A social few days.

It’s been a few days since I left the beautiful (a.k.a. my favorite) city of Orlando, Florida, with bleary eyes, a full brain (and heart!), and an even fuller stomach. Joined by more than 400 social marketing leaders from the world’s biggest brands and agencies, I attended the 10th Annual Social Fresh Conference, where we explored the latest and greatest in – you guessed it – social media. For three days, my schedule was packed with keynote presentations, panels of leading social brands, and tons of networking opportunities. Here’s a little recap of my biggest takeaways.

The State of Social Media in 2019 – @jasonkeath

• • Snapchat now reaches 90% of all 13-to-24-year-olds in the US
  • Twitter users are 20% more likely to recall ads
  • Stories are great on Facebook and Instagram, but don’t abandon your feeds

Crafting Content – @leahfeygin and @jkarpf

1. • Unexpected visuals and unexpected voices make your content unforgettable
   • Try branded emojis to increase engagement and impact
   • Create a clear path to purchase using tools that make social media posts shoppable
   • Act like a newsroom to discover consumer trends that fit your brand
   • Employee empowerment is the next phase for brands
   • The key to making content audiences like is to know what they want – actually speak WITH them, not AT them
   • Custom brand GIFs are gold

TikTok – @davejorgenson

1. • If it’s not fun, you’re doing it wrong
   • Post your TikTok for the day around noon
   • Look for ideas inside the app itself; try using trending themes and sounds
   • Share your TikToks on Twitter
   • Choose someone to run your brand’s TikTok who’s a video editor FIRST

Social Ads – @susanedub

1. • Ads in Instagram stories are winning right now
   • Customize your ad creative for vertical placements
   • For Facebook ads, opt for videos that are 10 to 12 seconds long
   • Have a friend go through your ad experience as a user before you release it
   • For video ads, try vertical video; it feels native to the platform
   • Take advantage of seasonal moments in social ads

Measurement – @ambercadabra

1. • The ultimate goal of a business is not clicks, it’s market share
   • ROI is a trailing indicator of past performance, not a predictor of future success

Community Building – @kara_cronin and @nikkisunstrum

1. • Don’t try to be a mind reader; ask your target audience directly what they are struggling with and what they are seeking
   • Facebook groups can be an excellent way to really get to know your audience
   • Elevate and connect your rock star fans
   • Pretty pictures belong in the feed; in-the-moment images live on stories
   • Each and every person you represent or aspire to influence should be able to see themselves in the content you share

Creativity Cheat Sheet – @jasonkeath

1. • Try stop-motion ads for a different perspective
   • Use selfie angle for educational stories
   • Relatable list posts are simple and effective

Expecting More from Influencer Marketing – @jtobin

1. • Influencer content is not magically more successful
   • Measurement – even for sales – is possible
   • Reach and impressions don’t coordinate with sales, but ad recall rate DOES

Now, my friends, it’s time to get on it. If you’re not sure where to start with your brand’s social media, reach out to us.