Elements That Contribute To Viral Videos

Elements That Contribute To Viral Videos

Infuze Marketing

With social media growing rapidly, videos are the next popular feature. Between Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Youtube, businesses have a major advantage to communicate their message through the hottest media outlet available with minimal production or labor costs.

We did a little research and uncovered 10 points that will help your videos have greater impact and viewership:

Emotion 

Incorporating emotion is important, whether you are telling a story or just using facial expressions. People want to see that you are real, including seeing facial expressions, so sharing emotion is key.  Which leads into our next point… 

Authenticity 

While social media has developed into user’s highlights, videos bring a digital sense of authenticity back to social media.  Why is this important?  Because authenticity has been noted as one of the top 5 components consumers look for when considering a purchase.

Humor 

It’s been said that the most successful advertising incorporates kids, dogs and/or humor.  But to use humor just to use humor…doesn’t work.  It has to be authentic humor…real (see points 1 and 2 for logic here).

Transitions 

Transitions can make or break a video. It helps determine the flow or in some cases, the non-flow. A great tool for this is InShot, which is a video app you can download on your phone. 


Surprise Factor 

Wow!  Surprise!  AWE! We love a shock ending or twist we didn’t expect.

Popular Hashtags

Research your hashtags…they can make or break you.  They not only expand your reach but also cause people to search easier to get to your page.  Make sure they are relevant and don’t lead the viewer to something they do NOT want to see.  

Education

Learning has become fun again, because of video.  Educate your audience in a simple and clear fashion and it will drive a greater following, especially if you (wait for it) use humor, wit, authenticity….you get where we are headed here.  

Less is more 

When first starting videos on any platform, it can be overwhelming. By taking the approach that less is more, your videos will surely be more successful. Note: videos that are easy to watch are easy to remember. 

Captions 

Consider adding captions as a way of making them interactive and user friendly.  This will also help our friends that are hearing impaired.

Pops of color 

Is it fun? Is it vibrant?  Does it look cool? It has to be for Gen X, Y and Z to even pay attention to it. Color brings life to video and can create a vibe you may not have from the video content alone.  But don’t overdo it.  Just a “pop” means “accent”.  Not  an explosion of color.  

Next time you watch a video, notice the things you like or dislike about it. Was it too long? Did it make you laugh? How was the music/audio? By starting to analyze elements of the media you consume, you will become a better digital media creator. 

Subscribe to our blog to get monthly digital marketing tips! Let us do the work for you. 

Leadership Quotes to Make An Impact

Leadership Quotes to Make An Impact

Infuze Marketing

Leadership quote(s):

1.  Those who call themselves a leader and think that they will sit over the top of someone and simply bark orders clearly missed the memo of what an effective leader is all about.

2.   If you won’t empty your own trash and grab your subordinates a cup of coffee on occasion, you’ve missed the memo on how to be a good leader. 

Good Morning Drinking GIF by University of Phoenix - Find & Share on GIPHY

3.  A good leader will have days where they want to quit, but they  don’t.  A good leader will wonder if anyone is listening, but they are.  A good leader will question their decisions, only to take ownership of them.  A good leader will fail, but will learn from  it and do it better next time.  A good leader will listen to others, because they recognize they aren’t  the only smart one in the room.  A good leader will surround themselves with smart, capable, humble, grace-filled people, because they know the formula to success is having people better than them at the table.  A good leader doesn’t take credit for everything, because they know it’s never about them.  

4.  A good leader doesn’t take credit for everything, because they know it’s never about them. 

5.  A good leader leaves the role better when they leave than when they came into it.

6.  A good leader will be bashed, revered, ignored, adored, criticized, complimented, abandoned and followed.  Then they will get up the next day and do it all over again until they reach their objective.

7.  An effective leader will always ask questions before reacting or responding..  

8.   A good leader gives…and serves FIRST.

Till next time…

The Boomer

Top Tactics For Improving Leadership Skills

Top Tactics For Improving Leadership Skills

Infuze Marketing

I suppose at some point, we all get an opportunity to lead in one way or another.  Whether it be with your family or friends, serving on a board, heading up a group of volunteers… or you have just been promoted to a new role with direct reports or perhaps you are the CEO of any size company…all of us need to continuously be open to improving our leadership skills.  At any given time, we have no idea who is watching, listening and learning from any leaders behaviors, actions and wisdom.

So why not lead by example for those who need more than “words”?  Add a few of these to your life and it might help boost your leadership skills:

  1. Read books by reputable authors who have lived and experienced what they are writing about…not just someone who knows how to write well
  2. Find someone you respect that is in a leadership role and ask them to meet with you on a consistent basis to provide insight and wisdom to you.  Come prepared to those get-togethers with questions for them to answer or subject matter to discuss.
  3. Ask 3 to 5 people in your circle to give you a performance review.  If this is business, choose one of your direct reports, one of your supervisors, one of your clients, one of your colleagues and one of your friends.  
  4. Clear your head daily by taking a walk
  5. Journal ideas and concepts
  6. Bring others in on discussions/brainstorming so there are varied ideas being presented
  7. Train others.  By training people, you will see what is valuable, what works and what doesn’t in the process.  
  8. Step out of your comfort zone and try something new.  Learn a language, travel outside your sphere of influence, take a tour of someone else’s company or industry to see how they do things differently, join a CEO/Leadership round table group
  9. Listen actively  to direct reports and provide feedback
  10. Pay attention to the market  (past trends, current circumstances and future assessments)
  11. Stay on top of technology
  12. Empower others

For a few of my preferred leadership books or podcasts suggestions, drop me an email at stacey@infuzemarketing.com and I will gladly send those over. 

Until then…

Welcome to 2022.

The Boomer

Marketing Plan:  What’s the Point?

Marketing Plan:  What’s the Point?

Infuze Marketing

Because throwing spaghetti at a wall to see if it sticks doesn’t put it on the plate for eating

Listen…(here I go again)….”back in the day”…marketing plans were these grueling 200 page documents that we spent half a year developing and 5 minutes never looking at again.  Today, things are different.  You can develop a plan quickly with a 1 page marketing plan and just follow the steps.  

Reason for this: 

  • Gives you goals/objectives
  • Keeps you on track
  • Outlines your tactics so you don’t try to do too many (which is a major waste of time)
  • Helps you not get distracted (shiny penny?)
  • Gives you something to measure against so you know if it worked or not

You can write up a simple plan for each campaign, each idea, each product, each market so quickly today.  And now there’s even software to dummy proof our desire to make it a ton of work.  AKA:  fill in the boxes and off ya go. (just a few…and no we don’t get paid for this promotion, I just did a google search and the good news is…you can too: https://www.plannuh.com/marketing-planning-software/ 

  • Trello.
  • Wrike.
  • Percolate.
  • IBM Marketing Cloud.
  • SendX.
  • Outbrain Amplify.
  • Husky Marketing Planner.
  • Mediatool

Remember:  A plan is not the gospel.  Keep it flexible because in today’s world you may have to adjust at random since our market needs fluctuate rapidly.

I could really generate a much longer explanation or justify the rationale for developing a plan further, but really…what’s the point.  

Until next time…

The Boomer

To Give or Not to Give…that is the question:

To Give or Not to Give…that is the question:

Infuze Marketing

There’s this thing called Giving Tuesday.  Logically it shows up on a Tuesday.

Used to show up once a year, which made it unique.  Now it shows up numerous times throughout the year.  It’s starting to sound like “national cappuccino day” or “national horse dentistry day”.  

I get it…nonstop bombardment with “give here” and “give to us” and “don’t be stingy…just give” can be overwhelming and cause most people to just not want to give. 

But here’s why giving Tuesday is brilliant (even if it’s every other Tuesday):

It makes you remember to think of someone…anyone really…than yourself.  And sometimes in our day to day lives of survival, we forget that there are those who don’t have a family or a best friend or a community to walk alongside them in difficult times.  Sometimes we need a gentle reminder that our lives don’t mimic the lives of others.  And an occasional Tuesday reminder where we can effortlessly and easily donate $10 dollars (close to the cost of a specialty 16 oz coffee these days) or considerably more (depending on the blessing of your own personal good fortune) can be given through this online vehicle in the mere 5 clicks of a keyboard.  And then we’re off the hook until the next Tuesday.  

In all sincerity, I’ve never heard a person say “I feel awful after giving $ to help another human being or animal or climate cause or….”.  Never.  

So, although I personally have a desired slant to give on Sunday or Monday when I’m paying the bills, I’ve even become accustomed to the occasional “Tuesday”.  

I’m making it even easier:  Giving Tuesday is (put the date in here) and the link is (put the link in here).

And hey….thank you for your generosity.

Until next time…which might be a Friday….

The Boomer

Holiday Promotion Tactics to Increase Revenue and Reach

Infuze Marketing

Ever ask a small business owner what their favorite time of year is?! There is a HIGH chance they will say the holidays. Is this because of work parties and holiday goodies? CLOSE, but NOPE! This is because small businesses bring in 20 to 40% of their annual revenue during the LAST TWO months of the year! 

Incorporating them into your marketing plan will help you meet and exceed your revenue goals and increase your brand’s reach. Customers are willing to spend extra money this time of year but don’t know where to spend it. Putting your brand and the promotion in front of them through creative digital campaigns can make the difference between them buying your product vs. your competitors. 

Unfortunately, many companies execute their holiday campaigns poorly and tend to simply add to the “holiday noise.” We are here to help you add to the end of year cheer and not to the holiday ad eye rolls. 

Now is the time to quit dawdling and get festive (and strategic) because we have some merry marketing to do…

Here are 4 effective promotional tactics we recommend: 

  1. Gift Card Deals — 80% of shoppers will buy gift cards this season, according to the National Retail Federation. On top of that, shoppers will spend an average of $172 on gift cards, and when recipients use the gift cards, they will likely spend 20% more than the gift card value. 

Suggestions 

  • Use incentives: offer 5% discount on the purchase of gift cards
  • Use a bonus: customer gets a $5 bonus card after purchasing $25 in gift cards

  1. Utilize Social Media Ads and Targeting — Social ad impressions are up 20% year over year, and 52% of all online brand discovery still happens in public social feeds.

Pro-tips

  • Display campaign with retargeting on Google: It is simple… the user visits your site, leaves it, sees your ads, feels more and more drawn, and sooner or later makes a purchase. 
  • Educational videos that explain your business differentiators
  • Posts highlighting sales, end-of-year deals, and anything else you’re offering
  • “Unboxing” content that allows people to see your products/business up close
  • Reviews praising your services, employees, and business
  • Use messaging, tone, and photography that is unique to your brand and your voice
  • Boost posts featuring winter related discounts
    • “Below freezing special! When the temp drops below 32, your drinks drop 32%”

  1. Gift Guides / Holiday Menu Guides — Many shoppers shuffle a variety of wish-lists and often get overwhelmed, not knowing where to begin. Gift guides help a customer in steering them in the right direction and inspiring them through a bundle of gift ideas and price point deals. Think about what kind of guide fits your business? What price point would work for your customers specifically? 

Suggestions 

  • 5 holiday appetizers under $10
  • 10 Hanukkah gifts for $100
  • 3 pajama sets mom will love for $50 or less
  • 5 gifts for your other half for under $75 

Pro-Tip

  • Pick ten or less products. If you have more than ten, split them into a handful of gift guides. Simple and clear always wins. 

  1. Give Back to Your Customers — There are endless ways to show your appreciation of your loyal customers. They appreciate knowing that they mean something to your business, and that you do not take their purchases for granted. When you support your customers, they support you back. 

Examples

  • Email campaigns featuring a free gift, free guide, fun holiday event, or to simply say thank you for being a loyal customer 
  • Run an Instagram holiday giveaway to give a little extra love to your customers (close to 20% of customers will buy a product after tuning into a giveaway campaign) 
  • Create an added appeal by building holiday specific rewards or loyalty programs that run the length of the holiday season (this type of campaign is often enough to get lookers to stop in and/or choose you over a competitor) 

Pro-Tip

  • When offering free content or guides, be sure to always list holiday deals, discounts, loyalty programs, and specials.

As a holiday gift from us, here are some suggested social media captions and/or email subject lines you can use anytime. 

  • We Like You a Latke!
  • Hanukkah Deals to Make You Dizzy!
  • Gift ideas for all 8 nights inside 
  • The best host gifts for your Hanukkah celebrations
  • Let’s start this year right. 10% off throughout January
  • The holidays may be over, but the savings aren’t!
  • Spread some cheer with us — open house sale!
  • Season’s Greetings and Holiday Savings!
  • Looking to get ahead of the holiday rush? Early sale starts now!
  • It’s snowing savings! See our top deals.
  • Gobble up these Thanksgiving specials!
  • We’re thankful for our customers: Coupon Inside!
  • Stuff yourself with savings 
  • Gather ’round for savings!
  • Thanksgiving Schedule Changes & Weekend Specials
  • Savings to be thankful for — 8 deals you can’t miss.
  • Celebrate Small Biz Sat with us: BOGO sale 
  • 5 Ways to Support Our Community This Small Biz Sat
  • It’s our 8th annual Small Biz Sat sale! Join us?
  • Walk off those leftovers: Small Biz Sat sidewalk sale
  • Gift Ideas for Everyone on Your List 
  • 12 Days of Savings Starts today!

HAPPY HOLIDAY PROMOTIONS! — Infuze Marketing 

4 Reasons Why Working Remote Is A Game Changer!

4 Reasons Why Working Remote Is A Game Changer!

Infuze Marketing

If you haven’t already caught on, we’re in the middle of a workplace revolution. Nowadays, 9-5 jobs are news of the past, and working remote has become nothing short of the norm. We are here to tell you why we have found working remote to be so beneficial.  

1. Flexibility:

Things come up, that’s just life. Having the flexibility to work remote allows you to accommodate those last minute curveballs, like having to take your pup to the vet in the middle of the workday.  As long as you plan accordingly and get your work done in a timely manner, you don’t have to take an entire day off to take Skippy to the vet! This flexibility actually ends up benefiting, the employee AND the company. You can  work from home to get those emails answered before you take your pup in. It’s a win-win scenario…even Skippy agrees.

2. Productivity:

Does anyone else agree that those  fluorescent lights in the typical office space will be the death of you? Having the option to work remote in a quiet coffee shop (who are we kidding, no coffee shop is quiet) or even your living room, gives you that custom environment. Now that you are working from a space of your choice, you have no excuse to not be productive. Sometimes all you need is a new environment to really focus and commit your energy and time into to start checking projects off your list.

3. Remote Is The New Norm:

According to the Society of Human Resource Management, “studies show that, by 2020, Millennials will make up 50 percent of the global workforce – and that, also by 2020, 50 percent of all U.S. employees will work remotely.” Hey you, employers, get ahead of the game! With the way the workforce is evolving,  offering remote accessibility gives you the upper hand when it comes to picking your next employee and keeping your current ones! Give your current employees that extra perk, and you now have a larger pool of candidates to pick from when scouting. You don’t have to worry about having a limited number of qualified candidates that are in your region, because they can now work from any state/ region and be totally connected with all of the latest communication softwares! It’s a win-win scenario for both the employee and employer! 

4. Bye-Bye Commute:

Commuting anywhere from 7am-9am is brutal, no matter where you live (especially for the LA folks)! By working remote you save money, time and most importantly, energy! Instead of commuting you can dive straight into work and answering those emails quicker, rather than sitting in traffic. This allows you extra time to  focus, get in your groove and complete all of your projects before 5pm hits. In the end, it gives you more time to be productive and focus on your clients/customers. 

So the next time you try and convince your company why working remote can be beneficial, don’t stress! Use these 4 topics to help give you validation.

If you work remote right now, leave us a comment below where your favorite spot to work is!