2017 is fast approaching, and if you’re like most of us, that means it’s time to reevaluate your marketing goals. By now, your holiday campaigns are in full swing and it’s time to think ahead to the new year. Below is a list of some great resources that can help you achieve your 2017 goals. First, get inspired with content from some of the best marketing blogs. Then, plan your next photo shoot, schedule your social media content, and analyze key metrics with helpful tools and apps that make the job simple.
Tools
- Airtable
Whether you need to plan a meeting, put together an editorial calendar, or create a gallery of marketing images for your team to work with, Airtable can help. A flexible cloud-based database, Airtable lets you collaborate with your team in whatever way makes sense for you. Calendar views help with project management and content scheduling, while gallery views are great for sorting visual content (a photographer’s dream!).
Pro tip: if you use Zapier, check out the Airtable integrations available to automate many routine tasks. - Buffer
Buffer is a leading social media scheduling tool, and for good reason. The simple interface, valuable metrics, and ease of use go a long way towards making social media marketing simple and effective. Choose between adding content to a queue or scheduling it for a specific time in the future. Even better, Buffer can optimize your posting times to match your audience’s highest engagement.
Pro tip: Look for the blue star on past posts to identify top performers. Then add them to your queue again (“re-Buffer”) to maximize reach and results. - Bit.ly
While link shortening tool Bit.ly may seem basic, don’t be fooled into thinking this simple tool is unimportant. Not only does link shortening make social media marketing campaigns more attractive (nobody wants to see a multi-line URL in their feed), it also plays a crucial role in tracking metrics. Use Bit.ly to see which links get the most clicks and which platforms generate the most referrals. Over time, you’ll accumulate a wealth of valuable data to help you plan your digital marketing campaigns.
Pro tip: Customize your shortened links to make them more easily recognizable and on-brand.
Start your new marketing plan off with some out of the box thinking.
Photo by Jeremy Enlow | www.steelshutter.com
Blogs
- Buffer Open
The blog from social media scheduling service Buffer, Buffer Open is full of insight into marketing, productivity, and work culture best practices. Sharing the company’s own experiments as well as analysis of data from thousands of Buffer users, this blog will help you dive deep into your content marketing strategy and consider new ways of working.
- Seth Godin
When you need inspiration, strategy, and a new way of looking at things, hop on over to Seth Godin’s blog. We love Godin’s short, thought-provoking posts and incredible marketing acumen. If you want more after reading the blog, pick up one of his (17!) books.
- The Content Marketing Institute
Content marketing is a continually evolving field, and this is your guide to the ever changing landscape. The Content Marketing Institute has many resources available beyond their blog, such as a magazine and podcast, but you can’t go wrong with their daily posts to improve your strategy and content. You’ll find tips on everything from designing infographics to using user-generated content to drive sales.
Feeling ready for 2017? It’s time to contact Steel Shutter to schedule your advertising photo shoots. Begin your free inquiry using the button below.