1. Asana: Asana is a comprehensive project management tool that allows you to plan, organize, and manage your marketing projects all in one place. It offers features like task assignments, due dates, project timelines, and progress tracking. Asana also integrates with other tools like Slack, Google Drive, and Salesforce, making it easier to collaborate and share information.

2. Trello: Trello is known for its visual, board-based approach to project management. It allows you to create cards for tasks, assign them to team members, and move them across different stages as they progress. Trello is great for managing workflows and it integrates with a variety of other tools like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Slack.

3. Monday.com: Monday.com offers a highly customizable platform for managing marketing projects. It allows you to create workflows that match your team’s processes, track progress visually, and automate routine work. Monday.com also integrates with popular tools like Slack, Google Drive, and Dropbox.

4. Wrike: Wrike is a robust project management tool designed for high-performance teams. It offers features like Gantt charts, workload view, custom workflows, and advanced reporting. Wrike also integrates with a variety of tools like Salesforce, Google Drive, and Adobe Creative Cloud.

5. Basecamp: Basecamp is a user-friendly project management tool that combines all aspects of a project into one place. It offers features like to-do lists, message boards, schedules, and file storage. Basecamp also has a robust search function, making it easy to find past discussions and files.

6. ClickUp: ClickUp is a cloud-based collaboration and project management tool suitable for businesses of all sizes and industries. Features include communication and collaboration tools, task assignments and statuses, alerts, and a customizable dashboard.

7. Smartsheet: Smartsheet is a software as a service (SaaS) offering for collaboration and work management. It is used to assign tasks, track project progress, manage calendars, share documents, and manage other work, using a tabular user interface.

8. Zoho Projects: Zoho Projects is a cloud-based project management tool that helps you plan your work, track it efficiently, and collaborate with your team wherever they are. It provides timelines (Gantt charts) to explain project status, task dependencies, and critical paths.

9. Slack: While not a traditional project management tool, Slack is a collaboration hub where you and your team can work together to get things done. It’s where the people you need, the information you share, and the tools you use come together to get things done.

10. Airtable: Airtable is a cloud-based project management solution with features for scheduling, collaboration, and linking related content. It works like a spreadsheet but gives you the power of a database to organize anything.

No matter which task management tool you and your team choose, it’s sure to make a difference in the day to day of office life. As M Marketing has been implementing ClickUp and finding what works for us, we love the collaborative opportunities it provides for our hybrid team. If after reading this blog, you decide to try one of the website’s we’ve suggested let us know how it works for you on our social media, we always love to hear from you!

The post Top 10 Effective Marketing Project Management Tools appeared first on M Marketing.

In the realm of personalization, consider curating a gift basket that resonates with your client’s preferences. Whether it’s a selection of gourmet treats, premium wines, or a mix of tech gadgets and office essentials, the goal is to create an experience that goes beyond the expected.

Branded merchandise offers a dual benefit. High-quality items, from stylish apparel to custom office supplies, not only express appreciation but also serve as a subtle yet effective marketing tool. This ensures that your brand remains at the forefront of your clients’ minds.

In our increasingly virtual world, consider gifting experiences that can be enjoyed from anywhere. From online cooking classes and wine tastings to personalized virtual team-building events, these experiences showcase adaptability in the face of changing business landscapes.

Extend the festive spirit throughout the year with subscription services aligned with your clients’ interests. Whether it’s a monthly coffee delivery, a streaming service, or a book club subscription, this thoughtful gesture ensures a continuous connection and ongoing appreciation.

Tech gadgets, in the form of wireless chargers, noise-canceling headphones, or smart home devices, make for practical and innovative gifts. Such items not only align with the technological age but also communicate a commitment to staying ahead in the dynamic business world.

For a meaningful and socially responsible gift, consider making a charitable donation in your client’s name. Choose a cause that resonates with their values, showcasing not just appreciation but also a commitment to positive social impact.

In the simplicity of a handwritten note lies a profound gesture. A nice message in your handwriting can be included as a part of any great gift and will give that personal touch! Craft a message expressing genuine gratitude for your client’s partnership. These personal touches create a connection that transcends the professional, leaving a lasting impression.

In conclusion, this holiday season offers a unique opportunity to transcend expectations and cultivate a robust partnership with your clients. Whether through virtual experiences, branded merchandise, or heartfelt notes, the essence lies in demonstrating genuine appreciation and fostering connections that go beyond the festive season, paving the way for a successful and prosperous new year.

The post Fostering Connection: Unique Client Gifts for a Joyful Holiday Season appeared first on M Marketing.

1. Positive Brand Image:

Aligning your business with charitable causes enhances your brand’s image, appealing to socially conscious consumers. This commitment not only showcases your social responsibility but also cultivates a favorable perception of your brand.

1. Emotional Audience Connection:

A giving strategy establishes a deeper emotional connection with your audience. By supporting causes they care about, you create shared values, fostering loyalty and transforming customers into brand advocates.

1. Compelling Content Creation:

Integrate your giving strategy into content marketing efforts. Share impactful stories about your contributions through blog posts, social media, and newsletters, showcasing your values and creating engaging content.

1. Boosting Employee Morale:

Involving employees in choosing charitable initiatives enhances morale and productivity. When employees are proud of their company’s commitment, it positively affects internal dynamics.

1. Strategic Partnerships:

Collaborate with other businesses for charitable projects, expanding your network and reaching a broader audience. Working together towards a shared goal maximizes impact and opens doors to valuable partnerships.

1. Measuring Impact:

Establish metrics to measure the impact of your contributions, refining your strategy and demonstrating tangible benefits to stakeholders.

Conclusion:

A giving strategy isn’t just about philanthropy; it’s a strategic move with diverse benefits, from enhancing brand image to building meaningful connections to having an immeasurable impact on a community.

The post The Impact of Giving: Elevating Your Marketing Business with a Purposeful Strategy appeared first on M Marketing.

One major thing that can either make or break your company is your reviews, whether they be from word-of-mouth, online review sites, or another source. According to Vendasta, more than 88% of online shoppers incorporate reviews into their purchase decision. Even if your company doesn’t offer online products or services, it is still critical to have a robust online presence, which can be strengthened with positive reviews.

Here are some online review sites to look into and share with your customers:

Yelp

Yelp is easily one of todayâ€s top review sites. Not only can you search for just about any service or product, the information uploaded to Yelp is also shared to many other sites. For example, Apple Maps, Mapquest, Yahoo, and Bing all use the reviews posted on Yelp for their sites. Therefore, having positive reviews on Yelp is important, since they will likely be seen by anyone searching for your brand.

Yelp is increasingly being built around the idea of community. On its homepage, viewers will find a “recent activity†section, which shows all recent reviews (including pictures) from their area, with the option to react to the review (similarly to a Facebook post). For anyone scrolling through this section, recent reviews of your company can either leave a very positive, or very negative, first impression.

Angieâ€s List

Does your business do landscaping, roofing, or painting? Angieâ€s List is the perfect place to find a home service like this, and therefore the perfect place to list your business. Because Angieâ€s List is specific to these types of services only, your business has a high chance of being seen by those looking to renovate their home.

Here are the service categories shown on Angieâ€s List:

Google & Google Maps

Because Google is constantly evolving, it has proven challenging to provide a stable link for companies to have customers review them. Use this Review Link Generator to create a direct review link to place on your website or send to your customers (otherwise they will have to search for your business on Google before they can leave a review). Written reviews will show up when searching for your business on Google, and when typing in your companyâ€s address on Google Maps.

Better Business Bureau

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is one of the most trusted sites when it comes to finding accurate business information. On the site, customers can submit both reviews and complaints. Using this information and other information gathered about the company externally, the BBB then rates the business using a point system based on these 13 factors:

Customers can use this rating as an overall indicator of the businessâ€s performance. Therefore, itâ€s important to not only monitor and respond to the reviews posted on this business, but to collaborate with the BBB to resolve complaints as well.

Facebook

According to Statista, Facebook had 2.2 billion monthly active users in the fourth quarter of 2017. With such a strong online presence, not only is it important to have a Facebook profile, it is important that your profile is being reviewed positively. Anyone who decides to check out your profile page may be deterred from making any further action (clicking the link to visit your website, calling you, searching for your address, etc.) if they see a mass of negative reviews on your profile page. If there are negative reviews, make sure that you are responding to them directly and appropriately (check out our guide for responding to online reviews here).

Facebook now also offers users a recommendations feature that allows them to create a post asking their Facebook friends to recommend services. Increase your chance of being recommended with a strong Facebook profile, positive reviews, and excellent customer service.

City Search

City Search is an all-around great place to list your business, since every category of service or product can be found on this site. Like Yelp, City Search allows business owners (not just anyone) to create a page for their business. By doing so, owners can ensure that all of their business information is accurate. The site also allows owners to link to their companyâ€s website and social media sites, and its mobile apps make searching for a business on-the-go even easier.

Foursquare

Foursquare focuses primarily on food, entertainment, shopping and nightlife—the perfect site for tourists. However, even if your company doesnâ€t fall inside one of these categories, it doesnâ€t mean that it canâ€t still be listed!

Foursquareâ€s ranking system is a little bit different than other review sites. Instead of a five-star ranking scale, this site uses a 1-10 scale, much like IMDBâ€s scale for ranking movies. Top-ranking businesses can be found on the siteâ€s “Top Picks†category, which lists the businesses with the highest scores in your area, across all categories. If you have one goal for using Foursquare, it definitely should be to make it on this list!

Yellow Pages

According to its website, nearly 60 million people visit Yellow Pages each year. This site is one of the more popular places to go to find accurate information on a business listing—not just for reviews. Other sites will import contact information from Yellow Pages to display on their own site. Therefore, itâ€s imperative that your business is listed correctly on this site.

Once you search for a service, Yellow Pages will direct you to a page that lists top-rated businesses for that service. Next, you will click on a button that says “see more.†You will then be directed to another page that lists all of the businesses for that service in your area. You will find that on this second page the top-rated businesses you just saw are not necessarily listed at the top. This means that it is important to have high ratings in order to be listed on the first page—your business might not be found easily otherwise.

Apart from business listings, Yellow Pages also posts coupons and articles that will help potential customers decide where to shop. Additionally, Yellow Pages can now be downloaded as an app from the iPhone App Store or the Google Play Store.

Yellowbook

Do you own a restaurant? Yellowbook may be a great place for you to list your business. From the Yellowbook homepage, viewers can see a section that lists five of the top-rated restaurants in their area. As long as your restaurant has five stars, you can make it on this list (even with only one five-star review). How easy is that! Local sponsors are also listed on the Yellowbook homepage, something to consider if you have a little extra money in your marketing budget.

Like most other review sites, Yellowbook allows you to browse by popular categories (such as home improvement, contractors, or attorneys), or search for a business directly.

Superpages

Superpages offers a “city guides†feature that makes it easy to plan a trip to, letâ€s say, Albuquerque, NM. After you select the city you are interested in visiting, Superpages comes up with the following lists: top things to do, top restaurants, top attractions, arts & entertainment, concerts, kids attractions, recreational activities, parks/landmarks, and museums. Having a strong profile with a high rating can help you become included on one (or more) of these lists.

On itâ€s homepage, Superpages also lists featured businesses in your area. These businesses are gauranteed to have the highest amount of visibility and, therefore, the most amount of traffic. Having your business listed on the Superpages homepage may be something to consider in your marketing strategy (but keep in mind youâ€ll want to have a lot of positive reviews, first).

Merchant Circle

Not only can you list your business on Merchant Circle, you can use it to advertise too! The site allows you to advertise across Google and other search engines, and create leads with emails, landing pages, and form submissions. Its “digital footprint†feature acts as a reputation management guide to show you how your customers are responding to your brand across different online channels and social networks.

Also use Merchant Circle to find and compare the top merchants in your area, which is made easy through the siteâ€s “top categories†list.

Dex Knows

Dex Knows allows users to search for local businesses in their own city, or for the most popular businesses in cities across the United States. This feature makes Dex Knows a great tool for trip planning, especially for newcomers to your area. Therefore, make your business stand out among travelers with strong reviews and updated contact information on the Dex Knows site.

The site also offers a free scanning feature that allows business owners to scan over 50 other review sites for accuracy. The scan shows any discrepancies in contact information, where reviews could be added, and where business listings are missing entirely. This will help give you a better understanding of where you need to improve your online review presence.

Need More Help?

This blog post from Vendasta is an excellent resource for anything you may need to know about online reviews. Also, please visit our post on the 10 Doâ€s and Donâ€ts When Responding to Online Reviews for tips on reputation management.

The post Is Your Business Listed On These 12 Review Sites? appeared first on M Marketing.

One of the easiest ways to make sure that your social media posts are being discovered is by using hashtags—words or phrases that are preceded by a hash or pound sign (#) that can be used to search online for a certain event, topic, or brand. When you add hashtags to your content, youâ€re making it easier for customers to find you online, in turn making you more “searchable.â€

You may be thinking that hashtags are easy—just add a # in front of a few keywords in your post and call it a day. However, this is not always the case. Hashtags can trend, and some can be more popular than others. Some are searched more often at certain times of the day, or certain days of the week. On some platforms, hashtags can overbear your post, but on others, the more the better.

Understanding the complexities of hashtags, and the reason people decide to search what they do, can be difficult. However, weâ€ve compiled a few tips and resources that may help you decide how to use hashtags in your social media posts.

Choosing The Right Wording:

The best use of a hashtag is to target to an audience with a particular interest. Therefore, the more specific your hashtag is, the better the chance that target audience will see and engage with it.

For example, if your business sells baby products, Hootsuite recommends that “instead of using #parents—resulting in parents of children of all ages—opt for #newmom. The hashtag #newmom is specific to mothers of newborns—your target customer.â€

Using your own business-specific hashtags is also a great way to promote a current marketing campaign, upcoming event, recent promotion, etc. For example, our current client, Affordable Solar, uses the business-specific hashtag #ThinkABQSolar. Not only is this hashtag relevant to those thinking about purchasing solar panel systems in the Albuquerque, N.M. area, it is also reflected in the companyâ€s Twitter and Instagram usernames (@ThinkABQSolar and @thinkabqsolar, respectively), further creating brand awareness.

Keep in mind that branded hashtags donâ€t necessarily have to (or should) include your business†name. However, they should represent what your business stands for. In some cases, they can even involve the target audience and encourage them to share their experiences. Affordable Solar, for example, has recently begun to use the hashtag “oursolarstory†in connection with testimonial posts and quotes, in an effort to have other past solar clients to share their experiences of going solar. Coca-Cola linked its hugely successful Share a Coke to the hashtag “#shareacokeâ€, which encourages people to snap a picture of their Coke bottle and share it not only with their family and friends, but others searching the hashtag. Currently on Instagram there are over 60,000 images tagged with “#shareacokeâ€, proving how successful this campaign was for Coca-Cola in generating new hype about an old product.

There are a wide range of tools that list some of the most popular hashtags used worldwide, nationwide, or even for your area. You can use these tools to find hashtags—relevant to your brand—to use in everyday posts.

Trendsmap:

Trendsmap shows hashtags, keywords, and accounts trending on Twitter worldwide or in your country, state, or local area. If only searching for hashtags, simply just select the box “Hashtags†in the top left-hand corner.

Although this is a premium feature, the site does offer a free week-long trial to test it out.

Ritetag:

RiteTag is a great resource for finding the best hashtags for a certain topic. For instance, search “pizza†and you will receive a list of hashtags that are only good for Instagram, hashtags to get your post seen now, hashtags to get your post seen over time, and hashtags to avoid (that wonâ€t get your post seen). According to the RiteTag website, this information is based on real-time hashtag engagement.

RiteTag is also available as an app, so that you can search for hashtags on-the-go.

Tagsforlikes:

TagsforLikes is a basic site that lists popular Instagram hashtags in a copyable format so you can quickly add them into any Instagram post. Although this site makes adding hashtags to your posts simple and easy, they arenâ€t personalized, and are typically only good for gaining “likesâ€, not leads.

Google Trends:

Although Google Trends doesnâ€t provide actual hashtag recommendations, it does list top Google searches across a range of categories, including entertainment and sports. You can see what is being searched in real time, or what has been searched over the past day, month, or year(s). This information can be used towards creating content and hashtags that have a higher chance of being discovered, though they may not have as much to do with your business.

Feel free to check out our other blog post on how hashtags can help you grow your business. As always, M Marketing is here to help you with all of your social media questions! Good luck on your future hashtagging!

The post Finding The Right Hashtags For Your Social Media Posts appeared first on M Marketing.

If you use it correctly, Twitter can become a powerful tool for growing your business, especially when it comes to branding, building connections with potential customers, and generating leads. However, many small companies are unsure how to build up such a following, what content to post (and when to post it), and how to consistently manage their account.

Gaining quality followers on Twitter must be done strategically—you will want followers who will stay following you for an extended period of time, who will actively engage with your content, and whose content you will also want to engage with. The goal of increasing your Twitter following is to find other users who will become so immersed in your brand online that they will choose to purchase your product or service.

Here are five tools we recommend to anyone wishing to become more proficient at Twitter:

Crowdfire:

Crowdfire is an all-encompassing social media management tool that takes much of the stress away from managing your social media accounts. Although you can use Crowdfire to find content to post to Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, or even your WordPress blog (if you use WordPress), its real value is in its Twitter features.

Non-Followers: Accounts you follow that donâ€t follow you back.

Fans: Accounts following you that you arenâ€t following back.

Recent Unfollowers: Accounts that recently unfollowed you.

Recent Followers: Accounts that recently began following you.

Inactive Following: Accounts that are no longer actively posting on Twitter (can be set to 1 month, 3 months, or 6 months).

All Following: All of the accounts you are following.

Competitorâ€s Followers: Accounts that are following your competitors†accounts (choose your competitors by manually inputting their Twitter handles).

Keyword Search: Search for accounts to follow using any keyword.

When using Crowdfire, weâ€ve found that the best results in managing our Twitter followers can be achieved by:

1. Regularly browsing the “fans†section to follow back any accounts that we deem important or relevant.
2. Regularly unfollowing “recent unfollowers.â€
3. Regularly unfollowing any followers that have been inactive on Twitter for the past 6 months.
4. Inputting our competitors†Twitter handles and following some of their followers.
5. Reducing the amount of “non-followers†we have, to only those that are really important to us, or a great source of news in our industry.

Twitter Counter:

TwitterCounter.com offers business owners a plethora of features to help them manage their Twitter profiles, and supplies them with more data analytics than is provided directly through Twitter.

Here are a few main features that Twitter Counter offers:

Engagement metrics: Discover the best times to post tweets to maximize engagement, track your most engaging tweets, and determine what type of content resonates the best with your followers.

Audience insights: Monitor growth, track accounts that are following and unfollowing you, and engage with the accounts ranked by top influence.

Competition comparison: Compare your growth with other Twitter accounts, “listen†to Twitter conversations by monitoring hashtags and keywords relevant to your account, and track your brandâ€s reputation.

Report generation: Create downloadable, statistical reports that summarize Twitter performance and help you gauge your efforts.

Twitter Counter offers a 14-day free trial, but its most basic plan runs at $8/month (downloadable reports are not included in this plan, and other features are limited).

Twitter Counter also allows you to test out a portion of its services for free, without signing up for its free trial. Simply click the button “Sign in with Twitter†at the bottom of this page.

Buffer:

Buffer allows you to schedule posts across different social media platforms (including Facebook and Instagram), making it a great time-saver. Posts can be spread throughout the day in order to maximize viewership, and you can queue posts that Buffer will automatically post for you according to your schedule. Using the Buffer App, you can even add content to this queue while you are on-the-go.

Buffer also allows you analyze the performance of your posts, including tracking key metrics such as clicks, likes, reach, comments, shares, retweets, and mentions. These insights arenâ€t offered through Twitterâ€s analytics report, making it a useful tool for choosing the best content for your brand.

Bufferâ€s pricing plans run from free (some services are limited, and only three accounts can be registered at a time) to $399/month for the greatest functionality.

Socialoomph:

SocialOomph is an easy-to-use site with simple features that get the job done when it comes to Twitter account management. SocialOomph offers users a free plan and a professional plan, but for the purpose of Twitter management, the free plan is perfect for beginners.

Hereâ€s a list of some of SocialOomphâ€s basic features for Twitter users:

For people managing multiple social media accounts, particularly multiple Twitter accounts, SocialOomph really comes in handy. SocialOomph allows users to manage up to 5 Twitter accounts for free—typically more than other free sites.

Its professional feature allows users to register unlimited Twitter accounts, configure automatic DMs to send all of their new followers, automatically follow new followers or unfollow recent unfollowers, receive daily emails consolidating all of the DMs received that day, and more. These features in themselves make SocialOomphâ€s $17.97/two weeks professional plan potentially worthwhile for those looking for an easier way to manage multiple Twitter accounts automatically.

Hootsuite:

Hootsuite is easily one of the most popular social media management tools on the market, but using it comes at a price. Unlike SocialOomph, its free plan offers limited services, and users can only register three accounts and create only 30 scheduled posts at a time.

Scheduling: Schedule in bulk by uploading a CSV file with as many tweets as youâ€d like. Hootsuiteâ€s calendar also allows you to see when content has been scheduled, and you can also schedule while on-the-go from its mobile app or with its Google Chrome plug-in, Hootlet.

Content curation: Find content to post by browsing keywords, hashtags, or locations, and organize it using the Hootsuite content library.

Analytics: Build reports and a personalized dashboard of the key metrics that matter to you. You may also track how quickly your team is responding to and resolving actions such as mentions or DMs.

Monitoring: Use keywords, hashtags, and locations to find out what is being said about your brand, and assign team members to respond.

Team Management: Use this tool to manage your team members, allocating tasks and assignments accordingly.

Security: Limit what team members have access to, and receive alerts whenever your account is experiencing suspicious activity.

Apps and Integrations: As a member, you will also have access to 250+ add-ons and apps to help you further improve Hootsuiteâ€s functionality.

Need More Help?

Remember, M Marketing is here to answer any questions you may have about scheduling content, managing your followers, and engaging with your audience on Twitter. Please feel free to check out our website for more information on our social media management services.

The post 5 Tools to Help You Manage Your Twitter Account appeared first on M Marketing.

Why are Online Reviews so Important?

Reviews on sites such as Yelp or the Better Business Bureau give your customers a chance to voice their opinion about your brand, whether it be good or bad. They also work as a powerful, but often overlooked, form of marketing. Many times, online reviews are the first place potential customers look to find the best product or service to meet their needs. Therefore, making sure that online reviews give a positive impression of your business is crucial.

The Importance of Engaging with Reviews

Actively reviewing and responding to online reviews of your business is a critical aspect of online reputation management. Showing your customers that their thoughts and opinions are being heard can build trust and reduce unnecessary backlash against your company.

Responding to negative reviews can be tricky, though. Your words must be carefully crafted to avoid further hostility from an unhappy reviewer. Thereâ€s nothing worse than them believing your company doesnâ€t care about their feelings, or that theyâ€re not being listened to—these customers will be sure to share their negative experiences with their friends and family, and encourage them to find other alternatives.

Resolving Negative Reviews

Here are some doâ€s and donâ€ts of resolving negative online reviews to help you choose the best response in an uncomfortable situation:

Do:

1. Relax before responding to a review
2. Plan out your response before posting it
3. Have a third party look over your response before you post it
4. Respond to the review in a timely manner
5. Apologize to the customer for their undesirable experience
6. Make your response personal
7. Show the customer that you would like to make the situation right again, and suggest how you can do that together
8. Refer directly to the problem(s) they experienced
9. Include contact information in case they have any questions
10. Look for the positive in each negative review, and use it a chance to improve

Donâ€t:

1. Ignore or delete the review
2. Block the reviewer
3. Plant positive reviews to hide the negative review
4. Get aggressive or defensive, even if the customer is incorrect
5. Use a negative tone in your response
6. Explain to the reviewer why they might be wrong or why you might be right
7. Use coupons, discounts, or other methods to bribe the customer to change or delete their review
8. Use the same response for every review
9. Make your response too long; doing so can come off as being defensive
10. Refuse to make necessary changes to the company after negative reviews

What next?

Youâ€ve responded to a negative review of your company­­—what now?

In the worst-case scenario, the customer will continue to leave negative comments about their experience. To resolve this, politely ask them to contact you through a private message to continue your conversation, or leave your contact information and ask them to contact your company to talk through the issue. This will show other potential customers that you are making an effort to reach out to this unhappy reviewer, and are trying to remedy the situation. If the reviewer refuses to do as you asked, at least you did your part.

In the best-case scenario, the reviewer will delete their negative review, or will at least raise their original score. They might also post a second review about the positive customer service experience they had after they posted their review. This may be because you were able to help them work out their problem, and show them that your company is making real changes based on their review. Even better, the reviewer might realize that they couldâ€ve been at fault. Either way, the customer will feel like they were listened to and responded to in a very conscientious way.

By responding to reviews, whether good or bad, you will become more proactive at creating a positive image of your brand. In turn, customers will see that are valued by your company, and you will have a better chance at securing potential future customers.

The post 10 Do’s and Don’ts When Responding to Online Reviews appeared first on M Marketing.

Hashtags were a phenomenon that started on Twitter and quickly moved their way to all social platforms. Although they can be slightly obnoxious in some contexts, they are a great tool to help grow your online presence and followers. Let’s break down what a hashtag is and does.

A hashtag takes whatever it is attached to and pushes into a whole new world on social media full of people who are looking for exactly what you’re hash tagging. Let’s take an up and coming mother, blogger and fitness guru. She has grown her business mainly online by using hashtags to connect with other people interested in fitness and motherhood. Here is one of her latest posts:



If you read through her post, you notice at the bottom she has lots of things strategically hash tagged. She did not hashtag random words, she went after broader descriptions of what she does. Notice that the hashtags are blue, that means they link to another page. When you click on a hashtag, it takes you to another page where you can see all the photos that have used that hashtag.

Your photo gets ranked differently on each specific hashtag depending on how many likes you have compared to the other photos in the same hashtag category. In #fitmomteam, Monica is ranked first which means anyone looking for a Fit Mom Team will immediately see hers.

In contrast #tbt or Throwback Thursday, is an extremely popular hashtag and harder to get a higher ranking with. As you can see, Monica doesn’t show up on the top three for this one (the top hit has 63,000+ likes). Not showing up does not mean you shouldn’t use it, there is a still a great chance it would increase your visibility with a broader audience.

I know you’re probably wondering where to start with your hashtags. Here are some questions to help you get started

• What are the main words or key words that describe your brand or your product?
• Are there other brands on social media that carry something close to you and have more followers? What hashtags do they use?
• What are some outside the box hashtags that your customers may search for in addition to keywords for your product (I.E. Fitness people may also look for healthy eating tips)

You can search for hashtags and check different websites to see what hashtags are trending for your business. Never be afraid to #test out something #new and #havefun!

With Love,

M Marketing

The post How Can Hashtags Help Grow a Business? appeared first on M Marketing.