From 2010-2015, the average human attention span has shrunk by a third from 12 seconds to 8.25 seconds!

Focus, easier said than done!

Do you find yourself working on a multitude of projects at the same time and then in the middle, just kind of slump into your chair and scroll for a bit? Have you lost your focus?

You may think that having a ton of tabs open is multitasking but, in truth, it’s not. In fact, we don’t have the ability to multitask, we are focusing on one task at a time briefly. And guess what? That focus time is shrinking! Additionally, we humans, are easily distracted. 

Our friends at Wyzowl have created a cool infographic on the shrinking of the human attention span.

Why does this mean for marketers?

Brands trying to grab the attention of their target audience must be purposeful when creating content. There are ways to hold the attention of your audience. 

1. Make sure your messaging is clear.
2. The user experience should be positive. When designing your website, make sure navigation is easy.
3. Use video and rich media to engage the user.

Why is focus so important?

As content creators it’s more important than ever to work on that ever shrinking amount of time we have to catch our fans before they go off and chase that squirrel. When we create content we need to focus on what makes content engaging. 

1. The Hook? What did you write or did you shoot that would grab the attention of your listener?
2. Is it Unique? Does it bring a different perspective to a topic? Can you give your take on a local occurrence?
3. Is it Valuable? Does the content allow the listener to think and engage? Does the content teach them something? Does the content make your listener want to share the new info?

If we have a great hook, with content that’s unique and can provide value to your audience, then you have captured the user’s attention, even if it’s for that 8.25 seconds. 

Let’s talk about how Alpha Media can help you build a marketing strategy that will encourage engagement. Contact us for a no cost site and media needs evaluation. We pride ourselves in that we work with our clients to identu=ify their goals and put together a strategy to reach those goals. 

As many of you know, the secrets of the al-gore-rhythm or the way social media filters and serves the fans, changes as trends change. Well, in 2021 the algorithm changed and recently, the folks at Facebook  recently released an explanation of the latest changes for 21-22.

Basically, Facebook News feed is out and is now just the “feed.” This feed shows stories that are meaningful and informative to you.

The algorithm filters stories based on three things.

Who:

These are sources that you interact with including friends, followers and businesses

Type:

This is the actual type of post. Videos or Photos. If you interact with videos more, you will see more videos and the same goes with photos.

Interactions:

Priority is given to posts with the most engagement of whom you interact with. Then it trickles down from there. 

How does this apply to you as a creator of content? Well, when you post authentic and informative posts, Facebook wont throttle you. If you create truthful, meaningful posts, this too, helps. Create posts that your fan will engage with, interact with and you in-turn should interact with and engage with them too. Also, create content that builds a sense of community which means, getting your audience to interact with each other.

We can’t break or hack Al Gore’s rhythm but we can move with it. Let’s talk about this and other ways we can help you with your SEO, SEM and Social Media efforts. We would love the opportunity to do a website/media needs analysis and help you reach your 2022 marketing and lead gen goals. Contact us for a no cost analysis. 

Facebook shares it’s ‘Most viewed Content Report’ for Q3. Facebook has gone to great lengths in an effort to debunk the idea that it is a key distribution platform for misinformation and conspiracy theories. As are the pretzel-like logical progressions it’s taken to re-shape its data to reflect the image that it would prefer. 

As a quick recap – back in August, Facebook published a new ‘Widely Viewed Content’ report. The report is designed to show the types of posts that typically get shown in user feeds.

The idea was to counter this Twitter account, created by New York Times journalist Kevin Roose. The account shows the most shared link posts on Facebook every day, based on data from CrowdTangle, Facebook’s own analytics platform.

Top 10 links on Facebook – Junk and Spam

Much like the Q2 report, the top 10 links on Facebook are a mixed bag of spam, vague news links and content amplified by Facebook’s own COVID resource center. 

• The first is a link to a speaking agency of former Green Bay Packers players, which previous investigations have tagged as likely spam 
• The second is a CBD seller 
• The third is a link to a radio station 
• A trade show in London A recipe website 
• The ABC news website (though no specific URL) 
• 3 Minute DIY YouTube channel 
• A video mapping the neurons in a human brain 
• A UNICEF post (likely amplified by Facebook’s COVID center) 
• 3 Minute DIY YouTube channel (again)

So, as you can see, it’s not all right-wing conspiracies and misinformation. It’s junk, mostly. What people see on Facebook is junk and spam – which is also reflected in the ‘widely viewed posts’ section of the report.

Facebook may be able to argue that such posts don’t get as many views as more light-hearted fare like this. Note, Facebook counts a ‘view’ when a post is visible on “at least half of the screen on a phone, computer, or tablet, and was viewed for at least a quarter of a second”). But the results here do underline that the key to News Feed success is sparking engagement, anyway that you can. As a result, there is misleading information out there as a result of this objective. 

You can view Facebook’s Q3 Widely Viewed Content Report here.

Want to brainstorm more ways to increase engagement on your social platforms? Reach out to schedule a call. We look forward to hearing from you!

One can’t underestimate the importance of having a Personalized Marketing Strategy for Your Small Business. As a business owner or manager, you probably already know what you want to accomplish this year, this month, or even this week.  For example, you might want to increase online sales year over year. Maybe you want to increase sales of a certain product this month. Perhaps you aim to improve your business’s reputation or image over time?  Whatever your goals may be, a clear-cut marketing strategy will make them more attainable, and give you an edge over your competitors.

A good Marketing Strategy provides a blueprint or outline for what needs to be done in order for you to quickly and effectively accomplish your goals.

To build brand credibility, it is important that your Marketing Strategy is customized to your business.  Advertising is not “One Size Fits All.” Even within the same industry, while it is important to do research and be aware of what your competitors are doing, you should have a personalized marketing strategy for your small business, your customers, your geography etc.  

Keys to Setting Goals: 

The first step to creating a solid, personalized marketing strategy is to identify and set your goals. 

1. Be Specific. Don’t be ambiguous.  Instead of “I want to increase online sales,” try, “I want to increase online sales by 15% year over year.”  
2. Make Them Measurable.  Your goals should consist of metrics that you can monitor and measure to determine your strategy’s effectiveness.  If it’s not measurable, it doesn’t count. 
3. Make them Achievable. Only set achievable goals for which you have the adequate resources, money, and time to make them possible.  
4. Be Realistic. Don’t set goals you can’t achieve.  If your Food Truck sold 100,000 hot dogs last year, it would be unrealistic to set a goal of 1,000,000 for the upcoming year.  
5. Set A Timer.  Set a specific period of time for achieving your goals.  Don’t leave it open ended.  At the end of that time assess whether or not you were successful and whether or not to continue to chase that particular goal.  

Research

Next, do your research.  Take the time to thoroughly research your competition, market trends, target audiences, and other insights. The insights you research now will help you personalize your marketing strategy. 

What You Should Know: 

1. Your audience. Understanding your customers/audience and their buying habits and desires is key to developing an effective strategy.  This will dictate how you communicate with them.  Are they more likely to respond to a targeted email or an ad on social media?  What does your research indicate?  
2. Your competitors. Understanding your competition is critical. Knowing what online strategies they are using will help you determine if a similar approach could work for your business.  Keep track of how your competitors market and promote themselves.  It will provide you with key insights.  
3. Market expectations. Look for emerging patterns and industry trends. Augment that information/data with research on users’ demands, and you will have a pretty good idea of what’s to come.  

Information that you discover during your research phase might change or impact some of the goals you set previously.  Adapt and adjust your goals accordingly.  

Once you’ve set your goals and done your research, it is always important to involve your team members or stakeholders.  Getting their input can enhance your overall marketing efforts, and outlining a clear and concise work load for everyone involved will help set expectations and keep everyone on track.  

Define Your Message

The fourth step is to define your message. 

1. What is your core messaging strategy and what do you want to communicate? Your message should align closely with your marketing goals.  For instance, if e-commerce businesses focus on promoting seasonal offers or products.  Their goal is to boost sales.  But, on the other hand, a B2B advertiser is more likely to ask a user to connect with them by filling out a form or requesting more information about the business.  
2. Keep your messaging concise and consistent.  Stick with the 1-2 themes that most effectively get your message across.

Cross Channel Presence 

Finally, it’s important to maintain a cross channel presence.  

1. A solid and detailed marketing strategy coupled with multiple platforms and channels allows you to reach the right audience and get your message across more effectively.  The more places they see you, the more likely they are to engage with you.  
2. Concentrate on generating engagement and interaction among your audience while establishing several touch points.  
3. Keep your message clear and similar across all platforms and touch points.  

Once you’ve finalized and implemented your marketing strategy, be sure to leverage accurate insights and information as you go to help you achieve your campaign’s main focus.  If you stick to a detailed plan and don’t get off-course, you should see an increased return on your investment.   

Let us help you put together a personalized marketing strategy for your small business that is focused on your goals and utilizes the latest research, market trends and cross channels to reach your target audience. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your marketing plan and strategy for 2022, reach out to schedule a call. We look forward to hearing from you!