Storytelling is an effective marketing strategy for brands seeking to establish an emotional connection with their target audience. On social networks, storytelling can be particularly powerful, as it allows brands to tell their story in a visual and engaging way. In this article, we’ll discuss three ways you can use storytelling on social networks to build brand awareness.
Creating authentic content
Storytelling on social networks must be authentic to be effective. Today’s consumers are highly aware of advertising, and can quickly spot content that isn’t sincere. Brands can use storytelling to tell authentic stories about their company, culture and employees. By sharing this type of content, brands can humanize their brand image and build trust with their audience.
Using images and videos
Images and videos are powerful tools for telling a story on social networks. Brands can use images to tell visual stories that capture the essence of their business and culture. Videos can also be used to tell longer, more complex stories. Brands can use videos to tell stories about their products, history or mission. Videos can also be used to tell stories about the brand’s customers and their experience with products or services.
Sharing inspiring stories
Inspirational stories are a great way to capture your audience’s attention on social networks. Brands can share inspiring stories about people or organizations who have been positively affected by their product or service. Brands can also share inspiring stories about their employees and their community involvement. By sharing inspiring stories, brands can reinforce their credibility and reputation with their audience.
Conclusion
Storytelling is a key element of any successful social network marketing strategy. Brands that use storytelling can strengthen the emotional connection with their audience and boost their brand awareness and credibility. Using these methods, brands can create a strong, lasting brand image that resonates with their audience.
This year, optimizing content for search is top of mind for businesses everywhere. Of course, search has been key to success on the Internet for more than 20 years. But as just about everything went online, getting discovered in search results has taken on a new importance. What are the SEO trends to know in 2021?
But first…
In case you missed it, check out our look at the top SEO trends in 2020. Learn about voice search, the no-click challenge and more. All caught up? Read on for three ways to prepare for the future of search.
2021 Search trends for business
Back to basics
The number one rule for 2021 is to focus on the fundamentals. Despite entire industries built around tiny changes to the way search works, simple optimizations are still easy and effective. They may not be new, but these strategies are the starting point for any good SEO effort. For example, make sure that you associate each piece of content with appropriate keywords. Then, double check that those keywords appear in the content’s title, description and text.
While this idea has always been the heart of SEO, few would have imagined it to be a major trend in 2021. However, the Covid-19 pandemic forced businesses to move everything online—and revealed that many were neglecting search basics. All the more reason to set aside the fancy stuff this year and review your content’s keywords. Or to put it another way, don’t let an oversight stop your content from being found in search.
💡 TIP: You can add or update your publications’ title and description on Calaméo in just a few clicks.
UX factor
Although the basics should come first in 2021, that doesn’t mean SEO trends are standing still. One major announcement from Google made it clear that it’s time for businesses to get serious about user experience. Also known as UX, this aspect of digital design includes the interfaces and structures that allow people to interact with websites. Overall, good UX makes it easier to do things like placing an order or contacting support online.
And now, improving your site’s UX can have a big impact on its visibility in search. Just like loading speed and mobile display in past years, UX factors will soon affect search results. According to Google, content quality still matters most. But the pages to beat will be the ones with great content and great experience. The bottom line? Starting in 2021, UX should be part of your business’s SEO strategy.
Analytics overhaul
Last but not least, there’s a new reporting tool in town for anyone following their content’s views. More specifically, businesses are looking at Google Analytics 4: an updated version of the data tool used by millions of sites. GA4 will eventually replace Universal Analytics, which was first released in 2012. First, however, businesses need to consider how and when they will want to make the switch.
In addition to technical changes, Google Analytics 4 offers fresh ways to understand how people use search to visit your site. That may mean adapting your existing methods for evaluating your content’s performance. Before updating everything, take the time to test the new platform. Be sure to note the metrics you want to watch and connect them to the information you already have. For a smooth transition, a little preparation goes a long way!
Quick conclusions
Now that you’re all caught up on the most important SEO trends for 2021, what’s next? Here are a few action items to help you start taking advantage of these trends today.
Invest now
If it’s been a while since you made SEO a priority, put it back on your to-do list in 2021. You may want to invest in a full SEO audit of your business’s content to get a sense of where things stand. Then, commit the time and resources necessary to optimize the basics. Don’t forget content types other than regular pages: videos, images and publications should all be optimized.
Be patient
Even with a solid investment, the visibility of your business’s content may not grow overnight. Building an audience on search requires consistent content and attention to quality. Create a few benchmarks that you’d like to achieve this year and track your progress, but stay focused on your long-term SEO goals.
Look ahead
Many of the upcoming changes to SEO involve complex projects. For instance, UX improvements can take months to research, design and put in place. As a result, it’s a smart idea to begin planning for these changes now. Decide on a timeline for how your business will tackle big SEO transitions, like moving from Universal Analytics to GA4. That way, you’ll be ready for the SEO trends in 2022!
As always, one simple way to boost your business content’s SEO is with smart digital publishing. You’ll find all the details you need to get started in our Ultimate Guide to Digital Publishing. Or see for yourself how easy it is to do even more with your professional content! Create your free account on Calaméo today.
From city skylines to our own mobile phone screens, logos are a major presence in modern life and a key part of any business’s brand. But did you know just how old logos are? Their history goes back to the Middle Ages, when British pubs were required by law to identify themselves with an illustrated sign.
After the invention of the printing press in 1439, logos quickly made the jump onto the page and appeared in printers’ marks, classifieds, products and ads. Although many classic logos like the vintage Coca-Cola script are still used today, digital technology allows logos to do more than ever.
In this article, we’ll reveal three easy ways to put your business’s logo to work on your digital publications.
ONLINE REACH
The most important place that your logo should go is in your digital publication! Since Calaméo’s fun, immersive flipbook format allows readers to focus on your content, including your logo on the page creates stronger impact for your brand.
Be sure that your logo figures prominently on your publication’s cover, like in this example from AvidGolfer magazine. You’ll want it to be visible when sharing your publication on social media to enjoy maximum reach in your audience’s feeds. Plus, you can get even more exposure if your publication is selected for the #CalameoCoversClub!
IMPROVED VISIBILITY
Next up is your publisher account page on Calaméo. You can effortlessly add your logo as a profile picture by uploading a .PNG or .JPG file up to 5 MB. (Have an animated version of your logo? You can even use a GIF here for a little extra pizzazz.)
Displaying your business’s logo on your Calaméo profile gives it a professional look, but filling in details of your account page also comes with SEO benefits. In just a few minutes, you can polish up the account name, description, logo and website and make it even easier for readers to find your publications.
DIGITAL SIGNPOST
Last but not least, add your logo to our viewer so that it becomes part of the reading experience. With our PREMIUM and PLATINUM plans, you can include a logo and link to your website. Not only is doing so great UX, it also supports your lead generation strategies and helps drive traffic to your site.
Users can always move smoothly from reading your publication to checking out your site, without having to enter your URL or hit the back button in their browser. All thanks to your logo!
With these three quick and easy ideas, you should be all set to start using your logo in digital publishing to boost your brand.
To take the next step, consider creating a custom Skin for your publications. You’ll be able to match every detail of the Calaméo viewer to your business’s visual identity, get creative with your logo and more.
For more information on all things Calaméo, browse our Help Center. You’ll find the complete documentation on customizing the viewer Skins on our Developers page. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have questions! Our Support team is standing by at contact@calameo.com to help as quickly as possible.