends
Capturing video content
Video generation
Creation of eye-catching ads
Reviewing analytics and adjusting strategy

Video Production

Over the last few years, you’ve likely noticed that video is dominating the digital marketing space. And it’s not just social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram that are seeing the increase in video content. More and more, businesses are utilizing video on platforms like X and LinkedIn to capture their audiences’ attention and keep them engaged. Incorporating video content on your website is even a great way to improve your SEO ranking and online visibility.

In today’s marketplace, video content is essential for your brand to stay competitive in its industry. Think about it. If you’re looking for a review of a product you want, are you watching an influencer video or reading reviews? Having a library of branded video content can help you stand out from your competition by supporting storytelling, audience engagement, and promoting brand authenticity.

Our customizable video production packages include:

Mood boards and Pinterest board for inspiration
Full briefings with the client and production teams
Production on-site
Location scouting
Talent scouting
Raw footage for use
Full brand video production

Social Media Coaching

If you’ve made it to the end of this blog, you might be feeling overwhelmed by all the considerations that go into a holistic digital marketing strategy. If you find yourself feeling unsure or guessing with what the next step is, you should consider our Social Media Coaching Program.

In these 1:1 sessions, our team of experts will help you build a social media strategy that will support your online growth and streamline your digital marketing strategy. Our mentors are experienced in all aspects of digital strategy and can support you with everything from organic and paid social media to video production, and everything in between.

Our Social Media Coaching Program addresses topics including:

Finding your audience
Building your content
Reviewing your branding
Reviewing analytics
Understand your pain points and build a strategy
And much more

The world of digital marketing is vast and there are countless ways to build an online strategy that works for your business. If you feel that you’re missing a strategy, or simply leaving behind valuable tools that could support your business growth, reach out to us at hello@thesmallsocial.com . Our team of digital marketing experts are here to support you with growing your business and feeling confident about how you present yourself online. As a full service digital marketing agency, we look forward to helping you build a strategy that works.

You have goals. We’ll help you achieve them.

Where Should You Spend Your Ad Dollars?

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 18:11:47 GMT

In digital marketing, organic campaigns can only do so much. They are great for establishing brand identity and consistency, and initial growth. However, organic campaign often plateau and don’t contribute to significant growth and momentum. This isn’t always the case, but many brands experience this issue. When you stop seeing the results you want organically, it’s time to implement an ad strategy.

Online advertising can be extremely beneficial for your business. It allows you to target your audience, utilize relevant keywords, and increase your visibility. The two main forms of online advertising we see are social media ads and Google Ads. Social media ads are launched on specific social media platforms, the most common of which is Meta ads (Facebook and Instagram). Other social media platforms like TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and X also have advertising capabilities built into them. Google Ads are run within Google and its affiliate sites.

While both social media ads and Google Ads can support the growth of your business, it’s important to know which type of ad is going to give you the best return on investment. A number of factors contribute to this. Keep reading to find out which avenue is best for your business.

Considerations for Choosing the Right Platform

There are a few key factors that contribute to whether you should advertise through social media or Google.

Google Advertising

Google Advertising relies on intent-based targeting. This means that the ad can only populate based on an active search query through Google channels. They would need to be looking for a specific service or product. You can bid on keywords that are relevant to your business, or could attract people to your content. For instance, a shoe retailer could bid on the keyword “Nike” in order for their ads to appear in a Google search for Nike. However, these can become costly.

There is also the consideration of location targeting. Are you advertising to individuals in the local community, or looking to attract traffic from a larger geographical area? Google advertising network displays are highly targeted toward a searcher’s location. There is a broad audience exposure for Google Ads, but the wider the geographical area, the more investment will be required for an effective ad campaign.

Google Ads are a great advertising tool when you are looking for lead generation. Because Google is directed toward people looking for a specific item or service, it’s not ideal for brand awareness. You can’t target based on demographics or a buyer persona the way you can with social ads.

Social Media Advertising

Social media advertising is a great tool to target potential consumers where they are already interacting every day. The average person spends more than 2 hours daily on social media. This provides a rich database for consumer information.

Social media advertising is more passive than Google Ads. You can target based on demographics, interests and behaviours. If you have a clear understanding of your target audience and can build out 3-5 buyer personas, running social media ads becomes simple. With the right visuals, social media ads become part of the overall social media user experience. They integrate into feeds and profiles to appear while people are scrolling. The messaging is more subtle and often doesn’t even feel like your audience is being advertised through.

When utilizing social media ads, you can achieve objectives including brand awareness, engagements, leads, clicks to the website, and more. Social media ads are highly effective for engagements and clicks, but are not the best tool for generating leads. It can be beneficial, but can also drive up the cost per result and use your budget faster.

The Pros and Cons

As with every tool, there are pros and cons. These are based on your goals, budget, and desired outcomes of the ad campaign.

Pros of Google Advertising

Quickly generate leads or sales.
Multiple options of advertising, including text-based ads, display ads, and YouTube ads.
There are measurable results. Google offers strong metric reporting and integrates with Google Analytics, allowing businesses to track the performance of their campaigns accurately.
Google Ads allows businesses to reach users who are actively searching for products or services related to their offerings.
Flexible budget - if you’re working with a specific amount, there are things you can adjust within your targeting to make the most of your budget.

Cons of Google Advertising

Google Advertising is highly competitive. With a large emphasis on location targeting, if all of your competitors in a given area are also advertising on Google, it drives up the cost of advertising.
Technical expertise is needed for success - anyone can launch an ad but to see success and get results with proper tracking, you must be able to do some coding. Google Ads are more advanced and require some detailed knowledge of the platform in order to run seamless, successful ad campaigns.

Pros of Social Media Advertising

Social media ads allow you to created targeted ads based on customer personas. You can target your ads to specific audiences based on a wide range of demographic and behavioural data.
You can be creative with social media ads. There are many formats that can be used to launch effective social media ads, which make it part of the user experience. These include posts, stories, and reels.
Social media ads are typically less expensive than Google Ads.
Ads can be run simply for brand awareness, with potential to reach audiences in varying demographics based on targeting.

Cons of Social Media Advertising

Social media ads may have lower sales intent since it can be a more passive experience. You can generate a lot of traffic or ad views, but not everyone may have the intent to purchase.
Social media has a large user base, but not all may be your intended audience.
There are multiple platforms to choose from. If you have a limited budget, or you don’t have a deep understanding of your customer base, it could be difficult to choose the best platform for your goals.

Ad Formats + Features

Both Google Ads and social media ads offer an array of ad formats which can be tailored to your objectives.

Google allows you to implement text ads, display ads, video ads, or app install ads. It’s important to know what your target audience wants and what type of ad will be most effective for them.

Social media ads focus on creative flexibility. You can leverage static images, videos, and carousels in your ad campaign. You also have the ability to do catalogue ads and much more.

On both platforms, you can and should test different ad creatives, targeting options, and strategies. It’s critical to understand your audience and adjust your ads according to monthly or quarterly data.

Tips from Our Ad Experts

On our team, we have ad experts who are immersed in the world of online advertising every day. They can launch effective ad campaigns that yield positive results for any type of business. Here are their best tips:

Google

Utilize local targeting options if your business or services are offered regionally
Target long-tail keywords and variations your customer may be searching for
Since Google Ads are concise, have a clear goal and objective
Optimize your website landing pages for your Google ad groups
Utilize all features of an ad, including writing strong descriptions and using ad extensions

Social Media

Grab users' attention within the first 2 seconds of your ad
Keep your ad design clean and on brand
Continue creating fresh content
Videos grab attention better than just an image ad
Keep videos under 30 seconds
Creative is better than heavily scripted
Have a strong CTA linking to a strong page or shop

Looking for Support?

We know that jumping into the world of digital advertising can seem challenging. And it certainly can be. Anyone can launch an ad campaign, but in order to maximize your efforts, and your budget, it’s important to know how to seamlessly work within the platforms to get the results you’re looking for.

Our team of advertising experts are here to help you take your business to the next level. If you’re curious about launching a paid ads strategy, but you don’t know where to start, reach out to us at hello@thesmallsocial.com . We would be happy to set up a discovery call to find out how we can support your business growth.

Our Favourite Places in Miami

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 15:54:12 GMT

Our Guide to Miami

At The Small Social, we firmly believe in that old saying: work hard, play harder. We recently went on a retreat to Miami where we took some time to reset as a team, reorient ourselves as a business, and have a LOT of fun in the sun too. The trip was quick - we were only in Miami for 2 full days - but we packed a lot in and fell in love with some amazing local places. Keep reading for our Miami favourites.

Wet Willie’s South Beach

If you’ve never been to Miami, you need to stop in for a margarita at Wet Willie’s. Located directly across from South Beach, this infamous frozen marg place is every margarita-lover’s dream.

There are more than 20 flavours to choose from, plus you have the option to mix a few together to make your own. Think of it like the vacation version of the 7-Eleven slushy. More flavours and way more fun.

Pro tip: Get the to-go cup so you can go walk the streets while you enjoy your refreshing drink.

Orange Blossom

We had two dinners while we were in Miami. On the first night, we went to Orange Blossom. The vibe is quiet and calm, but the food and drinks are unreal. There were quite a few dishes that our team raved about. For the seafood lovers, the tuna steak, shrimp guacamole and the mussels are must try menu items. Ashley even said that the mussels were the best she’s ever had. The fillet was also amazing (get the mushroom sauce), and if you love a good spicy margarita, this is the place to get one.

Don’t miss: The incredible patio and the photo-op worthy wall decor.

Mango’s

Remember the part where we play hard? That’s where Mango’s comes in. This lively night club features great drinks, the most incredible atmosphere, and hours of live entertainment. The performances were fun with talented singers and exciting dances. Vic’s favourite performance was Livin’ on a Prayer. In addition to the bar set up, there is also a full dancefloor, if dancing the night away is more your style.

Tip: If you want a good seat for the performances, book ahead. It fills up quickly.

Pastis

If you’ve read our Top Places in New York City blog, you know that we love Pastis. This French-inspired restaurant features simple, classic food that’s easy to enjoy. On our second night, we were THRILLED to find a Pastis location in Miami, and even more excited to discover that it’s just as good as the location in NYC. What do we recommend? Almost everyone at our table got the fillet, and it did not disappoint. When 6 people get the same meal and all rate it a 10/10, it’s definitely worth a try. The artichoke app was also phenomenal, as was the gratin au macaroni (fancy mac + cheese).

Talkin' Tacos

What do you need after a late night of dancing and fun? For our team, it was a trip to Talkin’ Tacos. We tried a variety of tacos there and not a single item disappointed. The highlights included the guacamole, the shrimp tacos, and the chicken tacos. According to more than one member of the team, the shrimp and chicken tacos were some of the best they’ve ever had.

Our best advice: everyone should order something different and share. Everything is good.

Wynwood

On day two, we spent the afternoon wandering around town. One of the places that was constantly recommended to us was Wynwood. The neighbourhood is beautiful and covered in murals all over the buildings. We enjoyed walking through the streets and seeing all of the incredible art. There are countless cute shops to visit, especially if you’re looking for some fun souvenirs to take home from the trip. We also stumbled on a great frozen margarita place (are you noticing a theme with our team?) which had traditional and strawberry frozen margs ready to go.

The Beach

Miami has no shortage of beaches, that’s for sure. But if you’re looking for the perfect sand, great spots to lounge, and easy access to restaurants and entertainment, you need to go to South Beach.

Don’t miss: the incredible sunsets over the water. Truly breathtaking.

The Airbnb

For our accommodations, we were looking for a place that would let us be together in one space, relax in the mornings, and offer some fun if we simply wanted to lounge around. We found the most beautiful Airbnb in El Portal, just a few minutes away from the excitement of Miami. We took full advantage of the large dining area, the fully equipped kitchen, the cozy living room, and of course the beautiful backyard and pool. If we go back, we will definitely stay here again.

Whether you’re heading to Miami for a quick weekend getaway, or you’re taking a longer vacation, be sure to check out our Miami favourites. We promise, you won’t be disappointed.

Why You Need Brand Assets

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 20:47:47 GMT

Do you want your business to stand out against the competition in 2024? It’s time to think about building your brand library with personalized assets.

What are Brand Assets?

Brand assets are logos, fonts, photos and videos that have been created and captured specifically for your brand. They are what make up your brand identity and ensure you are easily recognizable and consistent. Brand photography and videography are crucial to building your brand identity. It’s the next step after you have established the basics.

The Role of Brand Video

In today’s fast-paced digital world, video content is an invaluable tool for social media. It supports growth across a number of metrics including reach, engagement and profile views. A strong brand video can support storytelling in a way that static images cannot - connecting with audiences in a real, emotional, raw and authentic way.

Benefits of Video:

The algorithm on Instagram, and increasingly Facebook and other platforms, favours videos over all other content. It’s the best way to reach new audiences on social media due to its ability to reach accounts that are not currently in the follower network.
Diverse content like video supports search engine optimization (SEO), which is important now that social media has become a primary search engine similar to Google.
Video can be used in multiple placements including organic and paid social media, online advertising, YouTube, email marketing and website.
Video content is engaging.
Videos build an emotional connection through storytelling. Calls to action are more impactful.
Video creates trust and cultivates meaningful and lasting relationships. Seeing real people tell their stories makes the topic more tangible and relatable.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Studies as far back as 2016 have found that viewers retain 95% of a message they see in a video vs. 10% when reading it in text.
86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool.
57% of people who watch a video from a not-for-profit make a donation.
According to Instagram, 91% of users say they watch videos from brands weekly.
190 billion reels are watched every single day.
Reels generated 38% more reach compared to a campaign not including reels.
Video has a 16% lower cost per thousand (CPM) compared to standard ads.
Video results in 54% higher incremental ad recall.
Video shows 13% higher return on ad spend.
Video leads to a 29% higher conversion rate.

The Role of Brand Photography

While video is an important part of a social media strategy - and overall brand strategy - the role of brand photography cannot be discounted. Like video, having a well-stocked library of brand photography can support storytelling and building relationships, but since videos are used more widely in many cases, there are a few other key benefits.

Personalization helps you stand out
Many organizations utilize stock photography in their marketing assets. Businesses that have their own brand assets stand out with unique visual content that helps them express their own brand identity to the people they support and provide service to.
Maintain consistent brand image
When utilizing stock imagery, organizations are either limited in the assets they can use or there is a lack of consistency in the look and feel of the content. A brand library with photographs from a single photographer allows organizations to capture a consistent look and feel to their photography, helping make them more easily identifiable and distinguished in the large and saturated digital space.
Positioning as a community
A photoshoot that includes the team, customers, products and services helps to position your brand as an authority in your industry. The inclusion of real people demonstrates authenticity and creates connection with and between the various stakeholders and audiences.

Case Study on Branded Content

A not-for-profit ran an end of year campaign with the goal to raise $300,0000 by the end of the year. This campaign used social media as a key vehicle to drive awareness, clicks to the website, and donations to the organization. The campaign launched shortly before Giving Tuesday and ran through the holiday season in both organic and paid social channels.

The client provided a full asset library of personalized video and photography to support shaping perceptions, building connections, and telling the story about why people should donate. This helped them stand out and made the content easily identifiable as the organization’s brand. It also positioned the organization as authentic, trustworthy, and relatable. The photos and videos that were posted shared stories of real people being supported by the not-for-profit, and that was a crucial piece as to why this campaign reached their goal.

The results:

299,158 accounts reached
595,842 impressions
5,246 link clicks to the website
$300,000 fundraising goal achieved

What Are You Waiting For?

If you’re ready to stand out against the competition and book a brand shoot, send us an email to hello@thesmallsocial.com . Our dedicated and experienced team will provide you with a comprehensive production package that includes location scouting, shot lists, creative direction and a content team that will bring your story to life. Get in touch today!

The Small Social’s 2024 Digital Marketing Predictions

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 15:01:09 GMT

Happy 2024! We are excited to be starting the new year feeling recharged and ready for all the exciting new developments and trends in the digital marketing space. As we settle into the year and start working toward our goals, we thought it would be fun to share our predictions for what could be coming up in digital marketing this year. Things are always changing and we saw some pretty dramatic shifts in 2023. Keep reading for what team SOCO is predicting in 2024.

Ashley, Financial Officer + Account Manager

Last year, Ashley predicted a major shift in the perceptions of reality. She said that throughout 2023, we wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between what is real and fake. In a lot of cases, she was right. Now, seeing the advancements in AI, she’s holding onto this prediction with more confidence. As AI improves, there will be more online that is artificially generated and it will become increasingly difficult to tell the difference. She’s thinking only a third of content online will be authentic.

Brooklyn, Digital Marketing Coordinator

Brooklyn is on social media basically all day, every day (aren’t we all?) and her predictions for this year focus on platforms. She is anticipating that Twitter will be sold again and Threads will undergo major improvements to make it a more attractive platform for consumers and businesses alike. Brooklyn is also predicting a rise in user generated content (UGC) to support business growth in a more organic way.

Cat, Director of Digital Marketing

Cat is a digital marketing wizard who knows all the trends, tips and tricks for success. Her 2024 predictions are all about authentic, personalized content. She predicts more real, candid video content over high-quality assets from production shoots. Think: recorded on an iPhone and UGC. She’s also looking out for a rise in content that promotes engagement as engagement rates continue to drop on social media.

Jules, Digital Brand Director + Founder

Our Digital Brand Director, Jules, is predicting big things this year. The first is businesses and brands continuing to leverage UGC and influencer programs (are you seeing a trend yet?) She is also anticipating some shifts in platforms including a new social media app being launched that people will actually want to use (no offense to Threads), Pinterest rolling out new features, and LinkedIn getting more spammy and salesy. Another major prediction from Jules based on data from the last couple of years is that advertising and tracking will become more difficult due to legalities and privacy restrictions.

Lara, Digital Marketing Manager

Lara’s predictions for 2024 are centred around two key areas. The first is how video-predominant platforms will adjust to accommodate new demands from creators. This includes Instagram and TikTok introducing more in-app AI capabilities and making improvements to their in-app editing and templates to compete with apps like CapCut. These changes would keep content creators engaged and more likely to create content natively in the app, rather than using external programs. Lara is also anticipating businesses restrategizing and shifting to rely more on first-party data collection. As third-party data becomes more difficult to collect due to increased concerns around privacy, first-party data will become invaluable.

Madi, Director of Social Media + Founder

Madi doesn’t like to make predictions. She prefers to roll with the punches and adapt based on changes and shifts in the industry. She’s always excited to see what’s next.

Nicole, Digital Marketing Coordinator

Something that’s been true for the last couple of years is that video has an increasingly important role in social media and digital marketing as a whole. Nicole is anticipating that this isn’t going away. With more AI, demands for UGC, and a continuous rise in influencer programs, video will continue to be a primary vehicle for storytelling, creating awareness, and building engagement. This will expand beyond TikTok and Instagram.

Victoria, Digital Marketing Coordinator

Our newest team member, Victoria, is coming up to one year working in social media and she’s seen it all. Her predictions are all about the functionality and user experience of social media platforms. This year, Vic is predicting that the never-ending Meta spam messages will finally stop (we can hope), that X will go back to Twitter, and there will be improvements to in-app video editing on Instagram to make it more user-friendly.

What are your predictions for the digital marketing space in 2024? Send us a DM on Instagram to let us know.

Our 5 Biggest Lessons from 2023

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 19:12:45 GMT

As the end of the year approaches, we’ve taken some time to reflect on some of the lessons we’ve learned in 2023 . It was an incredible year of growth, not just for stats and analytics, but in the development of our team. In 2023 , we learned a lot, mainly about reacquainting ourselves with the values that make The Small Social Company who we are and how we want to run our agency.

Here are the top 5 lessons we’ll be taking into 2024 with us:

It’s important to make decisions based on values and not financials

When you’re growing a business, financial growth is important. But we learned a hard lesson this year. Sometimes a client isn’t a good fit for the type of culture and relationships we want to form. We’re prioritizing making lasting connections to ensure both our team and our clients feel good about the business relationship.

Saying “thank you” and showing appreciation goes further than you think

Not every day is going to be a good day. But there are countless opportunities to say thank you and show appreciation for your team and co-workers. We’ve always believed in having an environment where people feel valued, but it’s especially important when difficult situations arise, it’s been a hectic week, or someone just needs a little pep talk.

Internal mentorship is just as important as external mentorship

Mentorship is important for professional development and growth. We’ve noticed a big emphasis on external mentorship in the digital marketing industry. This year, there was a lot of interest from our team to learn and improve their skills and we recognized that there were endless things our team could teach each other. Our leadership also scheduled mentorship calls, leadership training, and more frequent touch points to ensure our team was receiving the opportunities they needed to thrive. We’ll be creating more internal programs for mentorship in 2024.

Don’t lose sight of a work/life balance

One of the things we LOVE about our workplace is the work/life balance. This year, we’ve seen amazing growth with some exciting clients. We’re grateful for that, but sometimes that leads to tight deadlines and occasionally, long hours. It’s easy to get wrapped up in work and lose track of time, or jump back online after dinner to complete “one task” and then the evening is gone. We want our team to have a life and encourage everyone to work during the work day. That way they can avoid burnout and spend their personal time away from their computers, winding down, enjoying life, and maintaining their wellbeing.

It’s better to grow the team based on culture instead of simply filling a spot

We’re a small, but mighty team. We work closely together and are highly collaborative. When positions become available, which they have this past year, we of course want to fill the role to make sure our staff and clients are supported in the best way possible. But we took a step back to reorient our goals and take stock of our workplace environment. The big lesson: a culture fit will always be more important than hiring someone who checks off every skill in the job description. We’ll be expanding our team in the new year, and when we do, we’ll be sure they fit with the incredible people who make up The Small Social Company. That’s how we help clients succeed.

We feel incredibly fortunate to have had so many wins this past year and all the opportunities to learn. Growth isn’t always linear, but we can confidently say that this year was our most successful yet. We couldn’t do it without our amazing team, the clients who put their trust in us, and our community of committed supporters cheering us on every day.

We’re looking forward to another successful year in 2024.

The Ultimate Social Media Manager Gift Guide

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 17:21:59 GMT

Whether you’re a fellow Social Media Manager yourself, or someone you love is constantly in front of a laptop or scrolling through Instagram and TikTok for content ideas, you’ve come to the right place. Our team of digital wizards work hard, and there are a few things they can’t live without (or really want themselves) to make dealing with the digital world just a little easier this holiday season.

If you’re looking for ideas to help the SMM in your life not only boost their social media game, but maybe put a smile on their face, keep reading.

Victoria

As a social media manager, two things are true. Our phones go with us absolutely everywhere, and we are always looking for ways to stay organized and on top of our tasks. Victoria recommends the Otter + Pop Symmetry Series Phone Case for keeping your phone protected on the go. She also can’t wait to crack open a brand new Daily Planner to organize her work day and keep track of her personal life.

Nicole

You’ll see pretty quickly that our team loves a good planner. Nicole’s pick is the Joy Daily Planner , which not only helps her keep track of her tasks, but also helps with achieving goals and self care. You’ll never forget to drink water again (we tell ourselves) with the planner’s daily water tracker. She also loves a good pair of comfy slippers. Check out her top pick for the holiday season: The EMU Australia Mayberry Frost Slippers.

Madi

When you work from home, comfort is key. And Madi is the queen of comfort. On her holiday gift list is the Chelsea Oversized Crew in a stunning slate blue colour from the Nash Collection. If you’re shopping for a desk warrior who needs peace and quiet, consider getting them a pair of Airpod Pros . Madi (and most of our team) can’t live without them. They’re perfect for when you need to block out the noise and really focus.

Lara

If you’re an SMM, you know that creating Reels and filming content for TikToks can cause your phone battery to run out pretty quickly. When you’re creating content on the go, you’ll definitely want a portable phone charger to keep your phone going. Never scramble for an outlet again with this tool that offers one full charge and works quickly. Lara is also a big fan of a Nespresso coffee for a boost during the work day, and recommends the Nespresso Vertuo for the coffee-loving SMM on your list.

Jules

Some Social Media Managers are avid content creators. For those individuals who are always trying to make the next viral video, you can’t go wrong with gifting them a good quality Video Light . This accessory can help transform a dark, dull space into the perfect place to snap a pic or record a TikTok. And, for the days where you’d rather not be at work, Jules recommends this OOO Sweater from Yllw The Label for those cozy weekend vibes, even when you’re online.

Cat

Do you or the SMM on your list want to up their video game? Check out this Gimbal , which attaches to your phone and helps capture professional quality video. The Gimbal stablizes your phone to help capture smooth, clean video without risking the shaky cam look. And of course, if your coffee-loving SMM gets or has a Nespresso, you’ll want to gift them one of Cat’s favourite things: all the coffee .

Brooklyn

Remember when we said comfort is key? Brooklyn is another cozy queen and on her gift list this year are two pieces from LuluLemon: the Scuba Mid-Rise Wide-Leg Full Length Pants and Scuba Oversized Full-Zip Hoodie . While you’re staying comfy, or gifting comfort to someone else, consider adding Brooklyn’s favourite cup of 2023 : the Brumate Era 30 oz. With it’s leakproof seal, you’ll leave your Stanley Cup behind.

Ashley

If you know an SMM, you’ll know that some days in the digital marketing space are extra challenging. For those days when the headaches just won’t stop, Ashley always keeps a bottle of Advil close by. You hope you don’t need it, but it’s always handy to have around and makes a great stocking stuffer. And, when they have that headache and need to step away for a quick power nap, they’ll be grateful to have this incredible Topsy Farms Wool Blanket to make them feel like they’re wrapped in a warm hug.

Spread some joy and appreciation for your social media loved ones this holiday season - or add these to your own holiday wishlist. Happy gifting!

The Small Social’s Holiday Gift List

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 15:41:24 GMT

Have you started your holiday shopping? With festivities kicking off and the holiday season right around the corner, you might be thinking about what to get for all the special people in your life. Sometimes picking out the perfect holiday gift is a no-brainer. But occasionally, we all need a little help.

Keep reading to find out what’s on the SOCO teams’ wishlist this year for ideas and inspo.

For the Ones Who Need Self Care + Relaxation

If you know someone who deserves some rest and relaxation, take a note from Ashley and Lara and get them a gift card to a spa. Ashley LOVES Ste. Annes Spa in Grafton. They offer day and overnight packages with credits for services. Their restaurant also serves some amazing food. Lara recommends a day at Thermea Spa , one of the newest spa facilities in Ontario. With a variety of hot and cold pools, saunas and treatments, you can treat your loved ones to a day or evening of total rejuvenation.

Maybe you have someone in your life who loves to have a quiet night in and self care at home. Take some inspo from Nicole’s holiday wishlist and give them some 24 k gold eye masks to help them relax after a long day. If you’re shopping for someone like Madi who likes to unwind and take a break from the screen, check out this Dolly Parton Diamond Rhinestone puzzle that’s perfect for puzzle lovers and country music enthusiasts alike.

For The Ones Who Live in Comfort

On every person’s holiday shopping list is someone who lives for being comfortable 24/7. For the person who loves being comfy and cozy, check out Lara and Victoria’s suggestions. One of Lara’s cold weather favourites is her heated blanket , perfect for being curled up with a good book and a warm drink. Vic loves keeping her feet nice and toasty in her UGG Classic Mini II Boots , which are perfect for the cool outdoor weather, or warming up after a frosty walk with the dog.

For The Ones Who Love Style

Brooklyn, Madi and Cat have all the recommendations for that person in your life who always seems to look good and be on trend. This year, we’re seeing a lot of gold jewelry. And we have to say, we’re kind of obsessed. Brooklyn recommends this perfect Bracelet Bundle from Melanie Auld , while Cat is living for these Beaded Huggie Hoops from Mejuri. Either item would be a great gift for the person who is always perfectly accessorized.

If you’re shopping for someone whose hair is always a 10/10 , Cat recommends the Shark FlexStyle Multi-Styler which she says works just as well (or maybe even better) than the Dyson. For the perfect stocking stuffer, check out Madi’s new favourite Free People Scrunchie , which screams Barbie core, but is also available in 14 other colours. Get them one, or a few. You can’t go wrong with a durable, stylish scrunchie.

On Jules’ holiday gift list are the I-SEA Sunglasses . Not only do these sunglasses come in countless cute designs, but they are also high-quality and designed to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. These are perfect for any situation where you’ll be catching some sun - even just a quick winter walk.

For The Ones Who Like to Travel

We all know someone who is always jetting off somewhere or taking a quick weekend road trip. For the adventurer in your life, consider gifting them Vic’s recommendation: The Weekender by Beis. The bag is designed to make packing easy and quick with its spacious opening and solid bottom compartment. Plus, the zipper on the back becomes a sleeve that slides easily over the handle of your luggage, making for an easy airport experience.

Help your loved one capture unique memories on their travels, or even on their next night out with Brooklyn’s new favourite camera, the Reloader in Oatmeal . This camera gives photos a vintage look without the waste of a disposable camera. Simply reload it with 35 mm film when it runs out and capture countless moments in a fun and unique way.

For The Ones Who Are Always at Their Desk

Is there someone in your life who lives at their desk? Consider circling back to the section on self care and relaxation. But to make their days easier and help them stay on track, Jules recommends the Dailee Planner . Unlike most planners, the Dailee has a page for every day of the week and helps to keep track of to-do lists, workouts, meal plans and so much more. It’s the dream planner for your type-A friend. And, encourage your desk warrior to stay hydrated while they’re zoned in on work with Nicole’s favourite Simply Modern Tumbler . This cup keeps drinks both hot and cold. It also comes with two lids, so whether your gift recipient is a straw person, or they prefer a flip lid, they can choose to use their cup however they like.

For The Ones Who Have Everything

Do you have someone on your list who feels completely impossible to buy for? They don’t really need “things”, but you still want to get them something that they’ll appreciate. Ashley and Madi have some ideas for you.

If that impossible person to buy for is a coffee enthusiast, Madi recommends the Nespresso Pixie Aeroccino Bundle. The SOCO team swears by a good cup of Nespresso coffee and the bundle comes with our favourite frother. If they’re more of a wine enthusiast, Ashley recommends a wine membership from Huff Estates. They offer 6 and 12 -bottle memberships and give that special person on your list the chance to try different wines and discounts to special events at the winery throughout the year.

Maybe you know someone who is obsessed with having fresh flowers in their home. Give them this unique gift from Ashley’s list: a Dahlia May flower subscription. You can choose from a variety of packages including full-year, 6 months, and monthly or seasonal. This is a unique gift that will bring joy to anyone on your list to brighten up their home, especially as we head into the colder months.

The Magic of Engagement

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 18:01:41 GMT

Engagement is the powerhouse of social media growth. Whether you are just starting out with social media for business, or you’ve amassed thousands of followers, it’s essential to engage with your audience in order to grow your brand. Being engaging on your social media platforms can have a great impact and make you stand out as a business that cares. Think about your own user experience. There are hundreds of businesses that all do the same thing. Are you going to remember the one that posts and ghosts, or the business that replies to your DMs, reshares tagged stories and responds to comments?

Engagement is a crucial aspect of the customer experience. It’s what brings the “social” to social media. Being active with engagement shows that you are effectively managing your account, have a consistent brand voice, and are authentic. It demonstrates to your followers that you genuinely care about and appreciate them.

If engagement is something you’re struggling with, keep reading for some information and tips.

What Counts as Engagement?

Engagement is any form of response to a page, follower, or message. This includes many different actions, but the most common are:

Remember: engagement doesn’t just mean replying to accounts that engage with you. It also requires taking the initiative to interact with other accounts and start the conversation.

There is no “right” way to engage with your audience. You have to do it in a way that makes sense for you and fits into your already packed schedule. We recommend setting aside 10-20 minutes per day and creating guidelines for yourself. These can include how many accounts you’ll follow, the number of comments you’ll leave and the number of posts you’ll like or react to. Whatever you decide, it’s important to show up on social media and demonstrate that you’re active, beyond simply posting your own content.

Why Should You Care About Engagement?

There are a couple of layers to this. Let’s unpack the technical one. Remember a few years ago when Instagram was all about having a visually appealing grid? If you did that, you typically had a lot of likes and comments, which meant your content was being seen. Then Meta changed the algorithm. The update created a shift that meant accounts that were responding to comments, replying to DMs, and engaging with other accounts were more visible than the ones that were simply posting and ghosting. Engagement meant growth, and even visually stunning posts or buying followers no longer yielded meaningful results without that social component.

The second layer to this is authenticity and connection. Engagement makes your business human. It shows you’re active in your business and you care about your customers. When your business takes the time to answer questions, respond to comments or concerns, or simply interact with your followers, it builds a level of trust that makes you memorable. Trust us, the customer who sees their story reshared by their favourite brand will always remember, and they’ll tell people about it. Bonus: you might get some really great UGC out of it.

Engagement Is Reciprocal

When you engage with other accounts on social media, you show you are present with your audience and the wider community. This is usually reciprocated by the accounts you engage with. People are more likely to follow, comment, and reach out to brands and businesses that have a strong, active online presence. Followers on those accounts you’re engaging with will see you commenting on the content and might explore your account too. If you tag an account in stories and they share your content, that’s more exposure for you and the potential to grow your audience increases. It’s a win-win.

Looking for Support?

We know that as a business owner, making time to engage with your audience on social media is another thing you’re trying to squeeze into your already packed schedule. What if you could have a partner to take it off your plate?

At The Small Social, we have a team of stellar social media managers who can help you ensure your profiles stand out and get the engagement you’re looking for. We are well versed in growing social media audiences, making connections, and representing brands from a variety of industries.

Does this sound like something you’re looking for? Reach out to us at hello @ thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call. We can’t wait to hear from you.

Still Thinking About Your Holiday Marketing Campaign? Here are 4 Reasons You Should Get Started Now.

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 15:09:23 GMT

The countdown is on! With Black Friday sneaking up and the holiday season not too far behind, you should be thinking about how you’re going to run your holiday ads campaign. You may think it’s early, but proper planning gives you time to create ads, develop your audiences, and capture new brand assets like photos and videos if required. It also lets you put serious thought into your theme, promotions, platforms, and the products you want to feature.

According to recent studies, more than 50% of people start their holiday shopping before the calendar flips to November.

That means, by the time we reach Black Friday and Cyber Monday, a large percentage of the population has started shopping, or they’ve planned what they’re going to purchase. A well thought out holiday ads campaign allows you to leverage popular shopping days like Black Friday, and reach those consumers who are prepared and ready to get their shopping done. It also gives you a competitive advantage. When you’re prepared, you can implement your holiday campaign seamlessly, and it will show in the execution and results.

Our team has a lot of experience in supporting with holiday campaigns. What we see time and again is businesses that are prepared will see great results. If you haven’t started planning your holiday campaign yet, keep reading for 4 reasons you should.

Case Study 1

The Plan

This client wanted to create content specific to holiday ads. The overall objective was to use the holiday season to increase sales in Q 4 . Their focus was to leverage popular shopping days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and build off of that momentum to head into December.

The content primarily highlighted new product launches and arrivals that would be giftable for the holiday season. Customer appreciation was an important component to this campaign to emphasize the customer experience.

The Results

The planning and execution of this campaign was highly successful, combining email marketing and targeted social media ads.

Social Media Ads:

10,936 Reach

53,373 Impressions

244 Conversions

Email Marketing:

$24,632.82 in sales

326% increase from the previous holiday season

Case Study 2

The Plan

This client wanted to reach specific sales goals ahead of the holiday season. Their objectives were to not only increase brand awareness and attract new customers to purchase online, but to drive more online sales specifically for Thanksgiving, Black Friday and holiday gifts.

We researched and built out custom audiences and used the demographic and psychographic information to determine appropriate strategies for different segments of those groups. With this, our team developed compelling email marketing content and social media ads with promotions and an emphasis on gift giving. Part of this strategy included retargeting ads and abandoned cart emails to keep the customers’ shopping experience at top of mind.

The Results

This holiday campaign ran intermittently between Thanksgiving and the holiday season. With a small budget, the campaign yielded positive results.

Social Media Ads:

6,852 Reach

12,979 Impressions

102 Conversions

5,704 new unique website visitors

Case Study 3

The Plan

This client had a strong online presence with an engaged audience. However, they wanted to scale the business to reach new customers through the holiday shopping season. In addition to customer growth, this client wanted to run a holiday ads campaign to increase sales. Running holiday sales, we planned ahead of time to create custom audiences, capture brand photography for holiday specific campaigns, and created an influencer marketing campaign to increase sales. This campaign utilized new forms of ads that the client hadn’t explored previously, including video content, “as seen on” influencer ads, and retargeting consumer lists.

The Results

The use of video content proved to have a successful return on investment, especially in the social space. Over a 3 week period between late November and early December the client had positive results.

Social Media Ads:

195,284 Reach

512,934 Impressions

287 Conversions

Achieved their year-end sales goal

Holiday campaigns aren’t just for e-commerce businesses. Toward the end of the year, not-for-profits are working to take advantage of year-end giving to achieve their annual fundraising goals.

Case Study 4

The Plan

The primary objective for this client was to raise $ 300,000 in a Giving Tuesday and year-end appeals campaign.

The overall plan and strategy was to launch a multitude of ads across the Meta network, reaching audiences at several touchpoints. We created multiple audiences, with the intention of allowing users to see the ads on more than one occasion, while continuously targeting new audiences with higher conversion rates. For this campaign, we utilized reels, carousel ads, and dynamic ads to achieve the organizational objectives.

The Results

We saw huge success with this holiday campaign, which emphasized the importance of proper planning, and a strong brand asset library. Here are the results from the four week campaign.

Social Media Ads:

299,158 Reach

595,852 Impressions

5,246 Website Clicks

1,345 Results

The organization also surpassed

their $300,000 fundraising goal!

Let's Get Started

When you’re marketing in the online space, nothing beats being prepared. The holiday season is extremely competitive for ad space and consumers’ attention. By starting the planning of your holiday campaign early, you will have a solid understanding of who your target audience is, how you can appeal to them, and what assets you need to gather or capture before implementation.

These case studies are only a few examples of successful holiday campaigns that have been executed following careful and detailed planning. Our team of ad experts is here to support you, whether you want to achieve year-end sales goals, reach new audiences, or simply get your products on peoples’ wish lists. If you’re looking for support heading into the holiday season, reach out to us at hello @ thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call. Let’s work together to achieve your goals.

Heading to New York? You Have to Check out These Places.

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 15:28:19 GMT

Our team has been spending more time in New York, meeting with clients, attending events, and building incredible relationships. As we get more familiar with the city and try new places, we’re definitely realizing that we have some favourite spots. If you’re headed to New York, either for work or fun, keep reading below for some of our top recommendations.

Where to Stay

The Kimpton Hotel Eventi

The Kimpton Hotel is The Small Social’s home away from home. It’s a clean, central hotel close to many stores, restaurants and attractions. The service is unreal. If you run into Fernando on arrival at the valet stand, you’re in great hands. The hotel also features a great restaurant and bar, happy hour for guests daily, and complimentary coffee every morning to get you going.

Find out more here: https://www.hoteleventi.com/

Where to Eat

Pastis

Pastis is a simple, classic French restaurant in the Meatpacking District. The food is uncomplicated, but made incredibly well. Our favourite dishes were: the ricotta ravioli, fillet steak frites, beef bourguignon and the smash burger. Don’t sleep on the burger. It’s like an elevated Big Mac and we couldn’t get enough.

The inside of the restaurant is loud, but very cool, and there is the option for patio seating. The customer service was excellent and we had a great experience there.

La Pecora Bianca Nomad

If Italian food is your thing, you have to try La Pecora Bianca . New York City has 7 locations for this incredible restaurant. We visited the location in NoMad which is beautifully decorated with lemons everywhere, giving it a fun Amalfi Coast vibe. The service was outstanding, with our server providing some amazing recommendations. Our favourite dishes were: whipped ricotta with country toast, the tagliatelle and the gramigna.

Tip: you have the option to add Burrata to all the pasta dishes. Do it. You won’t be disappointed.

Sandbar Rooftop

A few minutes walking distance from the Kimpton Hotel Eventi is the Sandbar Rooftop . Located in the Fashion District on the top floor of the Hilton Hotel, the Sandbar boasts some incredible views of Manhattan. Its outdoor lounge vibe is the perfect place to enjoy cocktails and a small bite with friends or colleagues. Their pizzas are great, made with simple, uncomplicated ingredients and toppings. The corn ribs are pretty good too.

Source: labergamotenyc Instagram

La Bergamote

La Bergamote is a hidden gem we stumbled on after our original lunch plans went sideways. And we couldn’t be happier. Located in Chelsea, La Bergamote is a French restaurant featuring the most delicious sandwiches and salads. The steak sandwich was tender and the chicken aioli sandwich was packed with flavour. The nicoise salad is also definitely worth a try. Plus, if you have a sweet tooth, they have a beautiful dessert counter with delicious treats.

Upland

If you’re looking for a restaurant to meet with colleagues that has an eclectic menu, Upland is the perfect place to try. They have a variety of unique shareable plates like the ‘Njuda Pizza. They also have a Burrata that is unparalleled (can you tell we love cheese?). Our favourite mains were the skirt steak and the green tomato lasagna. Located on Park Avenue South, the restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating. We had a nice table by the window which was quiet and perfect for our post-meeting dinner.

Source: upland_nyc Instagram

Source: billysbakerynyc Instagram

Billy’s Bakery

Calling all Magnolia Bakery lovers! If you’re a fan of the Magnolia treats, but aren’t a fan of long lines and big crowds, you have to try Billy’s Bakery . Tucked down the street from La Bergamote, Billy’s Bakery features many favourites from the Magnolia brand, but without the fanfare that comes with a visit to Magnolia. We grabbed a pack of mini cupcakes before heading into a meeting and they were a hit with the group. Someone on the team also tried the banana pudding and said it’s as good (maybe even better) than Magnolia. Stop in for a quick treat and service from friendly staff.

Chelsea Market

Chelsea Market is an amazing space with countless restaurants and stores. There is a huge variety of food and drinks, so whether you’re there for breakfast, lunch, cocktails, or dinner, there is something for you. We stopped at Chelsea Market for breakfast and had bagels and pastries from Amy’s Bread . When we tell you that their sour dough everything bagel is one of the best we’ve ever had, we’re not joking. The cream cheese was fluffy and light. We would go back for sure. Their pastries are also amazing, and if you’re looking for a simple coffee, you can’t go wrong here.

While you’re grabbing food at Chelsea Market, be sure to check out one of the many shops. A lot of vendors are local to New York and are beyond grateful for the support.

Where to Drink

The Dead Rabbit

The Dead Rabbit is a unique and historic pub located in the Financial District. It has the feel of a real Irish pub and has been part of the city since the mid- 1800s . It has 3 different areas to choose from with a cool ambience and interesting decor. Their frozen Irish Coffee is incredible and comes in a branded takeaway cup. They also have a huge variety of spirits and beers, plus a cool cocktail menu with unique flavours and things to try.

Please Don't Tell

If you’re looking for a truly unique experience, you have to check out one of New York City’s many Speakeasies. We visited Please Don’t Tell in the East Village. The entrance is through a phone booth via a hotdog stand. If you don’t know to look for it, you would never know it’s there. The atmosphere is very cool with low lighting, no windows and a real prohibition-era feel. You can make a reservation or walk-in.

Bathtub Gin

When you think of a 1920s Speakeasy, does your mind go to windowless rooms and prohibited entertainment? Bathtub Gin comes pretty close. Bathtub Gin is another unique Speakeasy experience in New York City. The venue has both seated and standing room, excellent cocktails, and some great service. When we arrived, there was a Burlesque show taking place with some talented performers.

We recommend making a reservation. And, if you don’t want to get wet during the entertainment, you should opt for standing room by the bar. They call the sitting area “the Splash Zone”.

Source: bathtubginnyc Instagram

Take the Guesswork out of Digital Marketing with Social Media Coaching

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 12:00:02 GMT

Whether you’re new to utilizing social media for your business, or you’ve been managing a brand online for a while, you may be finding it challenging to implement a strategy that shows results.

A lot of people are surprised to find out that leveraging social media for your business isn’t simply sharing posts and stories. When you use social media for personal use, you’re sharing content for yourself. When using it to support growth of a business profile, you need to tailor your content and strategy to attract potential clients, build relationships, and represent your brand. There’s organic social media which has its own unique challenges and nuances. Then there is the added layer of social media paid ads which are a valuable tool for reaching new consumers.

We recognize that growth isn’t linear and there is some trial and error involved in creating a strategy and seeing results. But using social media to grow your brand shouldn’t feel impossible. If you’re ready to take the guesswork out of managing your social media channels, we’re here to support you.

Social Media Coaching

The Small Social Company is proud to offer social media coaching for businesses that want to manage their own platforms, but need some extra help to do it effectively. Social media coaching is a 1:1 experience where you get personalized sessions with a creative director and digital strategist. These sessions will be tailored to your specific needs and goals so you can feel confident managing your social media channels and getting the best results.

1:1 social media coaching sessions will cover topics including:

Finding and engaging with your audience
Creating your content
Reviewing your branding
How to review and utilize analytics
Understanding your pain points
Building a strategy
And much more

By the end of your social media coaching program, you’ll have a fully built out strategy, clear and attainable goals, and a tangible action plan for you and your team.

Sign up today to take the guesswork out of social media, so you can build an online presence that supports your growth and helps you develop your brand.

Starting at $ 189 /hr with options to customize based on your specific requirements.

Email us at hello @ thesmallsocial.com to get started.

Fall in Love with our Seasonal Favourites

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 14:36:24 GMT

Love it or hate it, we’ll be saying goodbye to the heat and humidity of summer, and hello to the crisp air and cool nights of fall before we know it.

This transition can be hard, but if you’re like our team, you have your standard go-to items that help you get through the chilly autumn weather. Keep reading to find out what our team is loving for the fall season.

Ashley

Ashley can’t say no to a good scrunchie. She keeps her hair out of her face on breezy days with the Velvet Mini Scrunchie from XXL and Co. On cool nights, she sits around the fire roasting marshmallows and enjoying delicious s’mores with friends. Can you think of a better way to spend fall evenings? We can’t.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn is all about hydration as the seasons change. You won’t find her leaving the house without her Summer Friday Lip Balm . Looking for something with a little more POP? Summer Friday offers this product in 6 great shades. Brooklyn also loves to be cozy in her favourite pair of UGG Tasman slippers . With their soft lining, they’ll keep you warm on the coolest fall days.

Cat

Cat is giving ultimate comfy vibes this fall. You’ll find her out and about in her favourite Zara knit sweater (or any knit sweater) or lounging at home in her Classic UGG Slippers . They’re like walking on a cloud. Cat will always have her favourite Nespresso Sweet Vanilla coffee in-hand, whether she’s at her desk working, watching her favourite Bravo show on the couch, or out for a walk with the dogs.

Jules

Jules LOVES her Brazilian Bum Bum Set for keeping her skin hydrated and glowy. If you haven’t tried these products, you should. Even if it’s just for the smell. When you use these products, you’ll be reminded of summer days on the beach. If you run into Jules in town, you can be sure to find her in the softest Alo Yoga Fall Jacket . Dress it up with a cute pair of jeans, or down with your favourite athleisure outfit.

Lara

If Lara could live in crew neck sweaters and leggings year-round, she probably would. This fall, she is loving the Aerie Offline Hugger Leggings (with pockets of course) and the Knix Good to Go Fleece Crew . If she’s out and about, you can be sure she’s stopping at Starbucks for a chai latte with almond milk and toffee nut syrup. It tastes like fall in a cup.

Madi

In case you didn’t know, It’s important to wear sunscreen all the time, not just when it’s hot and sunny. That’s why Madi won’t leave the house without her Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 . If you’re looking for a sunscreen that won’t leave your skin feeling oily, this is it. Madi is also OBSESSED with her New Balance cheetah print sneakers and will be wearing them around town while drinking her new Starbucks favourite, the Iced Apple Crisp Shaken Espresso .

Nicole

Does anything say “hello fall” more than the smell of rich spices and seasonal fruits? Nicole will be enjoying the season with the Leaves Collection from Bath & Body Works. With their candles, soaps, bath products, and more, Nicole will be wrapped in a warm fall hug. She will also be living in her favourite Jilly Jogger from Smash + Tess. Sounds perfect to us.

Vic

Vic is all about the outdoors in the fall, enjoying walks with her dog among the crisp crunchy leaves. You’ll find her out on the local trails staying warm in her Patagonia ¼ Zip Sweater and keeping her hair back on windy days with the BEST claw clips from CALIA. She’ll also most likely have her favourite Stanley Cup with her to stay hydrated along the way.

What are your favourite fall items? Let us know on social media using the hashtag #SOCOFallFaves.

2023 Trends in Social Commerce

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 13:44:55 GMT

The way consumers interact and engage with brands has shifted dramatically over the past few years. Pre-2020 , there was already a notable move toward online shopping over the traditional brick and mortar experience. This shift was solidified throughout the pandemic, with many businesses prioritizing e-commerce to stay afloat. What they found during the return to in-person shopping was the processes they put in place as a lifeline for their business were here to stay.

Shift to E-Commerce: A Case Study

At the beginning of the pandemic, a retail clothing store in Sudbury had to shift to e-commerce in order to stay open during the shutdown. The retailer previously focused on in-person sales. We created a digital marketing strategy that included social media ads and email campaigns to reach consumers beyond their local service area. With this strategy in place, over $ 28,500 was generated from email marketing campaigns. There was an increase of 68 % in sales. The business also brought in over $ 10,000 from a single social media ad in 2020. Recently, there were over 290 purchases from the website on a single ad.

Now, there’s no denying that most people prefer to be e-commerce consumers. This means that brands have to step up to create an online experience that keeps consumers coming back. It’s not as simple as having an online store or creating stunning posts. E-commerce has to exist as part of a fully built out digital ecosystem that is engaging, educational and inspiring to customers.

Shopify released their 2023 Social Commerce Trends report, which explores a number of areas of consumer behaviour and online shopping trends. Keep reading for our key takeaways.

Focus on ESG

As behaviours change, so do the expectations that consumers have for the brands they choose to engage with. Before the rise of e-commerce and social media shopping, consumers typically chose a brand or store they liked and stuck with it. Now with information and competitor brands instantly accessible, consumers are more aware of the impact that the products they use have on the world around them. They want to know how their favourite brands feel about things like social issues and the environment. Buyers want to support more ethical business practices and sustainable supply chains. They will switch from their favourite businesses to a similar one that is more aware of their ESG impacts. With this in mind, it’s important for you to highlight what your brand stands for and what you do to support the communities where you operate.

The Shopping Experience

E-commerce, similar to brick and mortar shopping, is all about the experience. The difference is, with e-commerce, consumers want immediacy. When shopping online, consumers want to be able to find what they’re looking for quickly and easily. Think about website layouts, impactful posts and engaging video content on social media.

Part of that experience is the desire for immediate responsiveness. Consumers want clear and accurate information quickly. Since late 2022 , there has been a rise in consumers reaching out to brands online through Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs. They want high-value everywhere they shop. However, for many businesses, having round-the-clock customer service available on these apps isn’t feasible. Here, we see the rise of chatbots in e-commerce. For the 41 % of consumers who reportedly want live chat support while they shop online, chatbots allow them to ask simple questions and get immediate responses. Chatbots can be programmed by brands to capture your brand voice so they are more authentic and less robotic. ��

Utilizing Social Media Shopping Tools

Discovering new brands is easier than it’s ever been. 60 % of the world is on social media and 7 out of 10 consumers like the convenience of purchasing products directly from where they’re browsing. This means if you’re not using platforms like Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok, you’re missing out on a huge segment of your consumer base. Social media reduces the friction that can exist between discovery and conversion. The added step of going to a store, or even finding an external link is eliminated when you use tools like Instagram Shopping and product tagging. Social media platforms can become a one-stop shop for discovery, consideration and conversion without your consumers ever having to leave the app. This is a huge advantage for a seamless user experience that can help you increase sales and improve customer loyalty.

The Obstacle of Third-Party Data

In a time where more people are online than ever before, there is also an increasing demand for better privacy and protection for consumer data. Already, Apple and Mozilla (FireFox) have done away with third-party cookies, with Google expected to follow suit in 2024 . When Apple started letting its customers opt in or out of data tracking, advertisers lost approximately 30 % accuracy on targeting. What does this mean for brands? It’s getting harder to target a customer’s already limited time and attention, and the advertising tools brands rely on for data are becoming less dependable. Without third-party data tracking, it’s harder for brands to reach their target audience, generate traffic, and measure the efficacy of their efforts.

How do you get around this? Brands are starting to collect first-party data that they have ownership over. This data is collected from your own audience, whether that is social media followers, website visitors or customers. To collect first-party data, you can add tracking pixels to your website, products and social media profiles that collect details about behaviours and actions of your consumers. You can also collect first-party data through customer surveys and polls. First-party data can be used effectively to retarget ads, improve the customer experience, and create a better sales process.

Focus on Collaboration

Brand Collaborations: Brands have always been good at collaborating with other brands for a mutually beneficial relationship. Think about concert venues. This shift didn’t necessarily move as seamlessly into the world of e-commerce. But, as reaching new audiences becomes more difficult, there is a renewed emphasis on Brand-to-Brand collaboration. By partnering with one or more brands to create a product or program, you all benefit from getting your product in front of additional audiences. Think about products like the Fab, Fit, Fun Box which sees numerous businesses contribute their top performing products to a quarterly subscription box. These partnerships get countless brands in front of consumers, giving each business the opportunity to reach new customers.

You can also consider brand collaborations like special products to market movies. The Barbie movie recently collaborated with brands including Smash + Tess, Burger King, JoyBird, Tangle Teaser, Crocs, Fossil, Forever 21 , and more. While the Barbie movie itself didn’t need any help with their marketing, by creating collabs with the countless brands they partnered with, it provided the businesses with the opportunity to offer a product to an established audience who may not have considered shopping from them before.

Creator Collaborations: Consumers want to see products in action. They’re not willing to simply take a business’ word for it anymore. Around 33 % of consumers consider influencer recommendations more important than recommendations from family and friends. And while influencer marketing is expected to become more prevalent in the future, user-generated content is 8.7 times more impactful than influencer content. There is a general consensus, especially among younger consumers, that UGC is more authentic than influencer marketing. Reviews, photos, videos, blog posts, comments and shares are considered more authentic than brand and influencer-produced content. And consumers love to feel like they are part of something. By sharing UGC on your social media platforms and website, you give consumers the opportunity to find something authentic and relatable in your brand and products. This creates trust and deepens a relationship that is more difficult to maintain in a digital world with countless options and fast information.

It’s no doubt that we are living in a digital era shaped by unprecedented changes in our society. The retail landscape has gone through a dramatic shift, triggered by the pandemic and sustained through an overall change in lifestyle and preference. Now more than ever, brands have to focus on how their online presence impacts their consumers’ behaviour. E-commerce needs to be part of a fully developed and maintained digital ecosystem that takes consumer habits and changes in online policy into consideration. By being proactive in our increasingly digital society, brands can take advantage of tools like first-party data collection, brand collaborations, and UGC and influencer marketing. This will help you come out on top in the world of social commerce to maintain and grow your consumer base online.

Make the Most of Reels and TikToks

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 20:32:09 GMT

Instagram Reels and TikToks have emerged as two dynamic forms of video media that captivate millions of users worldwide. These platforms have revolutionized the way we consume and create short-form video content, offering endless possibilities for creativity, entertainment, and engagement. As a content creator or business owner, Reels and TikToks can help you leverage your brand, reach new audiences, and share valuable information that sets you apart from your competitors.

Once you have committed to implementing Reels and TikToks in your marketing strategy, it’s important to keep best practices in mind so you can get the most return on your investment. Keep reading for our best practices to make the most out of your Reels and TikToks.

Establish Content Pillars

The best way to ensure you are providing relevant and consistent content is to develop content pillars that will resonate with your audience. Think of these as categories by which you can develop Reels and TikToks to maintain consistency while providing relevant and entertaining content that your followers want to see. Consider starting with the following pillars:

Services: highlight your products or services through short, informative, entertaining and engaging videos that highlight the unique features of your brand.

Team: consumers love to see the people behind the brand. Introduce your team members to add a human touch to your content. This will also build trust with your audience and show authenticity.

Industry Tips: share tips and tricks that add value for your audience while also demonstrating that you’re an authority in your industry.

Work or clients: feature successful projects, case studies or testimonials to show the results of your work and build credibility with potential clients.

Pro tip: Video content on Instagram and TikTok has a huge potential for reach. You want to make sure that your videos tell the story of your brand in a way that will grab the attention of your potential audience while also keeping your current followers engaged.

By establishing content pillars, you can ensure your content is well-rounded, consistent, and provides your audience with variety. This will help keep them engaged and coming back time and again.

Utilize SEO

One of the most notable shifts we’ve seen in digital marketing in 2023 is the move toward social as search. Statistics are showing that people are going to social media to search for information before they look at Google and similar search engines. Now more than ever, it’s important to ensure your content is SEO-rich. One way to do that is to use keywords. Utilize keywords in your on-screen text, automated closed captions, written captions, and hashtags. This will increase your visibility should someone search for a term or keyword you’re using.

Pro tip: U sing captions in your videos not only helps with your SEO ranking. It’s also a way to be more inclusive and to make your content more accessible.

Cross Post

(when it makes sense)

When it comes to digital marketing as a whole, it’s important to work smarter and not necessarily harder. This is even more true when you’re investing - both time and money - in video content. If you create a reel for Instagram, consider also posting to TikTok and vice versa. When repurposing content for other platforms, be sure to remove any watermarks that may be left on videos. SnapTik and Snapinsta are great resources that can download content from each platform WITHOUT a watermark. This will perform better in the algorithm and look more professional.

Check Your Analytics

If you’ve read any of our other blogs, you might be tired of us talking about analytics. But it really is key to track social media analytics to assess strengths and areas for improvement. Take note of successful content and replicate it. Identify the best-performing video styles and experiment if something isn't resonating. Check which content pillars are performing the best and do more of that. Repeat this monthly to continually optimize your strategy.

Pro tip: Growth isn’t always linear. By checking your analytics every month, you may see shifts in the content that is doing well. This gives you the opportunity to explore other video styles and ideas.

Ready to Get Started?

Instagram Reels and TikToks offer a great opportunity for content creators and businesses to connect with their audience in fun and engaging ways. You can make the most of these dynamic platforms to enhance your online presence, reach a larger audience and leverage your brand story.

If you’re looking for support to implement a Reel or TikTok strategy, or you’re simply looking for guidance to improve your current video marketing efforts, reach out to us at hello @ thesmallsocial.com . Our team of digital marketing experts are here to help you succeed.

Video Consumption in 2023

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 13:47:02 GMT

Video content is a valuable tool to connect with consumers and keep your brand relevant. More than 90 % of businesses use video as a marketing tool, and for good reason. With its entertainment value and potential for reaching new audiences, video is an important part of any marketing strategy. But, it’s important for marketing professionals to keep up with the ever-evolving user demands and best practices. Like everything in the digital landscape, the way users interact and engage with video content has changed since its inception. Here’s how consumers are using video in 2023:

Video as Escapism

What do you do at the end of a long day? While previous generations used to watch their favourite sitcom or tune into a radio show to decompress, the majority of today’s consumers are watching mobile video as a way of relaxing. Instagram users spend an average of 30 minutes on the platform per day, while TikTok users spend anywhere from 45 to 95 minutes watching content per day. While they’re on the platform, users are looking to disconnect from their day and be entertained. When you’re incorporating video marketing into your digital strategy, think about ways you can entertain your audience while staying true to your brand.

Pro tip: reels and TikToks are a great way to run ads that don’t feel like ads.

Preference of Shorter Videos

TikTok and Instagram have changed the way people watch videos. When traditional TV was the predominant form of entertainment, people would stop and watch 30-60 minute shows on a regular basis. When YouTube was at its height of popularity, this time span was cut in about half and 15-20 minute videos became the norm. Now, consumers are busy and have much shorter attention spans. They want to see content that pulls them in quickly, keeps their attention and calls them to act. Most TikTok and Instagram users prefer videos that are a minute long or less. And YouTube paid attention. YouTube introduced Shorts this year as an additional option for creators. Focus your attention on creating scroll-stopping, quick, bite-size content that entertains and educates.

In some cases, longer form video content is needed. Experiment with it, analyze the results, and adjust the content to make an impact.

Video as Education

Consumers want to learn new things and video is a great way to do it. Many people with passions, hobbies or interests will use video content to further their knowledge and improve their skills. Think about how you decide what to cook for dinner, how you choose your next skincare product, or even how you troubleshoot a problem at work. People increasingly rely on video content as a source of information.

Focus some of your video content on educating your audience about what you offer and how your product or service can fill a need, solve a problem, or answer a question. By being a source of information, your audience will continue engaging with your content and look to you as a reliable source.

Video Quality is Key

When you’re watching reels or TikToks, do you ever skip a video because the quality is poor? Many consumers consider production quality to be essential to videos. The production quality of a video creates value and your video’s success relies on it. That doesn’t mean you need to spend thousands of dollars on video equipment. What consumers want to see is good lighting, a steady camera, and good quality. You can do that with your mobile phone, a stand and a good ring light or phone light.

If you’re looking for higher production value, another good option is booking a video shoot with a professional videographer. Working with a videographer will allow you to capture professional-grade video content in both long and short form that you can use in organic social media, digital advertising, and on your website. The final product will set you apart from competitors with its professional grade quality and skilled editing. If you’d like to learn more, contact us today.

Stand Out in Your Industry

With the current state of the digital landscape, it’s no longer a question of if you should be using video in your strategy, but rather how you can use it to connect with your audience and reach new customers. As shifts take place in the online space and trends come and go, it’s important to pay attention to how consumers are engaging with and responding to your content. What we see consistently is that businesses who create entertaining, educational and engaging video content show positive ROI and increased analytics.

If you’re looking for support with improving your video marketing strategy, reach out to us at hello@thesmallsocial.com . You have goals, we’ll help you achieve them.

Will Threads Take Over the Digital Landscape?

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 18:29:07 GMT

Meta’s newest platform, Threads, amassed more than 100 million users in its first 5 days, making it one of the fastest growing digital platforms in history. Built by the Instagram team, Threads was developed for sharing text-based content and joining public conversations in a safe and welcoming environment. Essentially, it’s Meta’s competitor to Twitter.

Quick Facts

Set up: Threads accounts can be set up through your Instagram profile
Functionality: Text posts have a 500-character limit and can be shared with links, images, gifs, and videos up to 5 minutes long
Privacy: Profiles can be set to private or public
Community: You have the option to sync all of your followers and who you follow with your Instagram profile

Threads for Business

Brands that are already on Threads are using it as a hybrid between Twitter and Instagram. Some businesses are using it to cross post similar content that they are sharing on other platforms, while other brands are using it for more authentic, conversational content. It is a good option for businesses that are looking to make more organic connections and engage with other users in a public forum-style setting.

Currently, there are no advertising functionalities on the platform. But we anticipate Meta ads integration will be rolled out to users in the near future for brands to monetize their presence on Threads.

Benefits of Threads

Unlike its competitor, Threads allows for seamless integration with Instagram and usability from the moment you create your account. The option to sync followers and those you follow allows users to engage with their favourite brands and accounts immediately without having to search or manually follow them. If an account you follow on Instagram hasn’t joined Threads yet, the auto-sync allows you to follow them from the moment they join the platform.

For social media users who are looking for a predominantly text-based platform to engage with audiences over shared interests, but aren’t happy with the current state of Twitter, Threads is a strong alternative. The ability to join conversations with ease and its user-friendly interface gives the platform a clean slate feeling for quick, bite-size discourse. Users can like, share and add comments to threads.

Shortfalls of Threads

Like all social media platforms, there are shortcomings to Instagram Threads. For starters, it may be too similar to Twitter, but without some of the benefits. Threads doesn’t utilize hashtags, which has been a key feature on Twitter and Instagram. One of the functionalities Twitter users have enjoyed is the ability to connect with their community through the use of hashtags. What you’re left with is a busy feed of content from accounts you may not follow or be interested in and limited ways to find content that is relevant to you.

We also know that many online users are more receptive to striking visual content, rather than text-based posts. A lot of people prefer to see photos and videos that get to the point quickly instead of reading. And while Threads does allow videos up to 5 minutes and photos on posts, the emphasis of the platform is text-based to encourage conversation.

Unlike both Twitter and Instagram, Threads does not have the option for accounts to direct message each other. The absence of this feature highlights a potential missed opportunity for brands to engage in a more direct and meaningful way with their audience. Time will tell if this level of interpersonal engagement becomes a priority for the Threads team.

There is also the issue that if you decide Threads isn’t for you, you would have to delete your Instagram account to delete your threads account. There is the option to deactivate your account, but for anyone who wants to have their Threads platform scrubbed from the online world, your Instagram account would have to go with it.

Is Threads Here to Stay?

Interest in Threads was high in its first few days. But with mixed reactions from consumers and the lack of any new or interesting features, it’s unsurprising that interest has dropped dramatically. Daily users have dropped 20 %, while time spent on the app has dropped by 50 % according to one poll.

It remains to be seen if Threads will be a viable long-term competitor to Twitter. With its current lack of incentive for brands through advertising functionality and its emphasis on text over visuals, the platform will need to offer content creators and brands more features and benefits to create meaningful connections.

Do You Have Questions about Threads?

Digital marketers everywhere are still learning how to best approach Instagram Threads and exploring ways it can support business growth. While we are still watching for new features to be rolled out, we have to agree that the platform is another touchpoint to engage with your audience and potentially reach new consumers. If your business is on Twitter and Instagram, it’s definitely worth trying out Threads to see if it’s a good fit for your brand.

Send us an email to hello @ thesmallsocial.com if you have questions or would like to work on a strategy to get your business on Instagram Threads.

Stand out with your 2023 holiday ads campaign

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 14:25:08 GMT

If you’re wondering when the best time is to start planning your ads for the holiday season, the right answer is as soon as possible . It may surprise you to learn that some of the biggest brands are already working on their holiday ads strategy. That’s right - a full 4.5 months before the holiday season begins.

Approximately 30% of Canadians shop for the holidays on Black Friday.

The reality is that in order for brands to be competitive in the digital advertising space during the holiday season, you need to start working on your strategy early to see the benefits later. Last year, holiday retail sales reached $ 789.4 billion with a projected 2.5 % growth in 2023 . If you want to be part of that, you need to start thinking about your products, promotions and holiday ads schedule now. By starting early, you are giving your business a good chance of developing conversion-worthy ads to connect with your audience and make them want to include you on their holidays shopping list.

Keep reading for our tips to get your business ready for the holiday ads season.

Concept

Having a strong concept that weaves throughout your holiday ads campaign is a great place to start planning. And remember, it’s not always about overtly selling to your audience. A good holiday ads campaign is all about messaging and evoking some kind of feeling with your customers. Some of the most popular holiday brands focus their ads efforts on the idea of bringing people together and sharing the season with the people you love.

Think about Coca Cola. Their holiday ads almost never talk about their product. They hang their holiday ads campaigns around concepts like “Real Magic” ( 2020-2021 ) and “The Holidays Always Find A Way” ( 2022 ). Similarly, Lululemon uses their holiday campaign to focus on “Giving Presence”. The efficacy of these campaigns is that they connect with their customers’ feelings, which in turn keeps them at top of mind.

Another popular concept around the holidays that is more overtly targeted for holiday shopping is the “ 12 Days of…”. Sometimes it’s deals, sales and discounts. Other times it’s giveaways and challenges, or simply incorporating a holiday theme to your products and content.

Whichever direction you choose, there’s no wrong concept. You have to ensure that bringing your concept to life suits your brand, goals, and budget.

Goals + Budget

In order to run a successful holiday ads campaign, you need to determine your goals. Do you want to increase overall sales? Is there a particular product you would like to sell more of? Do you want to specifically increase sales online vs in-store? Or maybe you’re looking to increase the general brand awareness of your business. Setting your goals now will not only help you determine which products to promote, it will also influence the types of ads you run.

Once you establish the goals of your holiday ads strategy, you then need to set a budget that is realistic and manageable. The digital ad space is competitive leading up to and during the holiday season. Going in with a max budget in mind will help you manage your ads and work toward your holiday season goals without breaking the bank.

57% of buyers plan to shop online during the holidays.

Platforms

With social media platforms offering a variety of methods to advertise and shop in-app, choosing your platforms is an important part of your holiday ads strategy. Think about who your target audience is where they are most active. If you’re not on that platform, now is the time to establish your brand there and build a following. That way, when you launch your holiday ads campaign, you look credible and trustworthy.

Here are some of our favourite platforms for e-commerce integrations and advertising:

Leveraging the Power of SEO

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 16:04:05 GMT

In the digital landscape, search engine optimization (SEO) is necessary for any successful website strategy. By harnessing the power of SEO, brands can unlock a multitude of benefits that enhance your online presence. From building credibility and reaching wider audiences to gaining a competitive advantage and delivering on customers’ search queries, there are countless benefits of SEO.

While it’s important to know that you need SEO, it’s also a broad term that involves a number of factors. Each factor needs to be taken into account in order to rank on search engines and see results. Keep reading to find out about key aspects of SEO and how they can elevate your brand's visibility, drive quality web traffic, and ultimately improve user experience.

Build Credibility and Reach More People

One of the fundamental advantages of investing in SEO is the ability to establish and strengthen your brand's credibility. When your website ranks high in search engine results pages (SERPs), it lets users know that your brand is trustworthy and authoritative. People tend to associate higher search rankings with reliability, which can significantly impact how they view your business. Additionally, by optimizing your website for relevant keywords and employing strategic techniques, you can extend your reach to a wider audience, attracting new potential customers and expanding your brand's visibility online.

Satisfy Search Queries

A core component of SEO is search intent—the intention behind a search query. Search engines, like Google, prioritize providing users with the most relevant and useful results for their searches. By understanding and aligning your content with the search intent of your target audience, you can ensure that your website ranks in relevant search results. This not only increases your chances of attracting organic traffic but also enhances the user experience by offering valuable and tailored content that directly addresses their needs and interests.

Improve User Experience and Increase Quality Web Traffic

A seamless user experience is unbeatable in the digital world. A well-optimized website that loads quickly, is mobile-friendly, and offers easy navigation contributes to a positive user experience. Slow-loading websites are often abandoned, resulting missed opportunities and high bounce rates. By compressing images and videos, and optimizing your website's loading speed, you can significantly reduce bounce rates and retain your users’ attention. Additionally, with the increased use of mobile devices, it’s essential to prioritize a mobile-optimized experience. A mobile-friendly website ensures that users can access and engage with your content effortlessly, leading to increased quality web traffic and improved search engine rankings.

Domain Authority and Backlinks

Domain authority plays a pivotal role in SEO. It’s a measure of your website's reputation and influence in the digital landscape. Domain authority is earned over time through a combination of factors, including quality backlinks, high-quality content, and a positive user experience. Backlinks, or external links from other websites to yours, serve as references and signals of authority to search engines. By earning reputable backlinks from relevant sources, you can enhance your domain authority, boosting your website's visibility and credibility in search engine rankings.

Keyword Optimization and Website Structure

Keywords form the foundation of SEO. By researching and strategically incorporating specific keywords that align with your target audience's search behaviour, you can optimize your content for better visibility and relevance. However, it is crucial to strike a balance between keyword optimization and maintaining natural, engaging content. It’s also important to organize your website in a logical and intuitive way. This helps search engines and users navigate your site effectively. Clear hierarchies, internal linking, and easy access to valuable information contribute to a user-friendly experience and improved search engine rankings.

Website Security and User Trust

In an era where online security is a huge focus, having a secure website is not just recommended - it’s necessary. Securing your website with an HTTPS protocol (versus HTTP) assures users that their data and interactions are protected. This builds trust and confidence in your brand, encouraging users to engage more deeply with your content and offerings. When users feel safe and secure on your website, they are more likely to spend time exploring your content, making purchases, and sharing their positive experiences, ultimately boosting your website's organic traffic.

Implement Your SEO Strategy

Investing in search engine optimization (SEO) is a game-changer for any brand aiming to thrive in the digital landscape. By embracing the power of SEO, you not only increase your brand's visibility and credibility but also bridge the gap between consumers and businesses. Through SEO, you can deliver valuable content to consumers from trusted brands, ensuring your audience’s needs are met and you can foster long-term relationships. The benefits of SEO are far-reaching, from creating long-term value and driving sales to enhancing user experiences and increasing website traffic.

Unleash the power of SEO and unlock your brand's full potential in the digital world. Send an email to hello @ thesmallsocial.com to find out how.

SOCO Summer Reading List

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 14:34:13 GMT

It’s officially summer and we couldn’t be more excited to spend time outdoors relaxing in the warm weather.

At The Small Social, our team is full of avid readers who love nothing more than to sit outside with a cocktail or iced coffee reading in the summer sun. If you’re looking for inspiration for your summer reading list, take a look at what our team recommends to keep you entertained and engaged all summer long.

Education & Development

Even in our downtime, our team is constantly learning about our industry and working on personal development. Here are some of our recent reads covering topics like building better habits, thinking like your customer, and building your dream team.

Our Picks:

Atomic Habits by James Clear
The Business Minded Creative by Diana Wink
Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty
Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace
Sustainable Home by Christine Liu
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller
The Copywriter’s Handbook by Robert W. Bly

Fiction

If fiction is more your style, our team has a great list of books for you. You’ll notice there are a few repeat authors on this list. Our team loves giving each other recommendations on our latest favourite reads. Spend your next day by the pool or at the beach with one of our recent fiction reads.

Our Picks:

Never Never by Colleen Hoover
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
People We Meet on Vacation - Emily Henry
Things We Hide from the Light by Lucy Score
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
The Alice Network by Alice Quinn

Fun fact: more than half of our team has read Where the Crawdads Sing, and everyone has rated it 5 stars.

Biography

Maybe you’re looking for an inspiring true story or deeper dive into the personal life of your favourite celebrity. Here are a few of the bios our team has read recently and loved.

Our Picks

Love, Pamela by Pamela Anderson
The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama
Yearbook by Seth Rogan
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Do you plan to read any of the books off of the Soco Summer Reading List? Tag us in your summer book photos on social media and use the hashtag:

#SocoSummerReads.

Chat GPT in the Digital Marketing Space

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 19:28:02 GMT

Unless you’ve been completely unplugged from the online world, you’ve likely heard that Artificial Intelligence or AI is taking over the digital landscape. AI is a hot topic right now and its uses cover everything from content writing to voice recognition, and even creative pieces like photography.

What is Artificial Intelligence?

At its core, AI is any type of system that uses machine learning to produce an outcome. It’s a simulation of human knowledge or activity. A popular AI product sweeping the digital marketing landscape is ChatGPT and similar content writing generators. It is widely being used to create copy needed for captions, reports, blogs, resumes, letters, and so much more.

To use ChatGPT, a user enters prompts into the chat box - write a 300-word blog about x topic. The AI software may ask a couple of questions to clarify the directions required. The more specific you are, the more accurately the program can write the content. It can even incorporate SEO keywords and take into consideration the type of audience you want to target. When the process is complete, the program will provide a fully developed piece of content within the parameters requested.

Benefits of Using AI for Content Writing

The answer here is fairly obvious. ChatGPT and other AI softwares can save a lot of time. It can take the upfront work out of writing content for your brand. It’s a great place to start if you are experiencing writers’ block and need some inspiration, or are looking for the foundation of a piece of writing. The software is efficient, versatile and can even support learning for content writers due to its high-quality grammar and well-structured writing.

When we use ChatGPT

When we need prompts for social media captions or blog posts
Finding hashtags related to a concept or idea
Developing keywords for particular demographics or topics
Creating outlines for blogs and other pieces of content

Downfalls of Using AI for Content Writing

While ChatGPT and other AI softwares are beneficial tools, there are a few downsides to using them. If you’re Canadian, a lot of the copy produced by ChatGPT is in American English. That means you have to watch out for spelling.

AI software is also limited to what the technology has learned itself. You could be writing a blog and while the information sounds factual and authoritative, it could be completely wrong. In fact, OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, warns that this is possible. There is also potential for the information to be misleading or outdated depending on the knowledge of the AI.

And we can’t forget that AI software doesn’t have the ability to place copy in context, meaning the content is very likely NOT in the tone of your brand. You’ve spent time building up your brand voice and developing a relationship with your audience based on who you are. By replacing your content writing with AI-generated content, you risk losing your brand voice, and an over reliance on the technology could make it harder for you to develop content yourself in the future.

How Should You Use AI?

AI software like ChatGPT should be used as a supplement to your content writing rather than a replacement. If you are going to use AI, it’s important to be as specific as possible. The software can only produce based on the information you put into it.

Ineffective input: Write a caption about how social media can be effective

Effective input: Write an Instagram caption ( 50-60 words) about how social media can be effective for your brand. Target women who are business owners in their 30 s using keywords such as “social media, Instagram, social media marketing”.

Will You Use AI?

ChatGPT and other AI copy softwares are powerful language tools. They can assist digital marketing experts in their tasks by developing ideas and the starting point of content writing quickly and efficiently. And, while the technology is always learning and developing, it’s important to note that for the foreseeable future, Chat GPT and similar AIs can’t replace the human touch. Effective digital marketing still requires human thought for understanding, creativity, emotional intelligence and authenticity which are crucial for making real connections and growing your brand online.

The Importance of Utilizing GA4

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 13:53:07 GMT

It’s well known within the SEO industry that Google Universal Analytics will stop processing data starting on July 1st, 2023. UA will be replaced with a new data processing system called Google Analytics 4. If you still require support with the switch, ask us how.

At this point, It’s not only necessary to focus on switching to GA4, it’s also important to understand how to utilize it for your business.

What is GA4?

GA4 is a cross-platform analytic solution. It will provide you with a deeper understanding of your customer’s online journey from initial search to detailed website and app use. It’s built around users and events rather than sessions, which will process each user interaction as a standalone event.

6 Positive Changes

More customizable interface
Control over custom reporting
More detailed reporting
Better real-time data
New automatic tracking
More effective data exporting

Benefits of GA4

While GA4 does change the way you’re used to tracking and collecting data, there are a number of benefits to the new platform.

Some of the main benefits of GA4 are:

It collects both website and app data and information to allow for a better understanding of the customer journey.
GA4 uses event-based data rather than session-based data like Universal Analytics used.
It includes privacy controls such as cookieless measurement, as well as behavioural modelling.

Focusing on Events in GA4

Learning how to properly create and monitor “events” is important to fully utilizing your GA4 account. An event allows you to measure a specific, defined interaction or occurrence on your website or app. You can use an event to measure when someone loads a page, clicks a new link, or checks out on a purchase. Events can also be used to measure things like when an app crashes or content receives an impression.

There are many different types of events such as automatically collected events, enhanced measurement events, recommended events, and custom events.

Events

Automatically Collected Events: collected by default when Google Analytics is set up on your website or app.

Enhanced Events: collected when enhanced measurement is enabled.

Recommended Events: these have to be implemented, but that have predefined names and parameters. These events unlock other reporting capabilities.

Custom Events: these are events that you define, and should only be used when no other type of event works for your purpose. These events don’t show up in most standard reports and must be reviewed in a custom report.

Events will then become conversions by tracking any interaction that could provide value to your business. Common conversions include: a user completing a purchase from your e-commerce store or subscribing to your newsletter. If you want to record conversions, you would mark an event that measures the interaction as a conversion.

Data Retenti on in GA4

A significant difference between GA4 and UA is the length of data retention. The default setting in GA4 for user data is two months. This means customer data only gets retained for two months and is reset after that timeframe. This setting can be changed and set to 14 months, which allows for a much larger set of data.

It is possible to view data beyond the 14 month limitation, but this will be basic information. For any type of complex reporting on user behaviour and demographics, it’s best to contain it within the 14 month period for best results.

Privacy in GA4

Google Analytics 4 also provides additional layers of privacy compared to previous analytics programs. It aims at providing a better experience for businesses and their customers. Because the controls are more detailed, there is better control for data collection and usage. Google Analytics 4 also doesn’t store IP addresses which is important when dealing with the shifts in online data privacy where users expect more control of how their information is tracked and used.

We're Here to Support You

It’s true that utilizing GA4 can be slightly more complicated than Universal Analytics, however, the upside is that it gives you more flexibility and customization for tracking and reporting on specific customer behaviours as online usage shifts away from a desktop model and more toward mobile devices.

If you’re looking for support with understanding Google Analytics 4, reach out to us at hello@thesmallsocial.com . Our team of SEO experts are ready to answer any questions you may have so you can take advantage of the new processes and support your business growth online.

How to Become an Influencer

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 18:55:46 GMT

The influencer market has become a lucrative industry over the last few years. With the rise in popularity of Instagram and TikTok, connecting with your audience has never been easier. It’s estimated that there are approximately 37.8 million influencers worldwide across Instagram, TikTok, and the original influencer platform, YouTube.

If you’ve been reading our blogs and engaging with us on social media, you already know about Influencer Marketing 101 and the Reasons to Include Influencer Marketing in your Online Strategy . Here, we’re taking a deep dive into the other side of the influencer relationship, and providing you with some steps you can take to become an influencer.

Becoming an influencer isn’t easy, and it definitely won’t happen overnight. It takes time, effort and commitment to enter the influencer marketing space and leverage the tools and techniques available to build your brand. But once you start seeing results, it’s worth it. Influencer marketing plays a huge role in shifting purchasing behaviours and building brand loyalty for businesses of all sizes.

Keep reading for our tips on how to become an influencer.

A big part of becoming an influencer is how you present yourself to your audience. You need to start thinking about yourself as a brand. To build a brand identity, you need to determine who you are, what your purpose is, and what you stand for. These are all elements that go into building your brand voice and will help you build the foundation of your online presence.

When you’re building your brand, think about your aesthetic, the reason behind your content, and why people should follow you and listen to what you have to say. Building a recognizable brand will support your credibility amongst your followers and the businesses you want to partner with.

What are the specific products, services, or industries you want to shape and impact? This is your niche.

Being an influencer means presenting yourself as an expert in the areas you want to influence. If you start promoting everything, it will be harder to grow. Instead, you need to be an expert in one area. Beauty influencers talk about makeup, haircare and skincare products. They make you believe they know what they’re talking about by educating themselves and understanding their industry.

You’ll find much more success as an influencer by picking something you’re passionate and knowledgeable about. When you’re building your brand and finding your niche, ask yourself: What is your passion? Where is your knowledge? What will keep you going when it takes time and energy to develop content?

We cannot say this enough. Always review your analytics. When you establish any brand or business, your strategy can be a lot of trial and error in the beginning. Understanding the data and adjusting your content and approach is crucial for growth.

Look at who is following you, their demographics and psychographics, and how to market to them. Appealing to different groups of people requires knowing what they’re interested in, how they think and what they want to see. Use tools like Instagram and TikTok insights to understand who your audience is, what content does well and where you can improve. This will help you attract more followers and create content that is better tailored to them.

Becoming an influencer requires being present and consistent. It’s nearly impossible to build a following if you’re not showing up on a regular basis for your audience. And in the influencer space, regularity can mean sharing some form of content every day, sometimes multiple times a day.

You can create content ahead of time to help maintain a schedule, but a major difference between traditional marketing and influencer marketing is the personal element. As an influencer, it’s important to post stories and other raw, unfiltered content that isn’t directly related to your partner brands. By showing your audience a more personal look into who you are and what you do, you’ll make a more impactful connection with your audience and create authenticity and trust for your brand.

As an influencer, you need to find ways to stand out in your industry. Planned stories, TikToks, Reels and posts are all important ways of connecting with your audience. But creating unplanned content on-the-fly tells your followers that your brand isn’t 100 % curated or sponsored. People want to see the good, the bad and all the behind the scenes into the life of an influencer. They want to feel like they know you, which then allows them to trust you.

Don’t create content that is only trending or only related to your partner businesses.

Do incorporate unique, unscripted content.

Some ideas include:

A day in the life
Instagram Live sessions
Ask Me Anything stories

When your outlet is social media, it’s crucial to remember the “social” part. The relationship between you and your followers can’t be one-sided. Engage with your audience, comment back to them, talk to them, reply to their comments with a new TikTok. Creating connections with your followers will help set you apart from other brands or influencers.

Pro tip: the Meta algorithm prefers accounts that engage with other accounts. By connecting with your audience, you can boost your visibility on Instagram and reach new potential followers.

A significant part of influencer marketing is User Generated Content (UGC). That’s when you partner with brands and create content to help them promote their products or services. But don’t partner with any brand for the sake of making a name for yourself. Find brands that you can relate to and would want to put your name behind. A good influencer will only say yes to brands that align with their values.

Remember: you’re building an audience and a following that trusts you. If your audience has a bad experience with a product you recommend, that will hurt your credibility. Create meaningful relationships with your partner brands to maintain your own integrity and the trust of your followers. When you’re growing, you can reach out to brands to create UGC for them. The more success you have, the better the brand deals will get.

It’s important to maintain professionalism with all of your brand partnerships, even the ones you may turn down. If a brand has a bad experience with you, this can hinder your growth and prevent partnerships down the line.

We Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

In 2023, becoming an influencer won’t happen overnight. It takes time, hard work and dedication. But if you’re ready to get started, we’re here to support you. Reach out to us at hello @ thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery session for our Influencer Marketing Program. We are accepting a limited number of clients to help you make the right connections and achieve your goals.

YouTube’s Top Priorities in 2023

Wed, 17 May 2023 12:05:17 GMT

YouTube has been a constant in the digital landscape since it was founded in 2005 . Starting with music and pivoting to champion video content, you could argue that YouTube was the first real creator platform. Every day, millions of people access YouTube to consume video content. And while some may think that YouTube is old news with the rise of Instagram Reels and TikTok videos, the platform is still going strong. In 2022 , YouTube Shorts - the newest short form video platform - got 50 billion daily views. Gaming content on the platform saw more than 2 trillion views. With those numbers, it’s no surprise that YouTube is seeing its popularity remain consistent, primarily for longer-form video content.

YouTube released their key priorities for 2023 , with a special focus on making the platform more enticing and beneficial for content creators. Keep reading to find out what’s happening at YouTube and how you can leverage the platform in your digital marketing strategy.

Supporting the Success of Creators

Video content creators are what bring traffic to YouTube. For the platform, creator feedback is key to their success. A major priority for YouTube this year is providing a better experience for their creators.

YouTube is introducing more streams of revenue for creators. Yes, they receive revenue through advertising, but for the approximately 30 thousand creators with 1 million subscribers or more, there are countless opportunities to bring in additional revenue. Some of the changes include: channel memberships, live streaming options, and investments in YouTube shopping features.

YouTube also plans to broaden accessibility for people who are hearing impaired by expanding access to machine-translated captions that let creators add language tracks to their videos. This is also being tested for lives and shorts. Accessibility is important and providing creators with these tools also gives their audience a better and more inclusive user experience. This can translate to more subscribers and a dedicated fan base that keeps coming back.

Protecting the YouTube Community

YouTube has a diverse creator community. Some of YouTube’s most popular creators started on the platform as young as 10 years old. Ryan Kaji of Ryan’s World is 12 years old and has more than 34 million subscribers on his channel. With a huge potential to reach a younger audience, YouTube recognizes the importance of protecting content creators and users under 18 years old.

YouTube has the “made for kids” option on their platform, with the intention of only showing youth-appropriate content to those under 18 . However, this year they are looking into “creating multiple layers of protection and lifting up high-quality content that helps kids learn and grow.” This will mean better filtering of content to younger audiences through YouTube Kids, and offering a supervised account for tweens, teens and their parents, to provide quality family-friendly entertainment.

Building for the YouTube of the Future

Think about how you consume media, even down to how you watch TV. Millennials and Gen Z hardly watch traditional cable or satellite TV. We’re all about streaming now. YouTube already has existing “PrimeTime Channels” - a hub where you can watch TV shows, movies and live sports broadcasts. It’s no surprise then that streaming will be a bigger focus for creators in 2023.

Nothing says “future” quite like AI. With Artificial Intelligence being a hot topic online, it makes sense that YouTube has plans to incorporate AI-generated technology into the platform to expand storytelling and raise production value in creator content. Changes will include simulated backgrounds and outfit swapping. Creators will also be able to experiment with other AI capabilities as they become available.

Are Hashtags Still Relevant?

Thu, 11 May 2023 20:28:17 GMT

If you’ve been active on social media you’ve likely used hashtags before. Whether you are posting on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or one of the other many social media apps, hashtags are used across several platforms.

Even if you use them, you might be wondering: what is their purpose, are they still relevant, is there a limit, and how do I know what hashtags I should even be using? Keep reading to find out the answers.

A Quick Recap on Hashtags

A hashtag is essentially a keyword that follows the pound symbol. They are often found within or after copy on a social media post. Users can look for relevant content by searching a hashtag. If your content has that particular hashtag included in your post, it will appear amongst the others when that term is searched.

For example, if someone is looking for a new social media agency, they may search #SocialMediaAgency. If that is your service area, it would be beneficial to include relevant terms like that in your social media posts.

Tip: Be sure to use hashtags that are related to the content you are posting. This will not only show that you are relevant to what the users are looking for, but it will also ensure that your content is reaching the correct audience.

Are Hashtags Still Relevant?

Recently there has been some talk as to whether hashtags are still relevant and should be used to the extent that they have been in the past, particularly on Instagram. The short answer is yes, hashtags are important for reaching your audience.

What has changed is that instead of using the maximum number of hashtags permitted, it’s better to scale back and ensure you are using the right hashtags. It’s about quality over quantity.

So how do you know what hashtags to use?

A few things to consider are: what search terms are relevant to your brand, your business, and to your post? You need to make sure that the hashtags you use are actually related to your content. If you include several trending or popular hashtags on your post, but they have nothing to do with the actual content, this shows that you are simply seeking out engagement without following through on providing useful information.

While you may think “but isn’t it good to have that engagement?” it could ultimately be harmful to your brand. Your content should seek to inform, entertain, and inspire your audience. So, while your content may appear from the hashtags, if it isn’t relevant to what you do, then those finding your profile will not convert to followers or supporters.

How Many Hashtags Should I Use?

We’ll speak to Instagram first, which currently limits hashtags to 30 max. While you can use all 30 , many sources are encouraging users to stick to 3-6 hashtags total. The theory is that less hashtags make you and your content seem more reliable.

We have tested this method of limiting hashtags to see if our content had a better performance rate for reach and engagement, and have not noticed anything notable at this time. With that in mind, we will reiterate that the most important factor to hashtags is keeping them relevant.

What about other social media platforms? For platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and especially Twitter, which has a limited character count, we do recommend limiting hashtags to 2-5 . These platforms have a different flow than Instagram and benefit from solid copy and select targeted hashtags.

What Hashtags Should I Use?

This can and will vary depending on the content of each post. We recommend starting with a few that are relevant to your business specifically, your industry as a whole, and then adding on a select few that are directly related to the specific post.

For example, if The Small Social Company was putting out a post about using hashtags we may include these: #TheSmallSocialCompany #DigitalMarketing #MarketingAgency #SocialMedia #InstagramHashtags #Hashtags #HashtagTips.

We start with hashtags relevant to our business and the work we do, followed by ones that are related to the content we are posting.

Tip: Have a hashtag doc or note easily accessible so you can copy and paste consistent hashtags with ease.

We’re Here to Support You

With all of the resources available and varying opinions on how to use social media platforms, it can be difficult to sift through it all and find accurate information. At the Small Social, our team of digital marketing experts is here to help you determine the best practices for your business. If you’re looking for support to grow your business online or implement a new digital marketing strategy, send us an email to hello@thesmallsocial.com to set up a discovery call. We look forward to chatting with you.

Building a Multi-Objective Strategy for your Business Pinterest

Mon, 01 May 2023 19:27:27 GMT

Pinterest was launched to the public in August 2012 and has become one of the top social networks. As of September 2022 Pinterest had over 445 million active users . So what does this mean for your business and how can you create the best strategy?

Pinterest is primarily image and video based at a glance, but has the ability to include supporting copy and can link back to your website or another link of your choosing. In order to perform well on the platform, you should be posting visuals that grab the attention of viewers first, then have the text to compliment it.

Keep your copy short and use the link feature to drive to further information.

To get the most out of your posts you should always direct back to your business. This could be your website homepage, a specific product or service page, or even a related blog for additional information.

Once you set up your business on Pinterest, how do you effectively strategize?

It has been proven time and again that having your audience see and engage with your content multiple times creates a long lasting impression. This ultimately generates better brand recognition and sales. The same is true for social media.

Compared to the average user, those exposed to Pinterest campaigns along multiple stages of the funnel convert at a higher rate - 2x higher when exposed to two objectives and 3x higher when exposed to three.

Let’s break this approach down into three sections:

Awareness is where Pinterest users are seeking out content to achieve their goals on the platform. At this stage they are looking to discover something new. Here, you will want to be posting content that is aspirational, attention grabbing, and has clear branding.

Following the discovery phase is consideration . Viewers will be weighing out the content they are seeing and will decide what will best benefit them in achieving their goals. As a business, you will want to ensure your content has a clear call to action so pinners engaging with your content can find more information. When your content directs them to your website or blog, you are providing better service AND creating more engagement and awareness for your business.

The final stage is the actual conversion . This is when pinners act on your content through a purchase, sign-up, or save. Creating content that is attention grabbing, has great supportive copy, and a clear call to action is the recipe for success on Pinterest.

85% of Pinners say they use Pinterest to plan new projects.

By approaching your posts with these three stages in mind, you can ensure your business plays a role in the planning process for pinners. Having a strategy means you are posting with purpose. Your posts will go beyond being a good looking visual, they will provide substance, give meaning to your audience, and will lead to your overall growth. Ensure your content not only looks good, but is backed up with meaningful content too. Your viewers will be able to look to your business as a genuine source of inspiration and knowledge. Having this as your foundation will enforce good brand recognition and form a positive association to aid in your brand’s success.

You have goals, we’ll help you achieve them.

If you’re looking for support in effectively expanding your business presence to Pinterest, reach out to us at hello@thesmallsocial.com . We would be happy to set up a discovery call to determine the strategy that will help you achieve your goals.

Popular Platforms in 2023

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 11:00:18 GMT

There are countless social media and digital marketing platforms available. A key component to growing your business is knowing which ones are going to offer you the best outcomes. We are always researching and looking for insight on platforms that are growing in popularity or offering tools to help businesses.

Keep reading to find out which platforms we’re seeing the most growth on and consider whether they are a good fit for your business.

Facebook

Instagram

Facebook

Facebook is still the most used social media platform, with over 2.8 billion monthly active users. The platform is most commonly used by people in the 30-64 age range. While it might not be the newest platform, it does offer a number of features which keeps users coming back.

Facebook has a user-friendly interface. With its countless interactive features like marketplace, events, pages and groups, we don’t see Facebook going anywhere anytime soon. Plus, its integration with Instagram, paid ads capabilities and the roll out of Facebook reels allows the platform to remain competitive in 2023.

Instagram

Many in the digital marketing industry expect to see significant growth on Instagram as we head into the second half of 2023. The platform has more than 1.16 billion active monthly users and counting.

Instagram has an accurate algorithm and its features offer brands huge potential to grow their businesses. The in-app shopping experience offers a seamless user experience, allowing customers to search, browse and purchase items without ever having to leave the app.

Instagram is user-friendly and is a great platform for multiple forms of content including static images, carousels and short form videos (Reels). This makes it an appealing platform for influencer marketing and user-generated content. Instagram also offers the ability to be a search engine, so remember to use keywords and SEO optimized captions.

If you’re not leveraging Instagram for your business yet, you should consider it.

TikTok

YouTube

TikTok

Short form video is one of the most popular and commonly consumed types of content online. We expect to see this trend continue through the remainder of the year. TikTok’s focus is almost exclusively on short form video, and with the high demand for this type of media, the platform is expected to see its year over year popularity continue.

TikTok is a powerful advertising platform for businesses. If executed correctly, brands can advertise their products and services in a seamlessly integrated way. Often, a viewer won’t realize that what they are watching is an ad because content on TikTok is designed to be entertaining, not salesy.

YouTube

While short form video content is popular and widely consumed, we can’t forget about the power of longform video content to engage, entertain, and inform your audience. At the end of 2022, YouTube had more than 1 billion active monthly users worldwide.

The platform is most commonly used for long form video content (more than 1-3 minutes), but has also entered the world of short form video content through YouTube Shorts. These are quick, easy to digest videos like reels and TikTok videos. YouTube continues to allow creators to amass large followings, highlighting entertainment and showing off the human side of their business.

Live Audio

Chat GPT

Live Audio

According to Hubspot, Live Audio platforms are gaining the most popularity in 2023 and marketers are planning to leverage them. Think of Live Audio platforms similar to listening to a podcast, except live on a platform instead of pre-recorded. It’s a live experience that doesn’t incorporate video and can be a powerful tool for businesses to tell their story.

Chat GPT

While Chat GPT isn’t directly a digital marketing tool, its rise in prominence and wide-ranging uses makes it something we’re definitely keeping our eyes on. In January, the platform had more than 100 million monthly users, and this number continues to climb.

Chat GPT is an AI software that can write anything from a social media caption to unique and functional code. It’s a great tool for content writing for social media, blogs, websites, and email marketing.

We look at Chat GPT and similar AI softwares as a support to what we do. While it’s amazing to be able to give the AI direction, provide it with keywords and have a fully written piece of content at the end, we do find that the results lack authenticity. Remember to review the content and adjust it for your brand voice to ensure you maintain an honest connection with your audience.

Looking for Support?

If you’re looking for support to determine which platforms will help you see the best returns, reach out to us at hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call. Our team of digital marketing experts are here to ensure you’re reaching the right audiences and utilizing the right tools to help you grow your business online.

You have goals. We’ll help you achieve them.

Is Video Part of Your Marketing Strategy?

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 12:00:10 GMT

It’s safe to say that video is the leader for highly engaging content online. More and more, people would rather watch a video about a service or product than read a post, or even look at an image. Video is accessible, entertaining, and can provide more information in a short amount of time. In fact, 92 % of marketing professionals say that video content is crucial to their online strategy.

Video is a great tool for organic social media and website content, but it also shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to advertising. On YouTube, Meta and Pinterest, video ads are proven to have high ROI, especially when compared to their static image counterparts.

Why Video?

Best way to reach new audiences on social media
Helps your SEO ranking by incorporating diverse content
Video content is engaging and entertaining
It builds an emotional connection through storytelling
Creates trust with your audience by being more relatable
Can be used in multiple placements across all platforms

As you can see, there are many reasons to incorporate video into your marketing strategy. So the next thing to do is ask yourself:

Do you have good quality video content promoting your business?
If not, why?

Video Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive

When we ask business owners why they don’t take advantage of video content, one of the leading reasons we hear is that they simply don’t have the budget to produce entertaining and informative video content. But guess what? Video content doesn’t need to be expensive. With recent technology, the tools you need for good quality video content is literally in the palm of your hand. Both iPhone and Android phones have the ability to record in 4 K. That is high definition, crisp, clear video every time.

We have a videographer on our team who works with shooting content on her 4K iPhone, 4 K video on her camera and a hybrid combination. The hybrid combination is more affordable than you may think, and the results are gold.

Here is a sneak peek of a simple branding shoot we did recently.

Time Consuming

We also hear from a lot of business owners that creating video takes up time they don’t really have. Video doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Customers want insight into your brand, product, or service. Simple video content like unboxing an order, showing how you use a product, or even a 15-30 second video of you talking about what you can do to help a customer is great content. Plus, with tools like templates on Instagram and TikTok, all you need to do is record the content, and the platforms will help you arrange them in a way that makes sense and looks good.

Work With a Partner who Understands Your Goals

We want you to have the best content and be competitive in your industry. You should want that too, and video is a great way to get there. If you’re looking for support, our videographer provides affordable video content packages that will take your business to the next level. We’re currently booking video shoots for Q2 and Q3. Send an email to hello@thesmallsocial.com to set up your video Discovery Call, receive a quote and get started.

Choosing the Right Digital Marketing Agency

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 12:00:08 GMT

Okay, we are going to say it… Is everyone opening up a digital marketing agency now?

It seems like every day, there is a new social media expert popping up online offering social media management services. And while we love to see variety and success in the industry, this trend also highlights the importance of choosing the right partner to ensure you are seeing the results you need.

The reality is, that while anyone can participate on social media, being a social media manager has never been as challenging as it is now. Social media platforms are constantly innovating. Keeping up with shifts and trends in the industry has always been a juggling act, but now, every time you log into Instagram, there is someone new giving their advice. The tips and tricks are never-ending. It’s impossible to keep up, and sometimes the advice is downright unrealistic.

That’s why we want to highlight the benefits of hiring a digital marketing agency, and how you can choose the right one for you and your business.

Knowledge ��

When you partner with an agency, you should be getting the professional and informed knowledge of a team of marketing professionals. Anyone can start an Instagram page and claim they’re an expert in social media, but they should have the credentials to back that up. Do they have a university degree or college diploma? Do they participate in ongoing education? Do they utilize tools to keep up with industry trends to ensure you’re getting the best results? Becoming a marketing expert does not happen overnight.

Our team is made up of individuals with mixed backgrounds. Some team members have university degrees in Business Administration and Communications. Others have diplomas in Marketing, Advertising and Graphic Design. The team is always going through continuous education through platforms like Growclass, Later, Hubspot, Meta, Google, LinkedIn and Pinterest. This is how we stay on top of trends and changes in the industry.

Experience ��

Your digital marketing partner should be backed by extensive experience. This is not limited to experience in the marketing industry alone. Having work experience in different sectors helps marketing professionals understand that not all clients will require the same type of marketing strategy. When your agency team has experience working in different settings or with a variety of clients, they have a better understanding of how to approach niche markets and tailor content for unique audiences. What is appropriate for a plumbing business will not be the same for a clothing line.

They should also be confident working across different social media platforms. Their hands-on experience should give them a good understanding of where your time and energy will be best-spent reaching your audience. If you’re an e-commerce business selling clothing to women in the 18-24 age group, your marketing partner should be able to help you determine the platforms that are the best fit for you (hint: it’s not LinkedIn).

At The Small Social, we have a team that has worked in diverse settings, including marketing experience at some of Toronto’s top agencies, and many years of work experience at agencies in Kingston. Our team has also worked in various industries including e-commerce, retail, finance, operations, tourism, and hospitality. This exposure has given us a deeper understanding of how different industries connect with their clients and customers.

Always ask about an agency’s experience and how it will help you see results.

Results ��

Experience yields results. Someone fresh in the digital marketing landscape may claim to be an expert, but do they have statistics and stories to back that up?

When you speak to an experienced marketing professional, they should be able to share case studies and success stories with you from other clients. Having this information on-hand and readily available is a way to assess whether an agency team can provide you with the services you need to achieve your goals online.

References ��️

For many digital marketing agencies, referrals are often through word-of-mouth. If clients are happy, they are typically willing to endorse their agency to potential new clients. Your marketing agency should have a list of past and current clients who will act as a reference for them and speak to their experience and results.

If you ask for a list of references, they should feel confident providing 2-3 clients you can speak to.

Remember:

Do your own research, and don’t rush. Trusting someone to work on your digital marketing strategy and manage your social media platforms is a big decision. You want to make sure you’re choosing a partner that is a good fit for you, and whose goals align with your own.

Your discovery call with an agency should be a two-way interview where they can answer any questions you have. If you leave your discovery session feeling unsure or lacking confidence, it’s not a good fit.

A Quick Guide for Your Discovery Call

Ask about experience. Loving and being on social media personally doesn’t mean you’re an expert.
Interview with multiple agencies/people. The agency/client fit should feel like a long term partnership, and you want to work with people whose values align with yours.
Ask about results and case studies. This will prove their work works.
Ask for references or to speak to current clients (we do this with almost every new onboarding)
Question client retention rate (ours is 93% ��).

When you choose a partner to manage your social media strategy, you have to remember that they play a big part in your business’ success. Take your time, do your research, and make sure that you’re choosing someone who is the right fit for you, not just someone who looks good online.

Reasons to Include Influencer Marketing in Your Marketing Plan

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 12:00:06 GMT

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, influencer marketing is the buzzword right now and it’s only going to get bigger as social media evolves.

Partnering with influencers can be incredibly beneficial for a brand or business. You don’t need to be a large business with an unlimited budget to implement an influencer marketing strategy. There are many ways to approach this strategy and a variety of benefits of influencer marketing.

If you’re looking for information about the different types of influencers and which one is the best fit for your business, don’t stress. You can read about it in our blog, “ Influencer Marketing 101 ” .

Increase Awareness

When you partner with an influencer, you create the ability to increase awareness around your business. Being able to share your brand with a new set of followers can be incredibly beneficial to increasing your recognition.

To effectively approach a partnership, it’s important to work with someone who has a similar niche as you. If your brand is similar to an influencer’s, you have a stronger chance in not only appealing to their audience, but in retaining them as your followers too. For example, if a health and wellness company partners with an individual in the fitness industry, their audience is already known to have a genuine interest in that lifestyle. It’s a natural fit.

A great way to start off this relationship is to provide the influencer with access to your services or products. Simply having them highlight your services or products with their audience builds excitement and interest around your business.

Increase Trust

It’s well known that it can be difficult to build trust. People are much more likely to rely on the recommendations and suggestions from a friend or family member. Luckily for businesses, influencers have become an extension of that trusted inner circle.

Influencers play an integral role in humanizing a brand and making it feel more approachable to their audience. Influencers have dedicated their time to building relationships with their audience and creating a natural and authentic space with them. When an influencer talks about products they love, services they use, or places they go, it feels like a conversation with a friend. This is a large benefit of influencer marketing.

Increase User Generated Content (UGC)

User Generated Content or UGC is any form of content (videos, reels, images, copy, etc.) that is created by someone using a product or service outside of its brand. This is another area where influencers can play a vital role.

In partnering with an influencer, they can create content and provide it to you to use on your website, social media channels and in your advertising. Your partner influencer has a strong following because of who they are and how they approach their content. Having influencers create content for you is having UGC in their tone of voice and in their style. This helps further your brand recognition by being relatable to their audience, while also building trust with yours.

This plays to your advantage because it allows the content from your brand to look natural, authentic, credible, and trustworthy. It’s a win-win scenario. Their audience can see someone they know using your product or service, and they can then visualize it fitting into their own lives.

A Case Study on the Benefits of Influencer Marketing

By now, you’ve probably heard of the Stanley Cup, and we don’t mean the end of season NHL championship. We’re talking about the Instagram favourite 40 ounce, insulated, reusable drink cup. It seems that the Stanley Cup is all over social media. But would you believe that this beloved product was actually discontinued in 2019 because they weren’t popular?

This is where the influencer marketing strategy came in. The team behind The Buy Guide loved the Stanley Cup, and after finding out it was discontinued, they decided to take action. The Buy Guide sent the cup to popular figures on social media. This piqued the interest of Stanley executives, especially after a former Bachelorette reached out to them asking why her favourite cup had been discontinued.

Stanley finally agreed to let The Buy Guide purchase 5000 cups to sell to see if they could make it a “must-have” accessory and reach a new market of women. The cup sold out. With smart marketing from The Buy Guide partnering with influencers online and using a women-selling-to-women model, the Stanley Cup became the must-have drink accessory. Stanley Cup content has been viewed on TikTok 3.4 billion times and sales are up 300 % year over year.

With each new collection drop, the Stanley cup sells out within days, if not hours. Influencer marketing turned a run-of-the-mill cup in an over saturated market into a status symbol that every influencer and follower wants to have.

Ready to Add Influencer Marketing to Your Strategy?

Influencer marketing is all the buzz right now and we don’t see it going anywhere. It can be approached by any business, no matter your size, to build awareness and trust through online content in a meaningful way.

If you’re looking for support getting started with an influencer marketing strategy, or would like more information, reach out to us at hello @ thesmallsocial.com . We would be happy to set up a discovery call to find out how we can help you grow your business online.

Are You Taking Advantage of Instagram Shopping?

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 14:48:25 GMT

Something we hear from a lot of small business e-commerce clients is that they can’t possibly compete with big box stores during major sales days. In recent years, however, we’ve seen a shift with people willing to pay more for products from local or small businesses. With that information, it’s not about whether you can compete, but how you can take advantage of the tools available to you in order to have a successful sale.

Over the last couple of years, Instagram has rolled out a number of features to help e-commerce businesses make the most of selling. It’s certainly not the first place you may think of to run a big sale, but by using the platform to your advantage, you may be surprised by what Instagram can do for you.

Here are a few Instagram features to explore as you get ready for your next sale.

What is an Instagram Shop?

Instagram Shop is like a clickable catalogue that businesses can use to show off their products. It allows you to create a list of shoppable products that are accessible right on Instagram without having to leave the app. The shop button lives on your profile and allows visitors to click in and shop your products right where they get their entertainment.

Businesses with an Instagram Shop may also be featured on Instagram’s wider Shop Tab. This is a curated catalogue of items that appear to a user based on the content and products they have previously searched for or engaged with. This feature has the potential to get your business and products in front of a wider customer base.

Tip : feature your sale items in your Instagram shop, but be sure to include a few regular priced items too. This way, you’re not limiting yourself to your sale items, and can help drive traffic to your website if a customer wants to see more of what you offer.

Instagram Feed Post Shopping

Instagram feeds have been used by audiences as inspiration for just about everything. Instagram Feed Post Shopping takes it one step further by allowing users to shop the products they love right from their feed.

Once you set up your Instagram Shop, you’ll be able to tag products directly in your posts. When a customer sees your tagged content in their feed, they will be able to click it and will be directed to your Instagram shop. This makes accessing your products easy for potential customers and also allows you to maximize the results and engagement on your content.

Did you know? Posts with shopping features have a few other advantages. It can give your products more context like styling, sizing and fit. The more you use this feature, the more likely you are to appear in Instagram’s Shop Tab too!

Instagram Story Shopping

When you open your Instagram app, do you start scrolling the feed, or do you head straight to stories? We’re finding that people are tapping through stories as much, if not more than they are scrolling through their feed. That’s what makes Instagram Story Shopping a valuable tool.

Stories are bite-sized, temporary content, which usually makes them more personal and engaging. Stories can bring a sense of trust and authenticity to your brand, and with people viewing them more and more, there is huge potential to get sales from this user experience.

Much like Instagram Feed Post Shopping, you can link your products in your stories. This gives you the ability to share multiple products in a short amount of time without overwhelming your customer’s feed. You can also repeat content over the course of your sale to keep it at top of mind without it living on your grid. Another option, if you don’t have Instagram Shop set up, is to use the link sticker to link your stories to the product on your website.

Tip: Using the link sticker feature helps drive traffic to your website. Even if you have your shop set up, don’t be afraid to use a combination of product tagging and link stickers in your stories.

Instagram Reels Shopping

How could we give you tips for using Instagram to promote your sale without talking about reels?

As we’ve heard countless times in the last year, video content is queen, and it’s not going anywhere. If you’re creating reels to promote your content, make sure you take advantage of the product tagging tool.

Reels have the potential to reach a wider audience, and therefore, a bigger customer base. When someone is watching reels and a product is tagged, they can click the “View Products” button, which will take them right to your Instagram Shop. This feature has the potential to get your brand and products to a new set of customers and can help you reach your sales goals.

Link in Bio

The link in your Instagram Bio is one of the first things a new visitor might see when they go to your profile. It’s accessible to users, clickable, and stands out in your bio. You can utilize it to maximize your sale in a few different ways. The first is to copy and paste the URL to your website sale page as your link in bio. This is easy and straightforward, but has limitations.

One step up from this is to use a third party app like Linktree. With a Linktree account, you have one host link, that houses and directs to other links including your website, other social media platforms and more. You can maximize your sale by linking your sale page, your entire e-commerce store, and your website to your Linktree, providing 3 potential opportunities for customers to reach your sale in one link.

A more advanced option would be to use Later’s Linkin.Bio tool. Similar to Linktree, Linkin.Bio allows you to house multiple links in one host link. Where it differs is that any content you share to your Instagram feed can become clickable by back linking each post. This allows you to have a sale link in your bio, but also directly link a post to the product page on your website.

These tools make it easy and accessible for a customer to see your product on Instagram and head to your website to purchase it.

Are You Looking for Support?

If you're unsure of the benefits of Instagram shopping, we're here to help. At The Small Social, we have a team of dedicated experts who can support you as you grow your business and your e-commerce profile. We’re proud to offer a comprehensive list of services to support your business growth.

If you’re interested in growing your e-commerce business, send us an email to hello @ thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call.

You have big goals, we’ll help you achieve them.

Building Conversations, Growing Social

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 18:36:39 GMT

The algorithm. It’s always evolving to keep marketers on their toes. The algorithm is the internal calculation system of a platform. It determines the content that should be prioritized, and therefore increases impressions and reach on social media. It’s important to pay attention to shifts in the algorithm and how you can utilize them for your social media content strategy.

In 2018 , there was a major shift in the algorithm on Instagram and Facebook that changed social media and digital marketing forever. This update wanted to prioritize connections and conversations between accounts and their audience. Watch this Facebook video to see how social media changed.

After the algorithm update, social media was no longer about creating an aesthetic Instagram grid or buying followers so you had more than your competitor. Instead, the algorithm started prioritizing engagement . Accounts that were responding to comments, replying to DMs, saving and sharing content from other profiles, and growing conversations started coming out on top. It’s called “Social” media for a reason. Engagement is where growth happens.

“People don’t use social networks for a one-way experience. They’re seeking connections — with people and with brands.” (Buffer, 2021)

How Do You Create Conversations?

Content with Purpose

There are 3 social media content goals to pay attention to when you’re trying to create conversations and grow your business:

Educate
Inspire
Entertain

Zoom out on the content you’re creating and ask yourself if it’s doing any of these things. If the answer is no, why not? When people are educated, inspired, and entertained, they engage in conversations with the source material. If it’s not doing one of these things, what is the purpose of your content? Reassess the type of content you’re creating to fall in line with one of these goals.

Consistency

Another important part of growth is consistency. You have to be present to have conversations. Be sure you are choosing the platforms that align with the goals and audience of your brand, and engage on them regularly. Post multiple times a week, show your face in your stories, and engage with other accounts. If someone comments on your post or sends you a DM, make sure you’re replying! An Instagram account that posts and ghosts will be ghosted by the algorithm too. Show up on a regular basis for your audience and you will see growth.

Variety

From 2021-2022 , the Instagram algorithm favoured video content over all other media formats. In 2023 , Mosseri announced that there would be less emphasis on video to prioritize photos again. That’s not to say that video content is dead. In fact, video is still a leading way to increase your reach to audiences who don’t already follow you. What it does mean is you need quality video content that entertains, while also incorporating carousels and static images that grab the audience’s attention and makes them want to engage with your brand.

“As social media platforms evolve to reward authentic social interactions, social media engagement has become a vital part of any marketing strategy.” - (Buffer, 2021)

Engagement is more than liking a comment or responding to a direct message. Your goal on social media should be to increase engagement in all aspects:

Likes and follows
Comments and direct messages
Shares and retweets
Saves
Clicks on content or to your website
Mentions and tags

Madi’s Top Social Media Marketing Tips

Incorporate Storytelling: Tell your story. If you have products or services that you offer, tell people why you offer them and how they can solve someone else’s problem or fill a gap. Storytelling is about making people feel a certain way about the things you do and create an emotional association with it. Bring stories to life through your copy and creative.

Create Employee Generated Content : EGC is a great way to build trust and reliability in your brand. When your employees are willing to get out on social media and represent your business or product, it shows that they believe in the work they are doing. Having employees front and centre for your business also makes it recognizable. At The Small Social, our team is consistently featured on our business page. They do regular story takeover days to show what they do to support our clients. And the coolest part is, when we onboard a new client, a lot of the time they feel like they already know their account manager or coordinator because they’ve been following along with us online.

You Have Goals, We’ll Help You Achieve Them

If you’re struggling to see growth on your social media platforms, it’s time to take a deep dive into your online strategy. Our team of digital marketing experts are here to support you by providing insight and recommendations that will help you see results. Contact us today at hello @ thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call and see how we can help with your social media content strategy. Let’s grow your social media marketing by creating engaging content.

Strong Women Inspire Strong Women

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 09:00:00 GMT

The Small Social Company is a proud woman-owned and operated digital marketing agency. We have a team of strong, intelligent women who support our clients to grow their businesses online. Each member of our team brings something unique to the table, and we are dedicated to making sure women have a seat at the table and a voice in the industry.

Strong women are inspired by other strong women. To celebrate International Women’s Day, we asked our team about the women who inspire them.

Ashley: Tieghan Gerard

Tieghan Gerard is a lifestyle and cookbook writer with a love for food. On her award-winning blog, she provides inspiration for recipes you can make at home. Some are easy weeknight dinners, others are more complex showstoppers you can make for your next party. Her goal is to encourage a love of food for her audience, and give them the inspiration to try something new.

Brooklyn: Jillian Harris

Jillian Harris is a Canadian TV personality known for her appearance on the television series The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Love It or List It Vancouver. She is a female entrepreneur who has built a community online where people can come to laugh, learn and celebrate the art of creative living. Jillian also uses her platform to share businesses, brands, and products that she stands behind and truly loves.

Cat: Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is not only a phenomenal artist, she cares immensely about women's rights and equal pay. She is great at sharing her opinion, giving women a voice in the music industry, and making positive changes.

In 2015, she wrote an open letter to Apple expressing her disappointment of Apple Music offering a three-month free trial to members, as this meant she and other artists were not getting paid for their work. After her statement, Apple changed its policy to pay artists for the music streamed during the trial. Taylor is also incredibly generous. Her charitable efforts range from supporting individual fans in difficult situations, to large donations to educational institutes and more.

Erica: Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton is charismatic, kind, and unapologetically herself. On top of her vibrant personality, she is also incredibly giving. In the early days of the pandemic she donated $ 1 million for research which helped to fund the Moderna vaccine. Dolly Parton’s Imaginarium Library is a foundation she created that has gifted millions of books to children starting when they are born until they are 5 years old, regardless of their family’s income, to encourage a love of reading and learning. She is also an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, the Black community, and has made countless donations and charitable actions for learning, music, medical research, and much more.

Jules: Kim Scott

Kim Scott is a force in the business and tech landscape. She is the co-founder of the company Radical Condor. Before starting her own company, Kim held many high-level positions including: CEO coach at Dropbox, Qualtrics, Twitter, and other tech companies. She was a member of the faculty at Apple University, and before that, led AdSense, YouTube, and DoubleClick teams at Google. Prior to entering tech, Kim managed a pediatric clinic in Kosovo and started a diamond-cutting factory in Moscow. Her book, Radical Condor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss without Losing Your Humanity, is a must-read if you’re looking to build a stellar team and be an effective leader.

Lara: Hayley Paige / Cheval

Hayley Paige is a former bridal designer and advocate for young, female fashion designers. After a contract dispute with the parent company of her bridal line, Hayley was unable to work in the bridal industry and use her name for any other business ventures. Instead of waiting out the time limitations of these restrictions, she pivoted into a new segment of the fashion industry under a new name, Cheval. She is now a voice for young designers to ensure they are treated equitably by their parent brands and encourages them to negotiate their contracts fairly. Instead of allowing a contract dispute to end her career, she pivoted, rebranded and built a new name for herself in the industry she loves.

Madi: Michelle Obama

Former U.S. First Lady and current author, Michelle Obama is inspirational, smart, and loving. Before becoming First Lady, Michelle was a successful Lawyer in Chicago. During her time at the White House, she became a role model for women, and a voice for healthy families, service members, higher education and international adolescent girls education. Michelle demonstrated that you can be a strong leader and care about important issues, while being compassionate and kind. Since leaving the White House, she has written two books about finding your voice and trusting your journey: Becoming and The Light We Carry.

Nicole: Princess Diana

Princess Diana became an international icon and used her celebrity status to raise awareness for a number of causes, including leprosy, domestic violence and mental health. During her marriage, she was the president or patron of over 100 charities. She made headlines in 1987 when she intentionally shook hands with an AIDS patient, working to dispel the myth that HIV/AIDS could be spread through touch. Throughout her life, she fought against stereotypes and stigma for many different groups to bring awareness to social issues and try to make the world a kinder place.

Vic: Joanna Gaines

Joanna Gaines is the founder of Magnolia, a New York Times bestselling author and the Editor in Chief of Magnolia Journal. She and her husband have built an empire focused around home improvement, and making your home a feeling of comfort, not just a place. One key component of Magnolia is the Magnolia Foundation, which supports causes like homelessness and youth. Joanna is also an official ambassador for St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital.

“Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.” – Serena Williams

Happy International Women’s Day from the team at The Small Social Company.

SEO trends you need to know in 2023

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 12:00:14 GMT

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a crucial part of every digital marketing experience. It’s the process of making your business more visible on search engines. Think about it. How often does your online experience begin with putting a phrase or keyword into a search bar? You want to make sure that when someone hits that enter button, you’re going to show up in the results.

Google - and similar search engines - are always updating their algorithms with a focus on a better user experience. Maintaining your SEO is important, and following the trends and updating your website with a new strategy will increase your online visibility. This will help expand your audience.

In 2023 , here are a few things you need to know and focus on to boost your SEO.

Optimize Your Website for Online Shoppers

Having an e-commerce website is highly beneficial for your business. Consumers are shopping online more than ever before. You don’t just buy clothing and items that aren’t local online anymore. You’re also shopping for day-to-day items like groceries and household products. You want to ensure that when a consumer is looking for your product, your product page appears in their search results. How can you do that?

Ensure your website page speed and load times are fast: when your website doesn’t load right away, people leave. The search engine interprets this as a “bounce” and your SEO ranking can decrease.
Optimize keywords on all pages: this includes the homepage, product page and checkout. Having rich, relevant keywords across your website means more opportunities to appear in search results.
Optimize your website for mobile devices. More than 70% of people shop online from their mobile device . Make the experience user-friendly to keep your customers engaged.

According to Statista, retail e-commerce revenue in the U.S. was estimated to be just shy of $905 billion in 2022. What's more, it is forecast to surpass $1.7 trillion a year by 2027.

Incorporate Video Content

The way people consume content online continues to move toward video. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok and increasingly Instagram have come out on top in the marketing world. People prefer to get their information through videos, rather than looking at static images. This is a powerful tool that can be leveraged in your SEO, and overall digital marketing strategy.

Google cares about the quality and variety of your content. The internal algorithm scans websites for text, but also different types of media to find out what you have to offer. If your website has a good mix of strong copy and quality visuals, like video, it means your site is varied and informative. This can boost your SEO and improve your visibility.

Video also keeps people on your website longer. Google and similar search engines pay attention to how long someone stays on your website after they arrive. You can have great traffic, but if people don’t stay for longer than a few seconds, the algorithm assumes your content isn’t very good. Video content will help capture people and keep them engaged with your content, which can result in great SEO rankings, and even conversions.

More than 50% of all consumers use video to help them make a purchasing decision.

Voice Search

Although voice search technology like the Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri are no longer the hot tech development, they are commonly used technology in many homes. Voice searching and conversational search is still something you need to keep in mind when optimizing your website. It’s important to understand the terms and keywords someone might use when they’re talking about your product or service. Being able to anticipate how someone would search for your product using conversational language will help you optimize the content and ensure your website can provide quick and accurate information.

65% of people ages 24-49 use voice search at least once a day.

Interactive Experience

In 2023 , a big shift in SEO and the digital marketing landscape is ensuring experiences and interactions are at the forefront. Having something for your consumer to engage with helps make users feel like they are part of the content. They can experience your website and be part of a conversation, rather than being spoken at.

Think about adding content like e-books, infographics, quizzes, and virtual reality experiences to your website. Interactive and engaging assets on your website add variety to your content which is great for SEO ranking and visibility. They are also memorable to a consumer and will help set you apart from your competitors.

Boost Your SEO

SEO isn’t always the first thing that comes to mind when businesses are building out their marketing strategy, but it’s an important factor in growing your online presence and being visible to potential customers. If you’re ready to dive into being more searchable and visible online, send an email to hello@thesmallsocial.com to set up a discovery call. The SEO experts at The Small Social Company can help you rank higher, and become more visible and engaging to your audience.

Let’s grow together. Contact us today.

Our 10 Favourite FREE Digital Marketing Tools

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 20:43:32 GMT

Trying to maintain your digital marketing strategy and online presence can be overwhelming sometimes. Between the countless apps, and changing best practices and trends, keeping a good handle on your digital marketing can be time-consuming. Luckily, there are countless tools available to support social media scheduling, photo editing, reporting and design. It can be challenging choosing the right tools for you and your business, especially when there is a cost involved, but finding the right ones can help save you a lot of time. Luckily, there are FREE tools available to help make your digital marketing easier.

We’ve compiled a list of our ten favourite free digital marketing tools and why we love them, so you can check them out and make your process run with a little more ease. ��

Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is essentially your business’ listing page on Google. This is incredibly valuable as it allows you to communicate what your business is, what you offer, and your details (website, hours, contact info) to new and returning clients. It also allows you to be easily found in a Google search.

Having an effective Google Business Profile is beneficial to your business as it allows viewers to find you and have their questions answered through the information you provide. You can also receive customer reviews to add a personal layer to your content too.

Pro Tip: Make sure your website has proper SEO implemented to boost your visibility and ranking on Google.

Canva (Basic Membership)

Canva is a user-friendly design platform used to create visual content like social media posts, posters, presentations, and more! The free membership includes a collection of templates, photos, graphics, and designs you can choose from to create content for your business.

We love Canva because it allows us to create posts for our clients that are unique to them and their brand. Canva is a great way to put together the content you need in a timely manner. Be sure to watch out for elements that are marked premium. They will leave a watermark on your downloads if you don’t upgrade your membership.

Pro Tip: Make sure to use your brand colours and fonts to create consistency from post to post!

Google Data Studio

Google Data Studio is an online tool for converting your data into customizable reports. In 2016 , Google announced a free version of Data Studio for individuals and small teams. Google Data Studio provides a platform to showcase your stats and analytics in a professional and understandable manner.

Google Data Studio is completely customizable so you can easily adjust the information to showcase the exact data you are interested in seeing and learning from.

Pro Tip: Use Google Data Studio to compare your analytics from month to month. Use this information to help form your business plan and learn from it to continue to grow your business.

Meta Business Suite

Meta Business Suite is a tool that centralizes your Facebook, Instagram, and messaging tools in one place. With this, you can save time and see all of your messages, comments, likes, and interactions in one location. Business Suite also offers a planner and scheduling option to organize your Facebook and Instagram posts and stories and plan them accordingly.

Pro Tip: Make sure to use your brand colours and fonts to create consistency from post to post!

Later (Basic Membership)

Much like Meta Business Suite and Creator Studio, Later is a social media scheduling tool. What makes Later different is that they are an all-in-one social marketing platform, meaning you can schedule your posts for Facebook and Instagram as well as other platforms such as LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, and even TikTok.

A feature we love about Later is that you can visually plan your month out. Their scheduling allows for a calendar view where you can see which image you have planned on each day!

Pro Tip: The free later membership only allows for one social platform to be used. We recommend using Meta Business Suite or Creator Studio to schedule your Facebook and Instagram posts and utilizing a free Later account for an additional social media platform!

Creator Studio

Creator Studio is a social media scheduling platform that allows you to post, manage, and measure your Facebook and Instagram accounts. From Creator Studio you can easily organize your posts and even reels to plan them out.

We love being able to schedule content in advance so that you know each and every post will go out when you need it to.

Pro Tip: Look into the days and time that your audience is most engaged and schedule your posts accordingly.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is an online analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic. This is a great tool to get an analysis of how well your website is performing on Google. Take a look at who is visiting your website, what pages are being viewed, and how many people are accessing your website.

Pro Tip: You can still track website goals and conversions without needing to add in any custom code or Google Tag Manager! Simply set up goals in your analytics to track form submissions, page visits or time on page. This initial goal setting will help you better understand how people interact with your website.

Copy.ai (Basic Membership)

Thinking of the right caption can be difficult, especially when you’ve been working on posts for your business for weeks, months, or even years. We want all of our posts to stand out and bring value and that’s where Copy.ai comes in!

Copy.ai is an AI-powered copywriter where you can type in your general description, choose the tone of voice you want for the post, and receive copywriting ideas and examples! This is a great way to take your general ideas and put a new twist or perspective on it.

Pro Tip: Even if you don’t use the exact copy provided by Copy.ai, use it as inspiration for future posts. This is a great tool to help you think outside of the box.

Bitly

Bitly is a website where you can input your lengthy website links and have them shortened. This is a great tool when you are looking to include a link in your content but don’t want it tobe distracting from the rest of the post.

Pro Tip: Bookmark Bitly and use this feature to keep links looking neat, professional and consistent. This way your links won’t overwhelm your posts.

PinkPapaya

The PinkPapaya app is a photo and video editing iPhone app from Sarah Nicole of The Bird’s Papaya. This app makes quality editing as simple as can be. The app features on-trend filters, textured overlays, customizable presets, and text options.

We love this app because you can take dull or lackluster visual assets and bring them to life in a matter of seconds with a few adjustments.

Pro Tip: Create a consistent look with your images by making a preset with the edits you love and using it on all your content.

These are a few of the free tools available to help you tackle the digital marketing world. You’ll find that when you become comfortable with them and truly utilize them, you can save time, create a consistent look for your content, and even learn about how your business functions and how you can continue to grow.

Our Digital Marketing Predictions for 2023

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 20:43:17 GMT

Now that we’re a full month into the new year, we’ve had a chance to settle in, set our goals, and research what’s taking place in the digital marketing landscape. As always, the only thing that stays consistent with digital marketing and social media is that things are always changing. Our team has been observing shifting trends over the last few weeks and we’re predicting some big changes in digital marketing.

Keep reading to find out what we think you’ll see in the digital world in 2023.

Ashley

Financial Officer + Account Manager

Ashley’s prediction is that people are going to get confused with virtual and reality as more things move toward being online.

Brooklyn

Digital Marketing Coordinator

Brooklyn is anticipating that TikTok will fall from popularity and be taken over by a platform like BeReal. She says, “people want to see the more authentic version of people.”

Cat

Digital Marketing Director

Cat sees a rise in user generated content (UGC) in 2023 . The influencer world has changed, and with many influencers becoming millionaires, people are less trusting of their opinions. Instead, user generated content is “a way for people to share their opinions on a brand or product in a more authentic way.”

Erica

Digital Marketing Coordinator

Erica is thinking about digital e-commerce trends in 2023. Shopping through social media platforms could become even bigger. After seeing the rollout of more shopping features on Instagram and Facebook, audiences are using social media more to source their content, including browsing brands, their services, and their products. “It’s only logical for the next step to be continuing to incorporate the shopping experience into a more seamless and user friendly experience.”

Jules

Digital Brand Director + Founder

Jules is predicting that 2023 will be all about video content continuing to come out on top. But maybe not in the way you expect. Her prediction is that YouTube will actually beat TikTok, especially when utilized by businesses.

She also predicts e-commerce will grow and more businesses will be investing in ad space to bring in more sales for retailers.

Lara

Digital Marketing Manager

Lara is predicting a rise in social as search in 2023 . More and more people are using Instagram and TikTok to search for information and get answers to their questions. “You’ll notice people using Instagram more than Google to look up a restaurant or a new clothing brand.” With a strong emphasis on using keywords over hashtags, considering SEO in content and copywriting for social media will be more important than ever.

Nicole

Digital Marketing Coordinator

Like some of our other team members, Nicole’s predictions for the year focus on e-commerce and the digital shopping experience, but specifically on how we deal with customer service. She is anticipating the option of a customer service button across platforms. “There will be an option to chat with customer service live on the platform, or there will be more of a presence on social media to contact customer service through DMs.”

Madi

Director of Social Media + Founder

For Madi - I don’t know what she’s predicting, because she’s slacked off on this activity.

Are you looking for support?

If you’re looking for support to get ahead and take advantage of some of these trends, we can help. Send us an email to hello @ thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call. Let us help you grow your business online in 2023.

Why You Need Brand Photography

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 20:43:02 GMT

Building a brand extends beyond a logo and brand colours. It’s about creating an identity that your customers can use to distinguish you from others in your industry. Your brand is a way to tell your story and create brand loyalty among your audience. An important, but sometimes overlooked part of creating your brand identity is having a library of brand photography.

You’ve heard it countless times: a picture is worth a thousand words. There’s a reason for that. If you visited your favourite brand’s website or social media page and it was all words and stock images with no real connection to the business, would you continue engaging with that brand? Probably not. That’s why brand photography is a crucial part of the brand identity. Brand photography connects your audience with your product, your team, and your brand purpose. Good, consistent brand photography makes you recognizable in your landscape. And as your business grows and evolves, your brand photography should, too.

At The Small Social, we are big believers in having good, consistent, up-to-date brand images. Keep reading to find out why.

Makes your brand more relatable and human

There are people behind your business and your customers want to see that. You might be nervous about putting yourself out there, but customers are more likely to engage with you and trust you when they can see it’s real people behind the product. Photographs of you and your team in action, branded photos of your products, and happy team photo and headshots - these all go a long way in relating to your current customers and bringing in new ones.

Great first impression

Think about what you look at when you first visit a website or a social media profile. It’s almost always the pictures. And since people get a first impression online in less than 10 seconds, you want to make sure your photos stand out and capture who you are and what you do right away.

Creates Brand Consistency

Brand photography can help you create consistency. Your photographer will capture and edit photos in a style that aligns with who you are and what you do to convey your brand story. When people see your photos appear on their Instagram feed, they should be able to know, before even seeing your profile name, that it’s yours.

While we love reusing content that you have, it can become stale. When you use the same photography repeatedly, it becomes less exciting. We always want branding and photography to perform to the best of their ability, which includes fresh content to brighten up your website and social posting. This keep your business exciting and captivating.

Help brands tell a story

Having up-to-date photography can help elevate your brand, services, or products to tell a story. You want to continue to grow and evolve and your imagery should too. The images that were exciting and new last year or even last season may no longer fit the vision or goals you have. Use new imagery to capture the message you want to spread.

Convey emotion

In any business, you should always be looking to the steps on your path to success. There should be a plan on what your goals are and how you want to approach them. If you have a plan, you’ll be able to establish the type of content you want to push out, what emotions you want to relate to, and the type of imagery you need to get you there. Connect with your audience, relate to them, and show them your best efforts.

Perceived value

When you have outdated images and content or poor quality content, what you’re saying to your audience is that you don’t care enough about your business to put in the time or effort to properly present yourself. This ultimately gives the perception that if you don’t care enough to update your own content, what kind of service are you going to provide to others. When you invest in yourself and your business, you’re ultimately investing in quality clients or customers too.

Trust and recognition

Much like our point about perceived value, investing in yourself and brand showcases that you are dedicated to always being your best and performing at your best. What this tells your audience is that you are trustworthy because you put in the time and effort. This will ultimately build a positive recognition and meaningful relationship with your audience.

Relevancy

When you utilize seasonal photography you show that you are relevant. While your photography from the spring might be of high quality, if you post photos from several months ago is may come across as though you are out of touch or out dated on your content. If you were to see a brand posting snowy winter content in the middle of summer the quality wouldn’t matter, the perception would be “why is this content here” and will ultimately feel like a mishap or mistake.

At the end of the day, there are countless reasons why it is beneficial to keep your content, imagery, and photography updated. Investing in your content will not only enhance the quality of your brand, but it will also show your audience that you are dedicated, believe in quality and value, and that you are able to keep up with what is new in the industry and world around you.

6 Reasons You Should Work with a Digital Marketing Agency

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 13:19:27 GMT

Something that we hear a lot from business owners during our discovery calls is that they want to have an amazing online presence, but there aren’t enough hours in the day to do it effectively. We understand! Running a business is challenging enough - especially if you’re operating with a small team that already wears many hats. Plus, with guidelines and recommendations around social media constantly changing (we’re looking at you Instagram), it becomes an additional item on your checklist that drops in priority with the day-to-day operations of your business. Despite all this, you want a strong online presence with a beautiful website, an engaging Instagram feed, and for your business to keep up with trends in the industry. If this sounds like you, it could be time to think about partnering with a Digital Marketing Agency to achieve your online goals.

Working with a Digital Marketing Agency has countless benefits, one of them being that it’s something you can cross off your to-do list. The right agency will be able to support you and make sure you feel confident about how your business presents online. They will give you the tools and resources you need to show up effectively, make meaningful relationships with your customers, and grow your business online.

Here are 6 reasons you should work with a digital marketing agency:

Detailed Research

When you work with an agency, you get an expert, not just in the best practices of digital marketing generally, but in your specific industry too. At the Small Social, our team is dedicated to doing industry research to make sure you stand out online.

We conduct research for:

Hashtags: hashtags are important for showing up in people’s feeds on platforms like Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, so it’s crucial to know which ones are trending in your industry and area. We dedicate time compiling hashtags that we can use to increase your visibility.
Competitors: we find out who they are, what they do, and what their strengths and weaknesses are.
Demographics: this research helps us determine who your audience is, what they’re looking for, and where they are spending their time online. One of the biggest benefits to digital marketing over traditional marketing is you have the option to only market to the people you want to reach, so knowing your key demographics is important.

On Top of Trends

A good digital marketing agency will be on top of trends in the online landscape. They will be aware of changes to social media platforms, the type of content and practices that are trending, and how best to utilize this dynamic space to your advantage. Your digital marketing agency will be able to recognize what’s popular online and help you implement it into your digital marketing strategy in a way that will resonate with your audience.

Brand Consistency

As a business owner, you put a lot of time and effort into creating a brand. When you work with a digital marketing agency, part of their strategy is to ensure your brand is communicated online in a clear and consistent way. That means using your brand colours, fonts, logos and communication style to be easily identifiable to your audience. At The Small Social, we work off of a client-approved brand guide to ensure your business looks and sounds the way you want it to, so your clients know it’s you before they even see your profile name on the post.

Consistent Online Presence

Something else we hear from a lot of business owners, even if they have a good handle on the practices of digital marketing, is showing up consistently and on a regular basis for their audience. Digital marketing is incredibly effective, but it only matters if your audience knows you’re there. A digital marketing agency can help you build out monthly or quarterly calendars with consistent posting, so you know there is always content loaded and ready to go. At The Small Social, we consistently create content to share across our client’s platforms based on best practices in your industry. Our goal is always to ensure your platforms are active so potential clients want to engage with your business.

Community Engagement

It’s one thing to have cohesive branding and consistent posting, but on top of that you need to be actively engaged with your audience. This can be a time-consuming task to add on to your already busy schedule. Your marketing agency will take on this role for you and regularly engage with your followers. For our team, this includes responding to comments and messages, seeking out new and relevant accounts to follow, and engaging with other accounts by liking their content and commenting on their posts in a way that aligns with your brand voice. This shows that you care about your audience and take the time to be there for them.

Partner In Business

When you work with a digital marketing agency, it should be a true partnership because when you succeed, they do too. We create a collaborative relationship where we get to know your business inside and out to effectively offer support, guidance, and services. When we see your business being engaged with, growing in following, and receiving conversions, we celebrate alongside with you. A successful partnership is built upon trust, dedication and care, all of which are qualities that we confidently pride ourselves on at The Small Social Company.

At The Small Social, our team is passionate about helping businesses succeed online. If you’re looking for a partner to support your business growth, email us at hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call. We can talk through your goals, vision, and specific needs to come up with an effective strategy to help you develop a strong online presence.

Let’s grow together!

Branding Vs. Marketing

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 11:28:11 GMT

If you’re running a business, or you’re interested in starting one, you’ve likely heard the terms ‘branding’ and ‘marketing’ getting thrown around. And you should! Both concepts are important to the way you present and advertise your business. The problem is, these terms get used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. Branding and marketing are two business tools that work in tandem. They contribute to the same goals for your business, but each have distinct characteristics and individual roles in achieving them.

What is Branding?

Branding is the strategy which helps you establish who and what your business is. It’s about creating an identity that customers or clients can use to distinguish you from others in your industry. When you’re creating your brand, you need to take into consideration how you want people to feel and think about your business. Some things to think about include: your logo, brand colours, design elements, brand voice, personality, and purpose. All of these brand elements will impact how you connect with your audience and how they associate with you.

Through branding, you can create long-lasting, impactful relationships with your customers by creating a story and personality behind your business. Strategic branding can help set you apart from your competitor by creating connections and an experience.

When you’re building out your brand strategy, ask yourself questions like:

What is my story?
What core values do I want my brand to express?
When people see my business, what do I want them to feel?
Do my colours, logo, and design elements reflect my brand personality?
Can a client or customer distinguish my business from my competitor’s?

The bottom line: branding is about establishing who you are and how you want people to think and feel about your business.

What is Marketing?

Now that you know who you are, it’s time to tell people about it. That’s where marketing comes in. Marketing is a series of tactics that get people interested in who you are and what your business is. It is the act of promoting your brand to influence action. Actions can include product sales, podcast listens, newsletter subscriptions, and more. When building out a marketing plan, think about: creating an effective website, email newsletters, social media advertising, search engine optimization, and content promotion .

It’s important to remember that there is no one size fits all for marketing. That’s why it’s crucial to establish your brand, and know who your audience is. Knowing who you are and who you want your customers to be will help you determine where you should market yourself. If you have a clothing business that is designed for 18-24 year old females, creating content and ads on TikTok and Instagram would be a better use of your resources than Facebook because of the demographic on these platforms. If you run a home hardware store, you could explore Facebook advertising and Google Ads to reach your target demographic of homeowners. There are many options to explore in digital marketing to reach your customer base and create action for your business.

When building out a marketing plan, ask yourself questions like:

Who is my target audience?
Which platforms are they on?
What is my call to action?
Ex: shop now, learn more, listen to the latest episode, subscribe today
How are customers finding my product or service?
Where are customers looking for my product or service?

The bottom line: marketing is about making people aware of who you are and influencing them to act to support your business.

Let’s summarize it

Branding:

Comes before marketing
Creates a brand identity
Builds customer loyalty
Keeps your audience’s attention

Marketing:

Comes after branding is established
Tells people about your brand identity
Increases sales or relevant action
Grabs your audiences’ attention

Are You Looking for Support?

Whether you’re starting a business that needs branding, you’re looking for a brand refresh for your current business, or you’re ready to take the next step in your marketing plan, The Small Social can help! Our team of dedicated and talented professionals are here to support you no matter what stage your business is at. We work with business owners across a wide variety of industries, which gives us unique insight. We will work with you to conduct research and develop a custom plan to best fit your needs.

If you’re ready to get started, send us an email at hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call today.

Let’s grow together!

Make a Good ✨ First Impression✨ 📱👋

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 12:14:04 GMT

These days, making a good first impression on social media is just as important as making a good first impression in real life. People form a solid opinion of you within 7 seconds of meeting you, and this can be even shorter online. If a potential client reaches your Instagram page, it won’t take long for them to determine whether they want to hit that blue follow button and get to know you a little more. And nothing will seal your fate quite like your bio.

If you’re using Instagram for business, you need to make sure that your bio tells people exactly who you are and why they should follow your brand. This seems like a really easy task to check off the list, especially with the limited characters at your disposal. But your bio is your elevator pitch , and you have a total of 180 characters to tell people why you’re better than the last Instagram page they looked at, and convince them to follow your journey.

Here are our tips for writing an eye-catching instagram bio that will leave a positive, lasting impression.

Name

30 Characters

The name of your Instagram page is different from the username or IG handle. The page name gives your profile page its brand name. While it’s a good idea to use this section for your business name, you can optimize it for SEO purposes by using a term someone would search to find your business like your services or industry.

Description

150 Characters

The description is the bulk of your bio. It needs to answer questions like:

What do you do?
Where are you located?
What service or product do you offer?

When answering these questions, it’s important to use buzzwords that connect to your audience.

You can should also:

Make it visually appealing by breaking up the information using lines
Make it eye-catching by using emojis alongside your text
Use words that describe your niche and services
Include a branded hashtag for people to use if they want to tag you

The bottom line: does your bio effectively tell people who you are and make people want to follow your brand?

URL

Since Instagram doesn’t allow active hyperlinks embedded in posts the same way Facebook does, having a URL to your website in the bio is crucial for people to learn more about your brand, special offers, and access the information you’re posting about.

You only get one URL, make it count. You can optimize your URL by using a multi-link tool (our favourite is Linktree ) which allows you to link to multiple web pages under one link in your bio.

Need a Hand With That?

When you’re running a business, these little details can fall through the cracks. We want to make sure you feel good about how your brand is presenting to potential customers online. If you’ve been thinking about boosting your Instagram game to attract more clients online, but don’t know where to start, we can help!

Contact us today at hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call. Let us support you in making your first online impression the best it can be!

What’s New on Instagram?

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 14:30:27 GMT

Have you been keeping up with all the changes taking place on Instagram? We have, and if you have questions about what that means for you, you’re not alone! Whenever there are significant changes to a social media platform or digital marketing tool, you need to consider how you can adjust your strategy and take advantage of those changes. This month, we’ve seen three major changes to Instagram’s functionality and come up with some tips and tricks for you to make the most of them.

The Update: The 4:5 Ratio

Does your Instagram feed look different as you’re scrolling through, but still oddly familiar? That’s the new 4:5 ratio. Up until now, Instagram has been unique for providing a feed with 1:1 ratio square images. But, in line with Instagram’s move toward being an entertainment app, the new user experience will see all media appear in the feed in a 4:5 ratio, meaning a longer view that takes up your whole screen. This ratio change will affect how everything shows up in your feed, including static single images and carousel swipe over posts. Does this look and sound familiar? It should. This user experience will be a lot like TikTok.

Tip: to make the most of still and carousel images in your feed, use a 4:5 ratio (1080x1350 px). This will take up more space on screen with the update.

But, don’t say goodbye to the iconic square just yet. Images will still show up on your home grid in squares, so it’s important to keep this in mind.

How You Can Use It:

The move toward the 4:5 ratio is meant to encourage more video content from creators. We know that the Instagram algorithm favours video over static content, which is why you see non-stop reels in your feed. With this recent change to Instagram’s viewing experience, it will be more important than ever to start creating reels and videos for your Instagram profile if you want to stay relevant. Yes, you absolutely can and should keep posting still images and carousel images, but if you want them to be seen by your followers, you need to support it with video.

While all posts will now take up the entire screen in an effort to create a more immersive experience for users, these images will still cut off to a 1:1 square ratio on your grid. So, when creating a post or a reel, make sure you’re positioning your content, so it will look clean and consistent on your feed. Not sure how to do this? Ask us how!

The Update: Pinning Posts

Do you have a post or a reel that you absolutely love, but it’s slowly being bumped down on your grid? It doesn’t need to be like that anymore. Earlier this year, Instagram beta tested pinning posts to the top of your grid, similar to the way you can pin a post on Facebook or LinkedIn for people to always see first when they visit the feed. Now, this feature has been rolled out to all users on Instagram.

How You Can Use It:

Get this - you can pin not just one post to the top of your feed, but three! The entire top row of your home grid can now feature your favourite posts, your most popular reel (or one that needs more attention), or an amazing split image on your feed that won’t get shifted by new content. These pins will be the first thing a visitor sees when they visit your profile grid, so make them count!

It’s simple. Go to your profile, select an image from your grid, click on the 3 horizontal dots and select ‘pin to your profile’. That’s it!

The Update: SEO Keywords

Okay, so using keywords on Instagram isn’t necessarily new, but there is a renewed emphasis on making sure you’re writing social copy with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in mind. Not too long ago, your SEO ranking was heavily dependent on your website content. That’s where people would go to get information about your business. But more and more, Instagram pages are coming up in Google Search results, meaning having SEO-rich content on the platform is incredibly important for ranking.

How You Can Use It:

When you’re writing a caption, think about what types of words someone might use to find your products or services and integrate them into your copy. You can utilize your hashtags the same way. These are very straightforward ways to boost your SEO ranking through Instagram, but there are a couple other ways you can do it too.

Have you ever used the Alt Text function on Instagram? You should! Alt Text or alternative text, allows you to write a description for an image in the event it can’t be seen. This is also amazing for accessibility purposes and yes, your SEO ranking! When posting to Instagram, scroll down to the bottom on the caption screen and select advanced settings. Under accessibility, there is an option to write Alt Text. Tap into that, write a keyword rich description of the image, and hit done. Now your post has double the opportunity of ranking for SEO, but it doesn’t stop there.

When sharing a post to stories, or creating a new story, you can type words and hashtags into the story and hide them behind the image. This is another great way to include keywords on your Instagram page and contribute to your SEO ranking without it being obvious.

Looking for Some Guidance?

Keeping up with changes on social media is tough when you already have a lot on your plate. Part of what we do is research the latest developments in social media to ensure our clients are staying on top of trends and getting the most out of their social media experience. If you’re looking for guidance for how to up your Instagram game, or looking for an overhaul of your social media strategy in general, send us an email to hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call.

What You Need to Consider in Your Paid Social Strategy

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 17:02:50 GMT

Picture this: you set up your business on social media, you gained a lot of followers through consistent posting, a smart hashtag strategy, and word of mouth. You felt like you were really gaining momentum with engagement… then it all plateaued. Does this sound familiar? You’re not alone. The reality is, organic social media can only take you so far. It’s a great tool to create an online presence for your business, establish your brand, and start building meaningful relationships with potential customers. But if you’re finding that you’re not getting the growth you expected, it could be time to explore a paid social strategy.

In simple terms, a paid social strategy is a social media plan backed by dollars, or an ‘ad spend’. Essentially, you pay Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, etc. to make your content more visible to your target audience and help you meet your objectives.

When carefully crafted, paid social campaigns are the best way to reach a new target audience and convert them into customers. Here are some things to consider:

The first thing you should establish when you’re creating a paid ad campaign is what the objective is. Each platform has different ad objectives. For instance, Facebook has 3 objective categories to choose from:

Awareness - promotes reach, views and impressions. You want to generate interest in your product or service.
Consideration - centres around engagement or interaction. You want traffic, app installs, lead generation, or video views.
Conversion - getting people to buy, purchase or sign up.

If your goal is to get people to buy from your latest sale, you’re not going to create an awareness ad. Here, you would set your objective to conversion. It’s crucial to know what you want to get out of your paid social ad before you put dollars behind it.

It’s no secret that anything you put money behind does better than organic, but you also have to ensure you set a budget you’re comfortable with and stick with it. We offer custom recommendations to each client based on their target area. Reach out to us for a discovery call and our advertising experts can provide you a proper recommendation: hello@thesmallsocial.com

This is the most important part of your paid ad strategy. The point of doing a paid ad is to reach people who will engage and interact with your business. It’s not like putting up a billboard or doing a flyer drop where you’re advertising to the masses. If you’re going to put dollars behind your social media strategy, you need to know who you’re trying to reach and why.

If you’re a women’s clothing brand mainly for people in their 20s and 30s, you want to create an audience specific to that demographic. You can get as general as location, women 21-35 years old, or as detailed as having a bachelor’s degree, interested in Selling Sunsets, etc.

If you’re a residential plumber, you’ll want to create an audience that is made up of homeowners: male and female, 25-65+, 20 mile radius of the plumber's office, interested in HGTV, home decor, and Home Depot. The best part of creating these audiences is that you can create as many as you want! The next audience for a residential plumber could include more interests and you could increase the location targeting to 35 mile radius.

Tip: creating mock ups of potential consumer profiles can help you create your audience and target for a paid ad. There are also lookalike audiences that can be created that are amazing for targeting people who are similar to your current audience. Targeting a lookalike audience can help grow your followers, sales and more!

You need to know who you’re trying to reach, what they want, and how they behave. This is not only important for maximizing your ad spend, but also for determining where your efforts will pay off the most.

One of the benefits of paid social media campaigns is you don’t only choose who gets to see your ad, but also where they see it. This is another reason it’s important to know your target consumer base. All of the major social media platforms now have ad features: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and TikTok. But different demographics use different social media platforms. For instance, Instagram is predominantly 18-34 year olds with a good female/male mix, while LinkedIn is shown to be mainly professionals and predominantly males who are in corporate positions. If you’re launching an ad for corporate leadership development, you’ll have better luck on LinkedIn than you will on Instagram. If your audience isn’t typically on TikTok, it doesn’t make sense to put your efforts or your money there. Knowing where your audience is will help you determine which platform you should use in order to make the most of your ad spend.

After you’ve set your objective and budget, you know your target audience, and you’ve determined which social platforms you’re going to use, it’s time to create the ads. All ads should be visually appealing, and should allow a potential consumer to identify your product or service. Ads can be formatted in different ways, including:

Video : this is the way of the future. When it makes sense to use it, you should.
Carousel : these ads allow you to have multiple static images in one ad. These are effective for lead generation.
Single Static : these types of ads are one still image. If they are eye-catching enough and can make an impact, they’re a perfectly good option.

Once the creative is nailed down, it’s up to you to write an engaging copy to go along with it. The most effective copy is creative, memorable, and brief. Most people are not going to read paragraphs-long ads. Keep it short and sweet, but make an impact.

After you’ve established your objective, budget, target audience, platform, and you’ve created your ads, it’s time to launch them.

Tip: Set up A/B testing. Launch two ads at the same time, check in after 35 hours and take down the ad that isn’t performing the best!

You can check in on how your ad is performing during the campaign - and you should! You don’t want to leave an ad running that has a high cost per click and is eating away at your ad dollars. But you also need to ensure that when your ad campaign ends, you take the time to analyze your results and use your findings to optimize future campaigns.

All social media platforms have internal data reporting systems which will display performance metrics of your ads. These are great free tools and can tell you a lot about your ad campaign, including: reach, engagement, views, link clicks, demographic information and more. If you decide to advertise on multiple platforms, you can also consolidate your analytic data in a reporting software like data studio. It will allow you to analyze all of your data in one place.

The important part here is that you review the results of your ad campaign to see how you can optimize your paid social strategy in the future and create better, more effective campaigns.

Incorporating paid ads into your digital marketing strategy is an effective way to create more brand awareness, increase sales, and get more engagement overall. Setting up a successful paid social strategy has a lot of steps and it can definitely be overwhelming when you’re already navigating the day-to-day operations of a business.

At The Small Social, we have a dedicated team of experts in paid social strategy who can help you create an amazing paid ads campaign that will show results. Send us an email to hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call.

Let’s Grow Together!

Are You Taking Advantage of Your Google Business Profile 🔍

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 15:16:32 GMT

You might be sensing a theme from us - that everything in the digital marketing world is in a state of constant change and transition. That’s why we’re working to ensure you’re on top of trends and industry changes so your business has the best chance of standing out.

If you’ve ever done a Google search for a business or service, you’ve likely seen a box appear on the right of the results page with the business name, hours of operation, and maybe even some photos. That’s a Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business), and it’s one of our favourite and most invaluable tools to keep your business relevant in a Google search. Outside of your website, your Google Business Profile can contain some of the most important information a new visitor would need to know.

What is a Google Business Profile?

A Google Business Profile is a free business listing from Google that allows you to provide details of your business in one convenient and accessible location. It’s available to businesses that have contact with customers or clients, whether that’s a store or a clinic, or a service that meets with clients like consultants or HVAC technicians. Having a Google Business profile helps you appear in a Google search and add-ons like Google Maps and Google shopping.

Why You Need One

Whether you’re looking for foot traffic to your business, or more engagement with your online presence, a Google Business Profile can be like the best friend who won’t stop referring people to your business. Your profile will help potential customers discover your business when they search for your products and services in their area. It will show them where you are and how to visit. Plus, with the strong local SEO built into a Google profile, you’ll have a great SEO ranking, which helps your entire digital marketing strategy.

A Google Business Profile also helps you control online business information like your contact information, hours, and up to date brand identities like logos, photos. You can post updates like a new service or menu, new hours, or a temporary closure. Your profile is a compact, easy to find place to share all of your business updates. Having a regularly updated Google Business Profile helps build your credibility online.

Speaking of credibility, did you know that around 80% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation, and the average person will look at 4 reviews before they decide to make a purchase? That’s another thing a Google Business Profile can help you with. Built into this platform is the Google Review service, which allows people to post real, authentic reviews of their experience with your business or service. We know - it can be scary opening yourself up to feedback online, especially for the few people who haven’t had a great experience. But, having a mix of reviews makes your business more credible, and when you respond to reviews of all types, potential customers can see how you respond to adversity . A good response means a lot more than a negative review pretty much every time.

How to Optimize Your Profile

Complete all the elements: your business name, address, phone number, link to your website, and services.

Make sure your account is verified: after you set up your profile, Google will send you a postcard to the address you use to set it up. The number on this postcard is required to verify your account. Without it, your profile won’t rank because it’s not complete.

Add pictures and videos: people love seeing pictures of your business or service. Post pictures of your staff, clothing, food, new items and anything else a new customer might find interesting about you compared to the business down the road doing something similar.

Use keywords (you know… because SEO): make it completely clear what you offer using keywords that a new customer would use when searching for the products or services you offer.

Respond to Reviews: Remember what we said above? Responding to reviews boosts your credibility and leaves a good impression of you to someone who has never visited your business. Respond kindly to the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between.

Keep Business Information Up to Date: this includes your business hours (especially around holidays), contact information and updates like new menus or services.

We’re here to help!

If you’re looking for ways to boost your online presence, optimize your SEO, or stand out on Google in particular, email us at hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call. Our team of digital marketing experts are ready to support your business growth any way we can.

Mistakes You May Be Making With Your Marketing

Thu, 19 May 2022 18:25:04 GMT

By Madyson Fraser, St. Lawrence College Student

When you start looking for information on effectively marketing your business, it can sometimes feel like information overload. There are so many resources and differing opinions available, and it can be tough figuring out what advice to follow, and what you should completely forget. Ultimately, the things that will work for you depend on you and your business, but we’re here to help clear up some confusion surrounding four common mistakes in the marketing world.

You’re Marketing to Everyone

It isn’t unheard of that new businesses will try marketing to everyone to maximize their sales and try to reach a bigger audience. But this often does more harm than good. Sure, advertising to everyone might get you some sales, but you’ll be wasting time and money appealing to a broader audience than you would by marketing directly to the people who make up your consumer base. You also risk missing out on valuable opportunities to create meaningful relationships with your consumers if you lump everyone into the same category.

So if you shouldn’t market to everyone, what’s the alternative?

Knowing your consumer base makes this next part much easier. Over time, you might begin recognizing patterns among the people who frequently purchase from your business. These patterns often characterize their habits, mentalities, and values. By understanding these similarities, you can begin categorizing your consumers into distinct segments. This makes planning your marketing efforts much simpler since you’ll already know what products they tend to buy and what their motivations for purchase tend to be. Now you can create more personalized advertising efforts tailored towards the characteristics of each consumer segment. And remember: everything can be adjusted as your needs, goals and business change!

Equating Success with Immediate Results

In a world of instant gratification, seeing results come in slowly can often feel like failure rather than progress. All good things come with time and patience, but it is important to monitor the progress of your marketing efforts. You might find that it is better received by an audience that wasn’t your original focus, which could hint at untapped market potential. You might also find that you’re getting engagement on social media but no actual business from it, which could hint at the need to modify your call to action, so your audience knows what they should do next.

Not having immediate results isn’t always something to worry about and is not always an indication of failure or success. Stick with it and keep an eye on how you can modify your efforts as needed.

You’re Trying to Use Every Social Media Platform

In most cases, trying to use every social media platform to market your business can be a huge waste of time. The social media platform you use to promote your business should be where your audience is the most likely to be. If you’re a retail fashion business, chances are you’ll have more luck on Instagram and TikTok vs. LinkedIn. By knowing who your products or services are made for, you can more readily craft content that will engage your target audience. Not only that, but you will also save yourself time by creating content that’s appropriate for your optimal platforms, instead of stretching yourself thin to meet unnecessary demands.

You Don’t Have a Website

Even if you are successful on social media, that does not dismiss the importance behind having a professional website for your business. Websites give your brand an element of credibility, and can also help with visibility. Websites offer way more opportunities to boost your SEO ranking than social media posts. While you don’t necessarily need a website to register for a Google Business Profile, having one will help push your business to the top of relevant search results.

Websites also offer the opportunity to showcase your products or services in a way that puts the important information front and centre. From product catalogs to image libraries, websites are still the best way to host your business portfolio. Not only that, but websites can encourage consumer contact. Contact pages make it quick and easy for a curious customer to submit their inquiries while websites integrated with Google Maps offer a clear idea of where your business is physically located. This can be especially helpful for customers who are coming from out of town and aren’t familiar with the area.

So yes, even if your social media accounts are strong, we recommend having a website. It will be your best employee!

Looking for some reliable guidance?

At The Small Social, we’ve had the pleasure of working with businesses across various industries, which means we know the best ways to help different businesses succeed online. If you want to leave the noise behind and get some reliable support with building your digital marketing strategy, send us an email. When you work with us, your success is our #1 priority because your business is our business. Reach out to us at hello@thesmallsocial.com - let’s grow together!

The Video Marketing Revolution

Mon, 09 May 2022 14:19:11 GMT

By now, you’ve probably noticed that your Instagram feed has been taken over with video content. It’s not just you. In the first few months of 2022, video has become the predominant medium for delivering marketing information and keeping audiences engaged - and for good reason. In summer 2021, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri announced that the platform was shifting to focus more on entertainment than photo sharing, in part due to the rising popularity of video trends on TikTok. For a while, we might have said that video was just a trend that would die out, but with no end in sight, we need to start looking at video content as a revolution in digital marketing.

Here are the facts:

84% of consumers have been convinced to buy a product after watching a video and this year, video will account for 82% of all online traffic .
Stats as far back as 2016 found that viewers retain 95% of a message they see in a video vs 10% when reading it in text.
86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool
According to Instagram for Business, 91% of Instagram users say they watch videos from brands weekly

Do I Need Video Content in my Strategy?

When you break it all down, yes. From all of our research, we’re predicting that brands who don’t have a video content strategy in place will find it almost impossible to do business online in the next couple of years. That’s because the algorithm is already favouring video content on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. When we pull our monthly analytic reports for clients, we’re consistently seeing video content as the top performing posts month over month. This is becoming true for SEO rankings too. Web pages that have at least 1 video embedded in them have a higher likelihood of a page 1 ranking. Have you noticed that when you do a Google search, you often see a few videos at the top of the results page? That isn’t an accident.

On top of video content beating the algorithm, there are other advantages of incorporating it into your marketing strategy. Think about how often you see a reel or TikTok and send it to a friend. Videos are shareable because they are a quick and easy way to deliver information that people will remember. You can use this way of thinking to share information about your business, too.

Videos also give you the opportunity to make your marketing more personal. Sharing posts about your products and services is definitely a great way to get your name out there, but there’s nothing like posting a reel of you or your team to make people feel like they really know you. It’s an opportunity to make a meaningful connection with your audience and tell a story.

How Can I Effectively Add Video Marketing to my Strategy?

We get asked this a lot, and we want you to know that creating video content doesn’t need to be complicated, and it doesn’t have to be following trendy dances either (another big worry we hear). Creating video content for your brand can be as simple as a meet the team reel with headshots and names on the screen. It can be a short unboxing of a new product delivery, or a before and after video posted to TikTok with trending audio. You can do an ‘ask me anything’ session in your Instagram stories and record yourself giving the answers. Video content can be fun, easy and the perfect way to show off your business without having to increase your marketing budget by an insane amount.

What About the Time Commitment?

There’s this idea that creating video content has to take up a huge amount of your time. We won’t lie to you, it can, but it doesn’t have to. Some of the best performing reels we’ve posted have been less than 10 seconds long. On TikTok, the optimal time sits somewhere around 20 seconds. That’s just enough time to sync a few photos to trending audio, announce an event, share a teaser about exciting news that’s coming, or answer a frequently asked question.

Tips and Tricks

If you’re creating reels on Instagram, scroll through TikTok for what’s trending. TikTok trends move onto Instagram within a few days, so it’s always good to get ahead of the curve.
Use trending audio, but try to use it when there are only a few thousand uses. Once audio is used a lot, it becomes over saturated on the platform and your reel or TikTok won’t get as many views.
How do you find trending audio? Look for the little white arrow on the bottom left of reels as you’re scrolling. (P.S. make sure your Instagram account is set to creator. You’ll have access to the best audio).
Share your expertise. Video content is a fun way to show that you’re an expert in your industry.
Spend anytime online as passive research. If you’re like us, and you spend an hour scrolling through Instagram or TikTok after work, keep an eye and an ear out for trends and audio you like. Then you have something to put together the next day.
Act fast! Trends come and go quickly when it comes to video content.

We Can Help with That

We know that when you’re a business owner with a small team, any extra task can seem like a huge burden. That’s why we’re here. We have a team of talented, passionate people who LOVE spending their time making amazing video content on Instagram and TikTok for our clients. Let us help you be a part of the video marketing revolution and watch your business grow online.

Email us today at hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call. Let’s grow together.

The Dos and Don’ts of Social Media Giveaways

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 14:13:36 GMT

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Written by: By Madyson Fraser, St. Lawrence College Student

Giveaways are a fun way to boost engagement on your social platforms and reward your followers for supporting your business - and people have caught on. It seems like everyone is offering giveaways on social media these days and we think it’s great! We LOVE a good giveaway. But did you know there is a right and a wrong way of hosting one for your business? It seems like a pretty straight forward process, but we have some tips and tricks for hosting a successful giveaway - and one that doesn’t get flagged on your social channels. Read on as we run through the best way of hosting social media giveaways to promote your business.

Tip 1: Know Your Objectives

Our biggest tip is to understand the reason behind your giveaway. This can help establish your game plan for how the giveaway will work, and will also change how you decide to promote your giveaway. Common objectives driving giveaways include:

Encouraging Post Engagement
Increasing Brand Awareness
Creating An Email List
Product Promotion

Understanding what you want to achieve through a giveaway not only saves you time in the long run, but can also make your marketing efforts a little easier too.

Tip 2: Choosing Your Platforms

A key component of social media giveaways are, well, the social media platforms you choose to host them on. Starting with platforms where you’ve already established your business are a great place to start, but depending on the intentions behind your giveaway, you might need to consider where your audience will be most likely to engage with your efforts.

Instagram is great for sharing videos and pictures. If you’re hoping to unveil a new product line with your giveaway, then consider using this platform to highlight these products.

Facebook is ideal for building a sense of community. If your engagement levels are low and you’re hoping to generate more interactions with the brand as a whole, then this platform may be the best choice.

It’s important to know where your audiences are going to be most active and which platforms will benefit you the most to use during your giveaway.

Tip 3: Choosing Your Prizes

Speaking of benefits, when you’re conducting a giveaway, most people are initially coming for the prize, so it’s important to pick a good one! Consider connecting the prize to your current business offerings. Whether it’s a product or a service, basing the prize around what you do best is a great way of giving the winner a taste of what you have to offer and can generate some positive word of mouth.

If your brand is on the newer side, partnering with another business for your giveaway can create more buzz and excitement for both of you. We are all for supporting a fellow business owner. You can also think about items that aren’t connected to your business, but are popular and will draw people in. Lately, we’ve found that restaurant gift cards, event tickets, and YETI cups do really well. Combining something like that with your business offering can set you up for success. In the end, everyone loves free stuff, but it’s about strategizing about what will help you meet your goals!

Tip 4: It’s Game Plan Time!

Once you’ve worked through the first three tips, it’s time to really consider your game plan for the giveaway. You know why this giveaway is important for your business, where your audience is going to be actively participating in the contest, and have settled on a prize. So now it’s time to outline the remaining details.

Things like:

Timeline For Entry and Prize Allotment
How The Giveaway Will Be Promoted
Entry Submission Options
Additional Contest Rules

Tip 5: Navigating the Platforms

Like we said, hosting a social media giveaway can be pretty straightforward and a lot of fun! But it’s also important to make sure you and your followers are protected during your giveaway.

Here are a things to keep in mind:

Include in your giveaway description which account(s) would contact the winner. A lot of scam accounts pop up during giveaways, and will message your followers for credit card information or personal details.
Add a disclaimer that the giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook or Instagram in any way.
Avoid boosting giveaway posts or putting ad dollars behind them. They can get flagged by Meta and the giveaway will be taken down.

Once you’ve worked through these remaining details, you should be more than ready to launch a successful social media giveaway for your business! Before you move on though, let’s quickly discuss some things you should not do when planning a social media giveaway.

Tip 6: The Don'ts

This section is pretty simple but let's review it together anyway! Most of the don’ts about social media giveaways are the complete opposite to the tips above.

So if you’re considering:

Not Listing Prizes Or Entry Methods
Hosting A Giveaway With Zero Planning
Changing Entry Methods Halfway Through
Not Properly Assessing Your Media Platforms
Hosting On Platforms Your Audiences Don’t Use

Don’t do it! You’d only be making more work for yourself by skipping the tips listed above and risk missing out on valuable opportunities to build stronger relationships with your followers.

We want to hear from you!

We hope these tips can help make your next social media giveaway just a little bit easier.

If you have any questions or you’re looking for more information, send us an email at hello@thesmallsocial.com . We’re happy to chat!

How to Choose the Right Marketing Agency

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 16:12:30 GMT

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By Madyson Fraser, St. Lawrence College Student

We hear from a lot of businesses who want a better digital marketing strategy, but simply don’t have the time to put towards making one. Consistency is key, but can also be a challenge for many business owners, and that’s okay! Running a business is its own challenge with constantly shifting demands. This is where digital marketing agencies come into play as the perfect tool for building your online presence. From creating strategies and designing graphics to writing captivating content and managing your social media accounts, digital marketing agencies can do it all to make your life a little easier. But how do you find the right fit in such a large marketplace? Here are five tips to make your search a little easier.

This might sound like the most obvious step to consider, but it often goes overlooked. Outlining current challenges is a great way of guiding your search since it gives a clearer picture of which agency services are needed for your business.

Don’t have any challenges? No problem!

Marketing Agencies are still a great resource for growing your business. Instead of detailing existing difficulties, you can always try listing your requirements for working with a Marketing Agency. Examples of requirements can be:

Performance Results of X% or Higher
Hours of Operation
Service Types
Budget

It’s important to set your requirements early so you can effectively describe the needs of your business during conversations with potential Marketing Agencies.

If your challenges or goals are focused around a specific aspect of your business, then seeking out an agency with proven results for similar challenges can be a good method of narrowing down your search.

When reviewing agency portfolios, it is important to compare their proven results against your challenges and must-haves. Do they have experience working within your industry? Have they solved challenges like yours in the past? Did the end result meet your expectations? Being able to answer these questions can put you on the right path when reviewing an agency's previous work.

If this information isn’t available, even upon request, then that’s a red flag serving to narrow your search results even more!

Speaking of red flags, while it’s important to look for the good in Marketing Agencies, it’s equally important to keep an eye out for anything that may cause heartbreak in the future. Some red flags are up to personal preference and expectations, but here are some examples everyone should be on the lookout for when approaching an agency:

Messy Websites
No Testimonials, Case Studies, or Portfolio
Over-Promising

If a website is messy or difficult to navigate, it could point to an underlying issue about the quality of work and attention to detail provided by that agency. If there are no testimonials or portfolio examples available even upon request, then a similar issue regarding quality of work and customer satisfaction may be at play. Agencies that over-promise right from the start risk falling short of the mark, leaving their clients with a sense of disappointment at the final outcome.

Reviews are the tried and tested way of seeing what experiences other people have had with a service or product. This works for Marketing Agencies, too. From effective communication to the quality of a proposed solution, looking over reviews can highlight potential benefits to working with one agency over another.

Uncertain which agency would be best for your specific problem? Look through reviews to see what others have to say about their experience working with that agency!

Our final tip is the simplest of the five. Find an agency whose values reflect your own, whose employees take the time to understand the needs and concerns of your business, and who have a genuine interest in seeing your business thrive. If an agency does not seem to meet your values or respect you as a client, then it is time to move on.

So, would The Small Social Company be the right fit for you?

Our values lay in excellence, transparency, passion, innovation, equality and commitment.

Our team of dedicated industry experts are ready to work with you to successfully guide your business through the online environment. You can rest assured by knowing we think of our clients’ business as our own and will always provide the best possible outcome to see you succeed. Our goal has always been to grow alongside our clients by offering ongoing support and value where it matters the most. Our current service offerings include Social Media Marketing, Website and SEO, Paid Ads, Google Ads, Digital Strategy, and Virtual Mentorship.

Let's Chat

If you think our agency is the right fit for your business needs, send us an email at hello@thesmallsocial.com to set up a discovery call. Let’s grow together!

Meet the Team

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 15:02:42 GMT

It’s been an exciting year here at The Small Social Company. Since this time last year, we have seen a lot of changes and growth, both in our client base, and on our team! Since it’s a new month, we thought it would be the perfect time to reintroduce ourselves and do a proper introduction of our rockstar team.

What is The Small Social Company?

We were founded in 2019 and offer a wide range of digital marketing services with a focus on social media, SEO, and websites. We believe that every project has its own personality and we approach each challenge with fresh energy and inspiration, so you get the best results.

We are proud to say that we are a small team of powerful women. We are dedicated, passionate and bring a great sense of pride into all that we do. Let’s meet the team of incredible women who make magic happen for our clients every day!

Julilyn Woods

Julilyn, or “Jules” as we call her is our Co-Founder and Digital Brand Director. We’ve nicknamed her the “Zoom Call Coordinator”. Her role includes client onboarding, business branding and strategic planning. What she loves most about her job is the stellar team she works with and creating successful partnerships.

Fun Fact - She was a vegan for over a decade and now loves bacon and double cheeseburgers.

Madilynn Harker

Madilynn, or “Madi” is our Co-Founder and Director of Social Media. We’ve nicknamed her the “Social Media Wizard”. Her role includes client onboarding, creating digital marketing strategies, executing social media ads and reporting on the wicked results! What she loves most about her job is making clients’ goals a reality.

Fun Fact - She lived in the United States for 15 years.

Catherine Colasimone

Catherine, or “Cat” for short is our Digital Marketing Director. We’ve nicknamed her the “Digital + Tech Detective”. Her role includes client onboarding, client management, creating digital strategies, website creation and optimization, running Google Ads campaigns and reporting. What she loves most about her job is that no day is the same, and figuring out how we can bring online success to our clients.

Fun Fact - She competed in pageants when she was younger and now volunteers in the pageant space, creating an empowering experience for young women in Northern Ontario.

Ashley Hum

Ashley works behind the scenes as the Small Social Bookkeeper. Her role includes accounts payables and receivables. What she loves most about her job is staying on top of the expenses.

Fun Fact - Her and Madi worked as summer students together 7 years ago for the Town of Greater Napanee and have been super close ever since.

Erica Harrold

Erica is one of our Digital Marketing Coordinators. We’ve nicknamed her the “Organizational Wizard”. Her role includes generating creative content, working on copywriting and editing, organizing everything she can get her hands on and building up engagement! What she loves most about her job is being able to work alongside a team of incredible women who make this job an exciting place to be. She also loves being able to put her years of education to work in a creative and exciting way!

Fun Fact - Erica spent 6 months working at Walt Disney World in Florida as part of her college education. Making magic every day can really bring a great perspective to life!

Melissa Prince

Melissa is one of our Digital Marketing Coordinators. We’ve nicknamed her the “Creative Sasquatch”. Her role includes producing creative content, generating and editing video content, building engagement, monitoring client accounts and as of recently, website creation. What she loves most about her job is stretching her creativity to meet the needs of our diverse clients!

Fun Fact - She grew up as a competitive dancer and is a certified dance teacher - this may explain why she loves being the star of our Reels and TikToks.

Lara Roga

Lara is our Digital Marketing Manager, we’ve nicknamed her the “Quarterback”. Her role includes meeting client deliverables, creating content, copywriting and editing, and supporting the team. What she loves most about her job is having the opportunity to learn new things every day and break out of her comfort zone!

Fun Fact - She loves a challenge in the kitchen and spends weekends experimenting with new recipes

Nicole Reilly

Nicole is one of our Digital Marketing Coordinators and the newest member of our team. Her role includes creating content, assessing client goals, creating targeted advertising and obsessing over organizing spreadsheets. What she loves most about her job is the incredible women she gets to work alongside everyday and the diversity of the clients we get to work with!

Fun Fact - She has twin boys who are now 16 months old!

What a team!

We love our team and our jobs. Every single day, we get to be a part of bringing the vision you have for your business and your brand to life. Our jobs allow us to work with an incredible team of people both internally at The Small Social Company and externally with all the clients we’re fortunate to have on board.

Being able to have a job that allows us to be creative and think outside the box while still bringing value, information, and education to the forefront is something we are so appreciative of!

Want to Learn More?

If you’re considering revamping your digital marketing strategy and are looking for a fun, vibrant creative team to work with, The Small Social Company could be a good fit for you. Send us an email at hello@thesmallsocial.com . We would love to chat!

“Ad” Value to Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 16:51:00 GMT

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We have talked about the importance of a strong e-commerce presence and how to adapt your e-commerce strategy to the changing world around us. One important aspect of your e-commerce, and overall digital marketing strategy is social media advertising, or “paid ads”. It’s been estimated that around 4.55 BILLION people used social media in 2021 and that number is only expected to increase this year. Leveraging the power of social media advertising could make a significant difference to your business, client retention, and brand growth.

The average internet user has 5 social media accounts and spends about 2 hours per day across their social media presence.

After doing some research and with our own personal experiences with ads, here are the top benefits we have found to incorporating or increasing your paid ad strategy on social media.

1. Improves Brand Awareness

We love organic content! It’s amazing, and in a perfect world, you would be able to grow your brand organically month after month. But we’ve all heard the phrase, “it takes money to make money”. While this isn’t always true, it is a lot of the time, especially with a new business or unknown brand identity.

Social media advertising introduces your business to people who might not hear about it otherwise. It helps reach people who are potential customers and within the demographic of your client base, but aren’t following your brand just yet. This exposure to new people will usually bring new customers to your business. In fact, social media advertising helps bring 3x more non-customers to your platforms.

Bottom line: paid ads bring more awareness to your brand, and improves your reach and impressions on social media, creating the potential for a whole new customer base.

46% of consumers think brands that engage their audience are best in class on social. It’s important to explore new ways to bring people in.

Read our blog post about how to increase your reach in 2022

2. Reach Target Audiences

Social media ads help you reach people who would be interested in your product or service. With a paid ad strategy, you are able to market directly to people in your target demographic. Using factors as general as age, gender and location, or as specific as interests and behaviours, social media ads will bring in quality leads and drive traffic from your client base to your business. The more specific you can get, the better results you will get from your ads.

55% of marketers use social data to understand their target audience.

3. Reduces Marketing Costs

When you think about the investment between mass marketing, or marketing to a target audience, targeted social media marketing will come out ahead every time. When you’re advertising directly to people who match the demographic you’re trying to reach, you’re only spending money talking to relevant people. You will see a more favourable ROI spending $500 on social media ads vs traditional marketing.

Read our blog post about staying relevant on social media

Another financial benefit of social media marketing is cost-effective A/B testing of your ads. It’s shocking to us - sometimes we create a visually flawless ad, and it doesn’t perform well. That’s why we always try to do an A/B test of ads. This means we’ll launch 2 ads with different creative options, demographic targeting and locations. After a day, you can see which ad is performing better. While Facebook prefers you not to stop an ad until it has run for 3-5 days, you can shut it off early if the cost-per-click is running too high. When we launch A/B testing, it’s a low-cost way of giving your ad the best chance to reach relevant audiences and bring you conversions through social media.

Did you know it can take 6-8 times for someone to see your ad before it creates a conversion?

The Possibilities Are Endless

With frequent updates and new features on Social Media platforms PLUS the emerging popularity of new platforms for businesses, the possibilities for social media advertising are virtually limitless. Facebook and Instagram (the Metaverse) still remain the most popular platforms for social media advertising. But, with the rising popularity of businesses posting on TikTok and Pinterest, it’s no wonder that these are becoming important social media platforms to leverage for advertising.

In fact, since we’re always learning so we can provide the best service to our clients, our team has been taking extensive training on TikTok and Pinterest advertising. We want to support you by providing the best and most well-rounded ad strategy, no matter which social media platforms you’re on.

91% of retail brands use at least 2 social media platforms to communicate and market to their consumers.

Let’s Grow Together

If you’re looking for new ways to grow your business in 2022, it could be time to look at your social media advertising strategy. Get in touch with us today at hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a strategy call. Let us support your growth online this year!

What's In a Reel?

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 13:57:46 GMT

Over the last couple months, Reels have become a dominant part of the Instagram experience, directly competing with short videos on other social media platforms such as TikToks and the new Idea Pins on Pinterest. But what is a Reel and how can you best utilize this feature? And what is the difference between a Reel, a TikTok, and an Idea Pin?

Let’s break it down.

What is a Reel?

A Reel is a short video (up to 60 seconds) that can be created right on your Instagram or Facebook account. You can record or upload videos and photos to create your Reel. During this time you can make customizations like adding music to set the tone, adding filters and effects, adjusting the speed, adding text, and so on.

All of these customizations combined can create a range of content from fun and entertaining videos to educational knowledge based videos too! There really are endless possibilities.

How Can You Best Utilize the Reel Feature?

Reels are easily accessible video content for your page and while there is no perfect formula, here are some tips that can set you up for success:

Use trending audio. When you use audio that is currently popular in the Reel community, your video is more likely to be found, seen, and engaged with.
Be aware of topics that are trending online and create with this in mind.
Provide value in the content that you create. When you create knowledge or educational Reels, make sure there is meaning behind it.
Stay true to your brand, values, aesthetic, etc. It’s great to hop on board with a fun new trend, but keep in mind why people follow your page.
Use high quality images and video content.
Keep your Reel short and sweet, you don’t want to lose the attention of your audience by dragging out your content for too long.
Use text and captions on your Reel and keep your copy and hashtags relevant.

Tip: when you’re scrolling through Reels, look for the small arrow icon on the bottom left of the screen. That’s trending audio.

Overall, it’s important to be mindful of what’s trending and what is currently popular, while staying true to your brand and your vision. If you can combine those two components into one cohesive piece of creative content, then you are on the right track!

Watch One of Our Latest Reels ⬇️

Quick Facts About Reels

Instagram has been around for over a decade, with Reels appearing only a few years ago
Facebook has been around for over 15 years, but just released its Reel feature in February 2022
Reels can range from 5 to 60 seconds
Reels can be entertaining, educational, and aesthetic
Age demographic is 18-29 with just over ⅔ being women

What is the Difference Between Reels, TikToks, and the new Pinterest Idea Pins?

Quick engaging videos have become a very popular method of sharing content on social media across the board, with new options and variations popping up!

TikTok

TikTok is a short form video sharing social media platform. TikTok videos started with 15 seconds as the only length option, but has since grown to include a 60-second option as well a 3-minute option.

TikTok tends to have videos that are fun, entertaining and playful. There is also a lot of information sharing and education-based TikTok content. The most common demographic of TikTok is a younger audience aged 16-24 with nearly 100 million active users in the US alone. We have been exploring TikTok ad options for some of our clients and have found it to be a great way to reach your audience in a fun and engaging way.

Quick Takeaways for TikTok

It has been around for 5+ years, but gained general popularity in early 2020
Target demographic is people aged 16-24
Has video lengths of 15 seconds, 60 seconds, and 3 minutes
Its vibe is fun, playful, and entertaining
Businesses can advertise on TikTok, boosting your digital marketing strategy

Idea Pin

Idea Pins are the new video content posts from Pinterest. They were introduced in the Fall of 2020 for beta testing and are now available to all Pinterest users. Much like TikTok and Reels, the Idea Pins are short video posts to showcase your content. These pins allow up to 20 pages of video recording and editing.

Pinterest has nearly 500 million dedicated users. The primary age group for Pinterest is those aged 18-25 and is followed by those aged 25-40, with over 60% being women. Pinterest is the social media version of a vision board. Popular topics include fashion, weddings, home decor, art, and more. Idea Pins bring a lot of potential for users and for advertising alike.

Quick Takeaways for Idea Pins

Idea Pins are very new (end of 2020!)
Idea Pins can incorporate up to 20 pages of content and videos
The primary demographic is women aged 18-25, followed by women aged 25-40
Pinterest is an organizational social media platform
Popular topics include fashion, decor, weddings, art based posts

We always aim to share the importance of being active on social media, but it’s just as important to stay up to date on how you can best utilize what’s new to fit your brand, content, and message.

Have questions about how you can incorporate Reels, TikToks, or Idea Pins into your digital marketing strategy? Send us an email at hello@thesmallsocial.com . We would be happy to chat!

What You Need for a Knockout Website

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 14:58:02 GMT

What You Need for a Knock-Out �� Website ��

You only have one employee that is working 24/7 for your business and that’s your website. It’s your virtual office and online storefront. Sometimes it’s the first impression a new customer has of your brand, especially coming off of a search engine. We all know websites are important, but when you think about it this way, you might start thinking about how well your website is working for you.

Of course you probably already know your website needs to be visually appealing and eye-catching. If you’ve built a website before, you also know it needs to be clearly branded and connected with your business. But it’s one thing to have a website that looks good, and another to have one that truly works for you and brings in business.

Here are 5 things every knock-out website needs.

Quality Content

All of the pages on your website need to have relevant quality content to ensure your website has a good SEO ranking. Think about what kinds of words someone would use to find your products and services. For instance - it’s not enough to say “Serving Kingston, Ontario for 10 years.” You’ve answered the “where”, but you forgot about the “what”. This will damage your SEO ranking and someone looking for your product won’t be able to find you online as easily. If you have products, services, special skills, or a niche, make sure you showcase that in the wording on your website to really stand out.

Optimization for Mobile

We can’t stress this enough. Your website needs to be optimized for mobile and small devices. According to Statista , in Q4 of 2021, 54.4% of all global website traffic was from mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. With more than half of all website traffic being accessed on mobile, you need to make sure you’re providing a user-friendly website experience no matter what kind of device people are using. Websites that aren’t optimized for mobile see higher bounce rates, and the last thing we want is a hit to your SEO and overall business strategy.

Testimonials & Reviews

You’ve worked hard to build a positive reputation for your business, products and brand. Use your website to show that off! Include a section of your website to share positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied clients. Statistics show that people read 4 reviews on average before buying a product, and around 79% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. Having the ability to show off an abundance of positive feedback from real clients can boost buyer confidence in your brand.

Images and Videos

Show, don’t just tell. 65% of people are visual learners, so having outstanding visual assets will boost your business and your website. If you’re selling a product, make sure your website has quality photos of the products and projects you’ve completed. If you’re selling an intangible service, use your website to show off your team to communicate their confidence in the field and outstanding customer service.

Whether you’re in the business of goods or services, we always encourage our clients to book a photoshoot so you have high quality, professional photos that highlight the best your business has to offer. Ask us how to set this up!

All the Right Pages

Your website should be a one-stop shop with everything someone needs to know about you. Make sure you have all the right pages on your website, including:

Home page : this page should be intriguing, attention grabbing and include a brief description of who you are, and what you do.
About page : this should feature the story and people behind your business. Include a quick history of the company, a meet the team section including brief biographies, and any information that sets you apart from similar brands.
Contact Us Page : your contact page should include all the ways a client could get in touch with you like your phone number, email address, business location, social media accounts and business hours.
Services/Products page : this is where you add details about the services or products you offer. Don’t forget to sell yourself! What makes your products better than the next business?
FAQ : answer any questions that a new customer would have about your company, products, services and policies.
Blog : you’re an expert in your industry. Tell them about it, and don’t forget to have fun! (P.S. This is also great for your SEO).

Ready to chat?

Do you love the way your website looks, but you don’t feel like it’s bringing in quality leads and working for your business? Or maybe you’re ready for a full revamp of your online presence. Our team of digital marketing experts is well-versed in the tricks and secrets that make a website great. We can perform a full audit of your website and SEO to make sure your website is working for you and supporting your business goals.

Get in touch with us at hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call.

Save the image below for your content guide when editing your website!

Keeping Your Brand Fresh on Social Media in 2022

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 15:52:56 GMT

The last few years have been unpredictable and the regulations seem to change on a weekly basis. In addition to the world around us constantly changing, social media is too! How can you and your business stay top of mind and relevant to your audience?

From what we’ve concluded from our research and personal experience, here are a few ways to ensure that you’re up to date with what’s happening and staying fresh.

1 . Be Up to Date, Literally.

With social media regularly developing new features, it’s important to ensure that you have these apps updated so you can have access to what’s new and utilize that to your advantage.

2. Keep Your Content Short, Sweet, and Engaging.
This might sound like an easy thing to do but when you have a lot of information to share or a lot of content, your posts can quickly become too much. Your post is on a feed with hundreds of posts and needs to catch the attention of your followers in seconds to peak their interest. Keep your copy easy to digest. If you have too much information in your caption, the reader will likely move on.

You may hear the term “snackable” content. This is essential to keep consumers’ attention on your brand or business. 65 % of people are visual learners and the average attention span is 8 seconds.

3. Be True to Your Brand.
It’s important to keep the content that you post relevant to the brand itself. Utilize your brand colours and fonts. Know the message you’re trying to send and the image you want to portray, and keep your imagery and content relevant to that. Know who you are and make that clear in what you present on your social media channels.

That said, you can still have fun and even post lighthearted or goofy posts as well, but try to connect them to your brand in some way.

4. Take the Time to Research and Self Inform.
It can sound overwhelming to educate yourself on what’s happening in the social media and marketing world, but it doesn’t have to be. Take even 10 minutes each day to read an article on upcoming trends, read a chapter in a relevant book, look at what music is trending for reels or TikToks, or check out a new app or feature! If you take even a few minutes each day, or a few times weekly, you’ll be much more informed by the end of each month.

Overall it can feel overwhelming to keep up to date in a world that changes every day, but with these steps, you can tackle social media and make your brand stand out. Remember, small efforts can lead to big results!

Growing Your Reach in 2022

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 20:12:36 GMT

Let’s face it, the last two years have been exhausting for everyone and it’s been especially difficult for businesses to not only stay afloat but to keep content fresh and exciting. This has made it increasingly difficult to engage with followers as well.

While many may have more time to scroll through social media, the fatigue has definitely settled in and the infinite scrolling has either become less captivating or has stopped completely with many taking social media breaks.

So how can you continue to engage and grow your reach?

Share Other Businesses Resources

This can be a great partnership opportunity that doesn’t cost you a thing and allows you to reach a new audience. Find another business to work with, share a resource of theirs with your email list, have them share a resource of yours with their email list. Done. That’s it!

Find a business that makes sense alongside yours
(this way your audience really values the information)
Allows you to reach a whole new audience
Can ultimately grow your email / subscriber list and online following

Referral Programs & Affiliates

This has been a growing trend in recent years. People enjoy seeing familiar faces they can trust using products. People are more likely to trust word of mouth opinions and feedback than advertisements.

Informal

Have an agreement with another business to send clients to each other
This again should be with a business that makes sense alongside yours

Formal

Referral Programs:

This can be a small percentage (such as 10%) when a new client is brought to you and converts into a sale or exchange of services

Affiliate Programs:

Affiliates are given a trackable link to refer potential new clients and when it converts into sales they receive a percentage back (percentage can range)

Use Your Voice

Even though current circumstances have caused many in-person events to be cancelled or postponed, that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities to still be at events and to share your voice and expertise.

Be a speaker at online events
Be a guest on podcasts or web series
Do a takeover on another person / business’ social media
Have a feature post on someone else's social media
“Go Live” with someone on Instagram or Facebook
Host your own workshop or co-host a workshop

No matter what you do, be sure to leave off with a resource of yours and ways to connect with you so that the audience can add to new business growth.

There are many ways to still be seen and share your words of wisdom with a new audience. In many cases, just reaching out can open up new opportunities for you. Many are in the same position, looking for something new to try and will be open to these experiences with you!

Try Something New

Now more than ever there are new social media apps and features popping up constantly and there could be a platform you’re not utilizing that could really help your growth.

Try a new social media platform
TikTok has become a very popular option
Quick, easy, engaging
Think about options you might not have previous considered
Pinterest is often looked past but can be a great resource for businesses
Show who you are and what you represent
Refresh your presence on platforms you’re already active on
Consider what you’ve been posting and how it can be more captivating
Look into what’s currently trending and if you can incorporate that
Look to similar businesses as yours for inspiration

L astly, Be Engaging

It’s one thing to be able to reach your audience but you have to be able to maintain them too. If you put the effort into engaging with your audience, you’ll be able to really build a connection and keep them around for the long haul.

Respond to comments on your posts, this can be written responses or as simple as responding with an emoji or “liking” their comment. Just show that you’ve acknowledged them.
Respond to inbox messages. Answer the questions and inquiries, respond to comments even if it’s something as short and sweet as “thank you.”
Share responses. If you’re one to post stories on social media with questions, quizzes, etc. share the results with your audience. It keeps them engaged, especially if they participated.
Engage with their content. Follow back on social media (do so at your discretion, you don’t want to follow everyone back but can do so as you please). Like their posts, share relevant posts you’ve been tagged in, etc.

While times are tough for businesses right now there are still opportunities and ways to grow. Now more than ever, social media and a good online presence has become a great way to stay connected. Be active, be authentic, and be engaging.

Holiday Gift Guide Part 2

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 01:38:56 GMT

Sometimes it seems like the people in our lives have it all and you don’t want to buy them another “thing” that won’t be used. Maybe they are extra difficult to shop for with a very particular style. For those friends and family members, we love gifting them fun and unique experiences to try something new!

Outdoors

Is there someone in your life who loves being on the greens and spending sunny days on the course? Give them a golf experience like no other.

Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club

Bay of Quinte Golf and Country Club has provided a traditional and challenging experience for golfers of all skill levels. For almost a century, locals and tourists have made Bay of Quinte Golf and Country Club a staple destination for their golf game. Their commitment to course conditioning and amenities are unparalleled in our region. Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club is also the only course in the region that offers accommodation right on the course!

Perfect For: the golf lover, the outdoor enthusiast

Our Favourites:

2022 Membership

Self Care

Everyone knows someone who deserves a little time for pampering and self care. Give that person the opportunity to get some much needed “me time”.

Divine Hair Studio

Located in downtown Napanee, Divine Hair studio is your one stop hair and beauty shop. Divine offers a full range of services from classic to modern cuts and for individuals and families. Their talented and artistic staff would love to help you explore your style ideas and give you suggestions about what works for you.

Perfect For: the self care enthusiast, a loved one who deserves a good pamper

Our Favourites:

Restaurants, Eateries & Cafes

Kingston has the most restaurants per capita, many of which are locally owned and offer unique bites and flavours every foodie will love!

Baja Craft Kitchen

With a passion for fresh flavours, Baja Craft Kitchen offers thoughtfully crafted cuisine and cocktails. The aesthetics strives to recreate the relaxed coastal vibe of Southern California creating a welcoming environment for friends and family to unwind.

Perfect For: the foodie looking for a fresh culinary twist

Our Favourites:

Tuna Tartare

Union Kitchen + Cocktails

Union Kitchen + Cocktails on Princess Street is the place for handcrafted cocktails, gourmet brunch, lunch and dinner. With a menu that features fresh salads and beef tenderloin, plus changing daily features, Union Kitchen serves up outstanding cuisine and good vibes.

Perfect For: the brunch lover, the cocktail enthusiast

Our Favourites:

Calamari
Oysters

The Merchant Tap House

Steps away from Kingston’s stunning waterfront, The Merchant Tap House offers customers a choice of over 25 draught beers. Their menu offers a crowd-pleasing variety of pub favourites and classic specialties, including their famous nachos, wings, pasta and handmade pizzas.

Perfect For: the beer enthusiast, your pub loving pals

Our Favourites:

Smashed Taters
Supreme Grilled Cheese
Brown Sugar Cold Brew

The Lodge Coffee House

The Lodge Coffee House is focused on creating crave worthy food made from real ingredients, sourced locally whenever possible. Discover delicious warm beverages perfect for winter and baked goods that are nor only delicious, but made from ingredients you can feel good about.

Perfect For: the cafe lover, the baked good enthusiast

Our Favourites:

GOAT Cookie
White Chocolate Raspberry Mocha
Harvest Salad

As you can see, we have a huge love of local, Canadian brands at The Small Social Company. This holiday season is a great opportunity to support small businesses and show some love for your favourite local brands! From apparel to dining, we truly believe you can find something for everyone on your list from a locally owned business. Happy shopping!

Holiday Gift Guide

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 17:33:21 GMT

With the holidays right around the corner, you might be feeling stressed thinking about shopping for gifts and deciding what to get your family and friends. We’re in the same boat!

That’s why we’ve taken the time to put together The Small Social Company’s Holiday Gift Guide. We have included some of our favourite products from local, Canadian owned brands that we love. There’s sure to be something for even the most difficult people on your shopping list.

Amelia Rose The Label

Amelia Rose is a Canadian designer who creates effortlessly cool layers and headwear. Her focus is on designing pieces that are flattering on all sizes. Most creations are a one size fit, taking the guesswork out and making it perfect for gift giving.

Perfect For : the fashionistas

Our Favourites:

Cotton Cloud Scarf in Olive
Velvet Crush Kimono in Plum

Pure Balanxed

Pure Balanxed is a Canadian slow fashion brand that combines style and comfort with sustainability. Each piece created by founder, Allie, features her signature affirmation tag to encourage “support, love, and guidance on this wild journey called life .”

Perfect For: the loungewear enthusiasts, comfort chic friends

Our Favourites:

The Organics Hoodie and Sweats in Dusty Rose
The Classic Crew and Joggers

LÜMI

The “LÜMI”, is the worlds’ first reusable, durable, solar powered & battery-free glowstick. LÜMI came about after its founder, Paige, attended a music festival and was stunned by the amount of waste produced by single-use glow sticks. They are on a mission to make the world a more sustainable place, starting with the billions of toxic glow sticks that are thrown out every year. LÜMIs are available in 3 colours and a variety of sizes.

Perfect For: The runners, dog owners, kids, festival goers

Our Favourites:

Trio of LÜMI Reusable Glow Sticks

Trailhead

Trailhead has been part of the heart of Kingston, Ontario for over 25 years. With his love of the outdoors and memories of hiking and camping as a child, James Malcolm purchased Trailhead to spread the joy he finds in nature. James and Trailhead partner, Chris, offer a variety of high quality products and apparel that are comfortable, versatile and sure to provide everything you need for your outdoor adventures. Trailhead is passionate about the outdoors and with that they are dedicated to being as sustainable as possible so you can feel good supporting them.

Perfect For: the adventurers, campers, nature lovers, outdoor enthusiasts

Our Favourites:

Yeti Rambler 26Oz Stackable Cup with Straw Lid
Smartwool Cozy Cabin Socks
Patagonia Fleece Sweaters

Gan Brewing Co.

Gan Brewing is a family run business in Gananoque that combines two great loves: woodworking and beer. Every piece of woodworking in the brewery had its start in President and Resident Carpenter, Scott, and his brother Dave's woodworking shops, including the wood-burned coasters and crates you can take home with you. Whether you’re looking for a crisp lager or a new IPA, Gan Brewing has something for every beer drinker.

Perfect For: the craft beer enthusiasts

Our Favourites:

Boathouse Blonde Ale
Spitfire Cherry Sour

Union Market

Union Market is in the heart of Downtown Kingston, offering a variety of local goods, gourmet foods, health products, fresh pasta, and sauces, as well as vegan and gluten free options. With both fresh food options and unique pantry items, Union Market has something for everyone.

Perfect For: the foodies, the chefs, the busy families

Our Favourites:

23&Co Cookies
Artizen Kombucha and Iced Tea
Beeswax Wraps

Matthews Studio

Gary and Curtis Matthews create bowls that are both functional and decorative. They create one-of-a-kind wooden bowls, burls, platters and cutting boards in a variety of shapes and designs. Their work is currently sold in galleries and shops across Canada.

Perfect For: the entertainers, home decor enthusiasts

Our Favourites:

Bark Edge Bowls

Cool to Connect

Cool to connect is a series of card decks to help people reconnect after a long period of isolation. These decks include 52 prompt and conversation cards designed to make conversations easy and impactful. Bridge the gap between the feeling of loneliness and disconnect. Cool to Connect is great to use with friends, family members, colleagues, and even on your own for journaling and reflection. There’s even a set for kids!

Perfect For: Family and friends reconnecting, people working on self reflection

Our Favourites:

As you can see, we LOVE local, Canadian brands. There’s a huge variety of companies and products to choose from for every person on your list. Still feeling stuck? Or maybe you want to give your loved ones a unique experience rather than a product. Stay tuned for Part 2 of our gift guide!

5 SEO Tips for Beginners

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:07:51 GMT

Our clients ask us about SEO a l l t h e t i m e. It’s safe to say that SEO is a hot topic. As it should be, and it sometimes slips under the radar for newly launched websites.

Jules recently attended a workshop about SEO vs. Blogs by Sarah Stockdale, Founder and CEO of Growclass and, as predicted, she confirmed that good SEO is more important than just having blog content on your website. Don’t get us wrong, blogs are beneficial, but it’s about quality and not quantity.

Google also prefers “fresh” SEO so that’s why for some of our clients we sign them on for monthly or quarterly SEO refresh packages, ensuring their keywords are never going stagnant. When you’re working on the SEO of your website, it’s not something you will edit once, and never edit again. It is something you need to monitor monthly. You will want to let Google know you are updating content based on what people are looking for, while maintaining the quality of the content being added.

Understanding SEO as a beginner can be confusing, but it doesn't have to be if you break it down.

We wanted to share 5 SEO tips for beginners if you felt motivated to try it out on your own:

ONE

Create a list of relevant keywords

What are consumers looking for when searching for your business or brand online?

TWO

Implement keywords into the content of your website. This not only includes your page titles, but the rest of the metadata. You also need to ensure your keywords are within your content.

Tip: Having keywords in the first paragraph lets google know the focus of your content.

THREE

Hop on the backlink bandwagon

A backlink is when you link one website to another through a link, “In essence, backlinks to your website are a signal to search engines that others vouch for your content” ( Moz, 2021 ). As long as you are backlinking properly with credible websites you will be improving your SEO ranking.
Ask current relationships to include links to your website, list your business on online directories and create articles that include links back to your website (Google views these as inbound links). We like to support our clients with backlinking services to help their SEO. We start by researching news articles that include our clients and other credible sources.

FOUR

Create useful content, it’s about quality not quantity

Quit the jabber jab and get to the point. Communicate effectively, not with jargon word fillers. It’s easy to ramble on but Google and other search engines like when you get to the point. Include keywords effectively and ensure you are using proper sentence structure and once the search engines review your website content your ranking will be closer to the top.

FIVE

Utilize Google Analytics and evaluate your strategy

A free tool that is crucial to your digital marketing strategy would be Google Analytics. The information included in your business’s Google Analytics profile can help you create the best 2021 marketing plan. This program shows you valuable behaviour information about your website visitors. This information can help you create better Google Ads, Facebook ads and other digital marketing ads for your business. It’s not too late to sign in to your Analytics account and review the data. When The Small Social Company is onboarding a client we like to review the prospects Google Analytics account to see where their traffic is coming from online. For example, one of our restaurant clients shows that Instagram is the driver of the majority of their website traffic therefore we constructed an authoritative Instagram marketing strategy that would help the client’s online success.

Like a lot of things, starting out with SEO is a lot of trial and error. Don’t forget to refresh those keywords!

If you would like us to review your website for SEO opportunities, or are interested in our SEO packages, contact us today!

Work From Home | Our Fave Things!

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 02:55:32 GMT

Oh hello!

Welcome to our first blog post.

We have about 1,543 ideas for blog articles and after much debate we decided to launch our blog chapter with something simple. Our favourite Work From Home items! We wish we could blame it on the pandemic as to why we are so basic, but that’s just how we are. It’s time for you to get to know the women behind The Small Social Company so this will start off our get to know the team series. We would love it if you would leave a comment in the comment section below and let us know some of your favourite work from home essentials!

Madi.

Lululemon Sports Bra

Highly recommended for larger melon sizes, super supportive and comfortable. Madi is trying to hit 10,000 steps daily so this piece of clothing is very important for her to hit her goals!

Pure Balanxed Tie-Dye Crew

The most incredible soft material and easy removal for breast pumping sessions! They are designed and made in Canada!

Smash + Tess Romper

Madi should actually have 7 of these, one for each day of the week because if it weren’t for washing it, she’d wear it daily. The material is so comfortable and lightweight plus it has pockets! Smash + Tess is a Canadian designed and North American made.

Sunday Morning Candle Co

Madi enjoys the aroma of the “Long Weekend” and “First Light” scents by a local friend Rachael Reeves the founder of Sunday Morning Candle Co. Maybe Madi likes "Long Weekend" because every weekend is a long weekend for her since she is supposed to be on maternity leave and not brainstorming digital marketing ideas for our clients. Also “First Light” is very fitting because her 4 month old is up and ready to play when the first light peaks through the window in the morning.

Cat .

Lululemon Scuba Oversized Cropped Hoodie

Who doesn’t want to be comfy working from home!? I love a good oversized hoodie paired with leggings. It’s great for working or good to take my dog on a walk and get some fresh air!

The good candle (or any locally made candles)

Cat is all about the smells. When you walk into her home, you want to stay there. She loves candles, and anything vanilla! The Good Candles make your home so inviting.

Coffee

Cat loves a great cup of coffee, and Cookes Fine Foods has some of the best local coffee in Kingston. Their chez piggy blend is her favourite go to!

Slippers

Cat is someone who is always cold, regardless how many layers she wears or the temperature. She also hates wearing socks, so why not throw on a pair of soft slippers around the house to keep her warm.

Emilie.

Gratitude Journal

Goal setting is very important to Emilie, but with goals must come gratitude. Emilie likes to take a few minutes each morning to write down the top three things she is grateful for.

Red Mask from grabbing deliveries

Environmental action is also really important to her. With lots on the go, Emilie loves good food, too! Leftovers to be wrapped in beeswax .

Beeswax wraps for lunch leftovers

Em is about to move to a new place, she always has a mask handy to grab deliveries (and trust us, there have been A LOT of them...)

Post-work brew

To end the day, Emilie loves craft Beer; Meyers Creek is her current favourite!

Jules.

Amelia Rose Scrunchie

Jules never wears her hair down and only uses scrunchies because she has *sensitive* (Insert quote in whiney voice “I have sensitive hair”) hair.

The Good Home Company Room Spray

This spray is incredible and the power woman behind the product is a super mom + bonus, she’s local.

Aritzia Rodin Jogger

We know, basic big box store, but these joggers can look like dress pants so you can easily look fancy but also be comfy.

Glossier Balm Dotcom

Jules can’t go anywhere without lip balm, It’s annoying.