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Although we work a great deal with Tourism and Retail brands we also work in other market sectors as well.  We were recently asked to compile a report of why Twitter in particular is beneficial to Law Firms

Twitter is a fantastic B2B tool

Key benefits

• Build brand awareness
• Share Information
• Attract new clients
• Remind existing clients you are still here
• Engage with clients
• Show your expertise
• Drive traffic to your website
• Recruit new staff
• Find news in your market
• Improve PR
• Share articles and pages from your website

However, it is a statistical fact that law firms have been slow off the mark in getting involved with social media. Many of those who have had a go have either simply broadcast messages for a while and then given up. Those that have stuck with it have seen many advantages to their business.

Here are specific benefits to law firms which revolve around increasing awareness and reputation:

• Enquires
• More likely to get cases referred to you
• Approached by more journalists for quotes
• Able to demonstrate expertise to potential clients
• Company Image becomes more personable

Is it harder for law firms?
It seems that most law firms believe the mantra of ‘You’ve got to be on Twitter’ but aren’t really sure why.

In 2016 econsultancy.com stated in their Legal Sector survey, that many firms were more accepting of social media, and that engaging with clients on social was increasingly common.
This interaction, though, was happening chiefly at an individual level (between lawyers and clients or other parties) and that certainly makes sense given lawyer specialisms and profiles.

My take on this is that many law firms are very dry in their postings and perhaps too corporate. The public do not find it easy to choose a lawyer or solicitor (even approaching one can be difficult). Social media (Twitter) is ideal in building trust and helping people choose you over a competitor. The way you post and help others will certainly help more than your static website.

A Solicitor who is very succesful on Twitter
A really good example of how Twitter can be used for law is Donna Beckett.

Donna has the largest following and reach through Twitter for any law firm. Beckett and Co now get a lot of work through Twitter and have scrapped a lot of their traditional marketing – saving £1000s.

Here is a link to a blog post where Donna describes her journey on Twitter and the benefits:

You will notice in Donna’s blog post that she talks about engagement and not just promoting, this is very important.

How Law Firms can Use Twitter Well
People will search for answers using hashtags. Some of the most popular for law are #familylaw, #ukemplaw, #legalaid etc. Monitoring these can mean you can engage with people and direct them to resources on your website or private message them.

A good law firm’s Twitter feed needs to keep two things in mind:

• It’s all about the clients
• It’s not all about the firm

Updates should deliver:

• Breaking news of interest to your clientele
• Provide links to reports of interest and importance to clients’ industries
• Spread the word about upcoming events and opportunities that could deliver value to clients
• Re-tweet good updates from other Twitter accounts, ensuring that all the links in such RTs are valid and respectable.
• Follow the feeds of other Twitter users you like, and of the clients and potential clients
• The easiest way to pick up followers is by adding analysis or perspective to a piece of breaking news. Show people who might become clients in the future how a new ruling or development could affect them down the road.
  A good website to find content is www.rightrelevance.com

Use Lists
Lists are like having different TV channels on your TV. You will notice that Donna follows a lot of people, to just look at her newsfeed would be chaos, so she uses lists dedicated to different subjects so she does not miss anything.

Choosing a profile
You could use your logo – but social media is all about being social and building trust so I would recommend a personal photo. Even better would be setting up personal Twitter accounts of your experts to strengthen your brand.
I would also suggest (lots of eyes will roll skywards at this – but it will set you apart) would be to have a 90 second video pinned to your profile stating how you can help etc.

Phil Aston

Genius Loci Media

The first thing to realise is that marketing has changed.  What worked before no longer does and those fixed budgets need to be more flexible. The biggest change is how your guests now consume media and how quickly they can share, read reviews and move on to other websites and portals.

Here are my tips for increasing your bookings:

1. SEO

Make sure your website and social media posts use keywords and phrases which really have traffic behind them.  SEO should be an ongoing part of the other four activities below from YouTube tags to your image tags within your blog posts.

2. Blogging

This from experience seems to be a real issue for many websites in the tourism sector. The issue for many is trying to find something to write about and then worrying how long the post should be!

My advice is to think of documenting rather than creating. This way the content almost finds itself. Short videos of the scene on your doorstep, photos of your chef’s latest creation, local events, staff news, guest feedback and photos.
Blog posts can be just a few lines with images and with your SEO activity build up a lot of authority for your business. (Try and ensure your posts relate to the area your business is in).

NB: You will find that some of your social media posts would make good blog posts. Remember you are trying to get people to your website so use this as your main platform and share from here.

3. Google Adwords

The top search terms on mobile are nearly all Ads and most of your guests are using mobile so an Adwords strategy is important. This is where your SEO and keyword research will be useful in helping you to target more efficiently. Also think of targeting mobile users when they are most likely to be looking. So travel times and work breaks for example.

Also set up a corresponding landing page on your website. When your prospective guest arrives on your website, don’t make them think. The call to action should be obvious.

4 Social Media

You may be thinking you do a lot of this already, you post on Facebook, send a few tweets and update your website offers but is it a co-ordinated strategy?  This is not just about making noise and posting using your PR tone of voice. It is about being authentic and real.

Social media is still producing mixed results in many areas of Tourism and this is because some people see it as an extension of search or Google Adwords. Advertising on Social is not the same as Google.

On Google people are searching for a specific service or an answer to a problem. They are in the mindset to buy. So if I search for a hotel in Cornwall and I see Ads for hotels with offers I am more likely to click on them.

On social media I am not looking for your business, I am scrolling through my newsfeed looking at things that interest me when your Ad interrupts me. If I click through I am less likely to to take up your accommodation immediately but I might like the page for later reference. This is why building a relationship and trust with your social media audience is so important.

Also remember your social media fans expect an immediate response to any question they have.

It is also important to interact with ALL social media reviews. Your social media audience have the ability to share your posts and recommend you far and wide.

Getting into people’s news feeds on social media is just as important as getting a high position in Google.  I would also recommend posting to Google Plus as this does help for local searches.

5. Video Marketing

Visual is everything. People watch more than read on mobile…it’s easier!
I am not talking about spending £1000s on a corporate video that sits on your home page for 12 months but short 30 / 60 second clips which document what is going on within your business or the local area. These should be on your blog posts, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Getting out from behind your corporate logo will build trust and make you stand out from the crowd. Your content becomes easy to share and reach a larger audience.
Clips can be shot on your smart phone with logos, call to actions added afterwards.

If you need any help in within your business relating to the topics raised in this post please get in touch.

Phil Aston

01736 719342

There is a key difference between these two types of paid advertising and especially in the way both audiences behave.  I still come across people who wonder whether using social media is worth the time and energy needed to do it correctly. Another question I hear is how can they be sure they are getting sales from it.

What you have to consider when choosing which platform to advertise on is the following:

Google Ads

If you are searching on Google for a restaurant or somewhere to stay, you are in a buying frame of mind, looking for a service and interested in booking it.  So if Google serves up some Ads which match your search criteria you are more likely to click on them.  This is because you are looking for this type of deal and looking to buy.

Facebook Ads

This is very different on social media.  Lets look at Facebook , here you are scrolling through your news feed, looking at cats, sunsets etc., and all of a sudden an Ad appears.  You have been targeted because of your interests and what you follow and indeed your own public posts. However, you were not searching for this service so technically it is an interruption Ad.

However, you might be intrigued enough to click through.  You might like the page and share it with your friends.  This gives the advertiser a chance to do something you cannot do with Google Ads, engage and build a relationship. You may not see as many sales initially, but as you interact and chat you are building trust for future sales and online reviews.

Phil Aston

If you would like help with setting up and running Facebook Ads please get in touch

If you had asked me this before reading the report below from ‘Buffer’  I would have said ‘Landscape’ every time.

However I am now not so sure.

Read the full report from Buffer 

Phil Aston

 

I had an interesting meeting with a new client yesterday and we were talking about the importance of Social Media and do they do it!

The answer was they had a young apprentice who did this for them but they had since left and now stopped all activity.

This is very common, people think social should be carried out by the youngest person in the office, because they will understand it.  The facts are that Social Media is Marketing and should be taken just as seriously

I have been involved in marketing for over 30 years so technically I am not a young person! But all the marketing I do is through Social Media.

The rules of marketing are exactly the same It is just the tools we use have changed, they are faster and more efficient and actually more exciting.  So not to have a social media strategy and to think we need a young person in to do that is flawed thinking.  Just the same as saying I don’t know anyone on Twitter so I cannot see a reason to use it.  However, millions of people are. Twitter is great for late availability if you are in Tourism.  Just as with Facebook advertising you can easily target people who are interested in what you are actually doing

My core skill when I started Genius Loci Media was SEO.  I still do SEO, but it has changed and social media is now part of that mix.  It is important to realise that social media is now part of your marketing mix.

If you want help with social media please get in touch.

Phil Aston

Client : Sue Aston : November Skies

We are getting a lot of very positive feedback about this video. One of the key questions being asked is what camera did we use?
The fact is, the whole video was filmed on an iPhone and then edited in After Effects and Premier Pro.
We are doing more and more film edits for clients that have been shot on Smart Phone and we wanted this to be a showcase to show what we can do for you.
If you looking to turn your iPhone footage into a professional looking video for your website or social media then please get in touch.
We can professionally edit your footage, add lower thirds, graphics, branding, music and links to suit you.
Or if you prefer we can do the filming as well for you.

For more information about our video Editing Services please click here

Up until recently you might have experienced your website appearing several times for a search query. This has changed and you are more likely to see just your homepage or the page specific to the the query itself.

This is why it is important to optimise each page for the subject it covers.

Phil Aston

 

 

Although there are many benefits of outsourcing elements of your social media activities, especially relating to advertising, video editing, graphics etc.

There is one growing area where it is best handled in house.

This is with ‘one to one’ engagement. We tend to think of social media about broadcasting to all your followers. For your followers the benefits of social media are being able to get hold of a business directly and expect a response in real time.

In 2015 98% of tweets to Airlines were in response to a customer question or issue. In 2016 that trend is turning towards hotels and accommodation providers.

In January 2016, the 1:1 percentage for Hotel/ Accommodation brands was close to 88 percent; by July 2016, that number had risen to 91 percent. Source: Marketing Land.

This increase in ‘one to one’ communication is growing as guest expectations rise when using social media to communicate. Social media is now the go to medium for asking questions and getting advice. With many people continually logged into their social media channels and always having their phone with them the expectations of getting a timely response have never been higher.

The other trend is people much prefer to use social media to get in touch than pick up the phone.
The response they get from this ‘one to one’ engagement can obviously be shared with their own networks. Facebook now awards brand pages with more reach if they do respond more quickly.

From Social Media to Social Care

This ‘one to one’ engagement on social media is also an important part of the selling process and a way to build lasting relationships with your guests.
A well-planned social customer care strategy is now an important necessity for all tourism brands, especially as every guest has a device in their pocket which can broadcast, record and talk to everyone they know in seconds.

Phil Aston
Genius Loci Media
01736 719342 | www.geniusloci.co.uk

I get asked this question a lot.

The answer is you should upload your video to wherever you have an audience.

Some Examples

YouTube

• The second largest search engine next to Google and owned by them.
• This should be your first port of call for uploading your video.
• You can also promote your videos more cheaply than Google Adwords
• Easy to share and embed
• Set up cards for links to your offers, website or funding websites
• You can also broadcast live from YouTube

Facebook

• You should always upload your video directly to Facebook as well as YouTube
• Videos play automatically in Facebook newsfeeds
• You can add a link or call to action to your website
• Very easy for people to share and comment

Twitter

• You can upload up to 140 seconds of video footage
• Video plays within the newsfeed

Instagram

• You can upload up to 60 seconds of video footage

Vimeo

• The benefits are no Ads and you can control what video comes up next.  However, you are missing out on the discoverability of the other platforms

Editing and Branding

A while back all you needed to do was publish your video on YouTube.  What I am suggesting is a bit more work and involves different edits and ensuring you add your branding at each stage. However, this approach will ensure you respect each audience and optimise your video for each platform.

You can also tailor the message for each audience.  Remember that you can re-position your video for other campaigns.

We offer video editing and support via our Digital Marketing and SEO packages – please get in touch if you need any help.

Phil Aston

Genius Loci Media

 

 

The Social Media and App space is crowded and every time a new name emerges people like me will advise clients to register their name and set up an account.
However, what is becoming apparent is any idea that gains traction is being watched by Facebook and with their resources and very deep pockets you have to be very brave to take them on.

Recent Casualties and Pivots
Blab – The live streaming app has decided to change it whole business model since the launch of Facebook Live

SnapChat – You may remember that Facebook tried to buy Snapchat for 3 Billion dollars but they refused. Not to be put off Facebook simply developed their own version and attached it to Instagram on August 5th. Instagram has 300 million users compared to SnapChats 150 million and early reports suggest that Instagram’s story telling options are far easier to use than SnapChat.
Advertisers are also seeing a 100 times more engagement on Instagram stories than SnapChat. Should SnapChat be very worried…

Facebook are very keen to tempt back the younger demographic to its social space and with many old users struggling to really ‘get’ SnapChat, the new ‘Stories’ feature on Instagram could do just that.
To further put the pressure on SnapChat Facebook has announced on August 8th new SnapChat styled filters which can be used to jazz up photos in various ways, such as turning faces into animations. Snapchat features a wide range of these filters, and they are increasingly being used as sponsorship opportunities for brand partners.

Phil Aston
Genius Loci Media
01736 719342 | www.geniusloci.co.uk