With the ever-increasing amount of content available on social media, it can be tough for small businesses to stand out. Figuring out which platforms are most valuable for your business, and learning how to use each of them effectively can feel overwhelming. Enter Social School. 

Social School helps you learn the necessary skills to successfully grow your business online. On April 15th and 16th, they took their traditionally in-person event and brought us Social Okanagan Live Online (#SOLO). The online delivery of the event opened up attendance to companies from all over BC. Not only did the team deliver an outstanding online experience, but they were able to successfully leave all of us with the feeling of being a part of a bigger community after the two-day workshop. 

To impart some of the value from #SOLO, here are the three key learnings I took away:

Untapped Potential of LinkedIn

The Facts: 

• LinkedIn has over 647 million users

• It’s one of the top ten most utilized social media platforms

• Nearly 50% of LinkedIn members have decision making power at their companies

The Potential: 

LinkedIn is no longer just a recruitment platform, but a place people turn to for industry expertise and insights. However, a large majority of users are only passively participating on the platform. What does this mean for your business? With a fraction of the number of content creators that exist on channels such as Facebook and Instagram, LinkedIn offers the potential for huge organic reach. Content shared on LinkedIn is less filtered by algorithms, meaning you can reach your followers and desired network without having to pay to play as you would on other platforms. Creating and sharing content on LinkedIn also gives your brand increased search visibility (SEO).

The Key: 

Build a business page and actively engage on LinkedIn through value-driven content—leveraging features such as groups, articles, and newsfeed updates.

Instagram Stories Are a Must-Have

   The Facts: 

• Having an active Instagram story results in 8x more profile views

• 1 billion people use Instagram each month

• Instagram is the fastest growing social media platform in Canada

The Potential: 

If you were to take away only one thing from the Instagram workshop, it would be that creating Instagram stories is non-negotiable. As consumers are beginning to value authenticity and transparency from companies, Instagram Stories create a unique opportunity for companies to pull back the curtain without disrupting the curated feel of their feed. Your Instagram feed is the public face of your brand and should be carefully crafted with evergreen content, while stories are the place to experiment with content and genuinely connect with your audience. 

The Key: 

Start creating Instagram stories and don’t be afraid to post multiple stories a day.

Video Content Reigns Supreme

The Facts:

• Mobile video consumption rises by 100% each year

• By 2022, it’s estimated that 82% of consumer internet traffic will be made up of video content

• Viewers retain approximately 95% of a message when it is presented as a video (compared to 10% when presented as text)

The Potential: 

A key theme throughout the two-day course was the importance of creating video content. Incorporating video content into your marketing plan is a must-have. Video is one of the best methods of storytelling for your brand. The most memorable stories are the ones that evoke emotion, and video provides a perfect method for delivering this content allowing for image, sound, and narrative to come together. Furthermore, the use of video on your website significantly increases dwell time, which is an important factor used in Google’s ranking algorithm. Consumers often become brand ambassadors and share your videos with their networks, which can significantly increase your brand’s visibility and help boost conversion rates. 

The Key: 

Start creating and sharing video content on your platforms. Don’t be camera shy.