All Social Networks Archives | Sprout Social Sprout Social offers a suite of <a href="/features/" class="fw-bold">social media solutions</a> that supports organizations and agencies in extending their reach, amplifying their brands and creating real connections with their audiences. Wed, 15 Nov 2023 16:20:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://media.sproutsocial.com/uploads/2020/06/cropped-Sprout-Leaf-32x32.png All Social Networks Archives | Sprout Social 32 32 Making Dollars and Sense out of the Creator Economy with Lia Haberman https://sproutsocial.com/insights/webinars/making-dollars-and-sense-out-of-the-creator-economy/ Tue, 14 Nov 2023 21:45:50 +0000 https://sproutsocial.com/insights/?post_type=webinars&p=179433 Lia Haberman, Insider’s “Top Creator Economy Expert,” will delve into the dynamic world of influencer marketing and its evolving digital terrain. You’ll walk away Read more...

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]]> Lia Haberman, Insider’s “Top Creator Economy Expert,” will delve into the dynamic world of influencer marketing and its evolving digital terrain. You’ll walk away from this event with a powerful understanding of the influencer landscape, where it’s headed and questions your brand should consider as it begins or scales its influencer strategy.

Your Speakers:

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]]> Mastering Instagram influencer marketing: strategies for success https://sproutsocial.com/insights/instagram-influencer-marketing/ Tue, 14 Nov 2023 16:54:41 +0000 https://sproutsocial.com/insights/?p=162183/ The influencer space has ballooned into a multi-billion dollar phenomenon, meaning influencer marketing has made its name as a key marketing strategy. Brands of Read more...

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]]> The influencer space has ballooned into a multi-billion dollar phenomenon, meaning influencer marketing has made its name as a key marketing strategy. Brands of all shapes and sizes are eager to find ways to feature creators in their campaigns.

Instagram is quickly becoming the go-to network for influencers, with recent stats saying that carousels, Reels and Stories are among the most popular content types for creators.

As creators continue to dominate the platform, brands need to know how Instagram influencer marketing works. In this post, we’ll break down the basics.

What is Instagram influencer marketing?

Instagram influencer marketing is a promotional strategy based on partnerships between brands and social media creators (“influencers”) on Instagram.

The concept is simple enough. Brands partner with creators to promote products on their Instagram profiles and then compensate those creators for their efforts. And while influencer marketing is popular on many platforms (like TikTok and Facebook), 86% of social marketers cite Instagram as the top platform for their influencer marketing strategy.

What makes someone an Instagram influencer, though?

The term refers to the level of influence that these social media creators have on their audiences. That’s because everyday consumers look to influencers for product recommendations.

In short, influencers are users that influence purchasing decisions. One-third of people on Instagram have been inspired to buy something based on an influencer’s post.

Most Instagram influencers don’t actually refer to themselves by the term, though. Creator or content creator is more common these days. Although influencer used to be synonymous with celebrity, times have changed.

You don’t need millions of followers to be considered an Instagram influencer. There are different levels of influencer, which can be broken down into the categories below:

And while 70% of social marketers see the biggest impact from macro-influencers, 43% also see a huge impact from micro-influencers.

What are some examples of Instagram influencer marketing?

Chances are you’ve encountered your fair share of Instagram influencers in the wild. Below are a few examples of influencer content in action.

Sponsored content (#ad or #gifted posts)

Sponsored posts are disclosed by creators with a tag such as #ad or #gifted if they were given the product for free. Through gifting, brands provide creators with free products in exchange for a post. Sometimes additional compensation is also offered.

Below is an example from BoxyCharm. Frequent sponsored and gifting campaigns makes their beauty products practically can’t-miss on Instagram.

Screenshot of Instagram influencer marketing gifted products example by hashtag.

Affiliate links

Many brands boast affiliate programs on Instagram. When someone clicks on an influencer’s affiliate link, that interaction is tracked. The affiliate is compensated if the person that clicked converts.

If you’ve ever seen the phrase “link in bio” when referring to a product, you’re likely looking at an affiliate post. Many influencers will also have static affiliate links in their bios through Instagram tools like Linkt.ree.

Screenshot of Instagram influencer marketing linktree example.

Reposting Instagram influencer content

Brands will often supplement their own Instagram content strategy with posts from influencers.

For example, a company might reshare an influencer’s photo shouting a product to their stories feed. Mixed with organic content and customer tags, the influencers’ posts fit in seamlessly.

What are the benefits of Instagram influencer marketing?

So, why are influencer relationships worth the time and effort? Below we highlight the key benefits for brands.

Greater reach and exposure

Brand accounts have been hit hard by the Instagram algorithm when it comes to reach and engagement.

On the flip side, creator accounts are thriving. Influencers often boast some of the most engaged-with posts you can find on Instagram.

But beyond that, also consider that influencers can boost the exposure of brands by introducing them to a larger audience. For example, check out Hero Cosmetics’ 104,000 followers…

 

Screenshot of an Instagram brand bio example.

…and the creator they partnered with that currently has an audience three times that size.

Screenshot of an Instagram influencer marketing bio example.

See how that works? Especially for up-and-coming brands, influencers serve as an alternative to Instagram ads.

Increase social sales

Again, Instagram influencers represent an advertising channel for brands beyond traditional paid posts.

Collaborations, ambassadorships and product gifting can be more cost-effective than conversion-based campaigns.

There are tons of question marks around paid ad targeting. Through Instagram influencers, brands can estimate their promotions’ reach beforehand. This is based on factors like the creators’ audience size and engagement rate.

Consider that 43% of people already follow influencers on Instagram. There’s no denying the correlation between social sales and brand awareness. That’s why featuring creators as part of your funnel supports your sales efforts.

Show off your products in action

If you want to bring your products to life, influencers can make it happen.

This is where the “create” aspect of “content creator” comes into play. For example, skilled influencers understand:

  • Relevant scenarios and applications of your product(s)
  • The real-world struggles, challenges and pain points of your audience
  • How to highlight your brand’s value proposition

Look no further than the beauty industry that’s brimming with talented influencers. From skincare hacks to makeup challenges and beyond, beauty influencers know how to flex their creativity.

Tapping into an influencer’s skillset, you can uncover totally new ways to sell your products.

Humanize your brand

Done right, Instagram influencer marketing can quite literally give your brand a face.

The importance of delivering authenticity can’t be overstated when competition is so fierce on social media. Breaking through the noise means having real people promote your brand and tell your story.

That’s because creators highlight the human element of your business. Again, influencers that reflect your audience know the struggles your customers are facing.

This highlights the popularity of brand ambassador programs right now. After all, who better to speak on your brand’s behalf than someone that legitimately loves your products?

Earn valuable influencer-generated content

Note how user-generated content can be repurposed throughout your marketing funnel. Well, the same applies to influencer-generated content. This includes:

  • Featuring influencer content and reviews on product pages
  • Promoting influencers throughout your content marketing strategy (think: social media, email)
  • Use your influencer content as the basis for an ad campaign

According to Instagram, ads featuring influencers result in higher conversions and brand awareness.

Translation? The value of influencer content goes far beyond a creator’s initial post.

How much does Instagram influencer marketing cost?

The amount you need to budget for Instagram influencer marketing depends on the type of influencers you plan to work with. As you can imagine, nano-influencers and micro-influencers charge less than macro-influencers. The more followers an influencer has, the more they are typically able to charge.

Common rates we see are as follows:

  • Nano-influencers: $10-100 per post
  • Micro-influencers: $100-5,000 per post
  • Macro-influencers: $5,000-10,000 per post

Celebrity influencers can even be seen charging hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars per post. Cristiano Ronaldo, the most followed Instagram user, charges over $3M per sponsored post.

Your required budget will depend on (a) how many influencers you want to work with and (b) what level of influencer you want to partner with. And with 73% of social marketers stating that their influencer marketing budget is shared with their overall social budget, it’s important to make sure that every dollar counts.

How to build an Instagram influencer marketing strategy

Does influencer marketing still work?”

The answer is a resounding “yes!”

But it’s not as simple as getting products into influencers’ hands and expecting results.

There’s a lot of legwork that goes into putting together an influencer marketing campaign. Below are the big-picture basics of what goes into working with influencers on Instagram.

1. Figure out your campaign goals

As it goes with any social media campaign, you need to start by pinpointing your goals. What are you hoping to achieve through your influencer marketing strategy?

Common influencer marketing goals include:

  • Increasing brand awareness
  • Generating sales
  • Improving your brand’s reputation
  • Diving into a new market
  • Increase social media follower count
  • Retaining existing customers
  • Build a library of user-generated content
  • Create social proof
  • Engage your online community

Your influencer marketing campaign can be built to achieve multiple goals. But in order to know who you want to work with, how long you want your campaign to run and what types of content you want your influencers to create, you need to pinpoint your goals.

For example, whether to choose between influencers already in your market vs. influencers in a niche you want to break into, or micro-influencers for higher engagement vs. macro-influencers for a wider reach.

2. Promote products that make sense for Instagram

Reality check: not every product is perfect for Instagram influencer marketing.

The products that tend to pop off are visually striking. There’s a reason why beauty, fashion and fitness brands are crushing it on Instagram. These industries have flashy products that lend themselves to tutorials and showcases.

Recent data also notes that the effectiveness of influencer campaigns is largely tied to demographics. In fact, 75% of users aged 18-24 and 67% of users aged 25-44 follow at least one influencer.. Keep all of the above in mind before going all-in on influencers.

3. Empower your influencers to maximize engagement

Just because someone is an “influencer” doesn’t mean engagement is guaranteed.

It’s really easy to ignore spammy and low-effort influencer posts. The 2022 Sprout Social Index™ says people will overwhelmingly unfollow influencers if they’re too promotional.

This speaks to the importance of vetting creators. Likewise, brands have to provide briefs and instructions that empower them.

It’s a balancing act as you also don’t want to sacrifice your influencers’ creative freedom. Providing a product that your influencers’ audience is actually interested in is perhaps the best thing you can do.

How to measure the ROI of Instagram influencer marketing

Your ROI, or return on investment, is going to differ greatly depending on the goals you set for yourself when you started your campaign. Popular metrics to track include:

  • Views
  • Comments
  • Shares
  • Clicks
  • Sales/conversions
  • Revenue
  • Promo codes used
  • Followers
  • Reach

If you’re looking to generate sales, then conversions, revenue or promo codes used might be your best bet. If you want to improve brand awareness, views, shares and reach will be your go-to metrics.

While it’s always difficult to pin views and reach against overall costs, try to find out how much a new follower or a single engagement tends to be worth to your brand. Do this by looking at your typical engagement rate vs. average social media budget, then put those numbers next to the increase in engagement and the amount you spent on influencer marketing.

How to work with Instagram influencers

You know how to get started on your Instagram influencer marketing strategy. Let’s talk more about how to work with those influencers.

1. Find the right Instagram influencers

As the definition of influencer evolves to include smaller creators, there’s more talent out there than ever before.

This is both a blessing and a curse for brands. There’s a non-zero chance there are relevant influencers that’d be perfect to promote your product. The search can be daunting, though.

So, how do you find the right influencers? A few options include:

  • Manual outreach through DMs and email. Ideally, you can find influencers that already know you and your product. Ask for their influencer media kit and read through it to make sure they’re a good match.
  • Invest in an influencer database or matchmaking service. These third-party tools match your brands with influencers. Most of these platforms are reserved for brands that work with creators on a large scale.
  • Hire a marketing agency. No huge surprises here. There are plenty of agencies that specialize in either reaching out to influencers or tapping into their own network of creators.
  • Use an influencer marketing platform. Tools like Tagger can help with every step of your influencer marketing campaign, from building out a strategy to finding the right influencers. Recently acquired by Sprout, we can help you get started with influencer marketing the right way.

2. Plan a campaign with Instagram influencers

Start working with your influencers to plan out your campaign! This is the fun part—you get to talk creative assets and figure out how you want the posts to go. Or, if you’re busy and prefer not to handle this step, you can always outsource to a full-service influencer marketing agency.

Your plan needs to include information like:

  • Specific products to promote (you should have planned these out in advance so you can provide your influencers with free samples)
  • Timeline for promotion
  • The number of posts (and types of posts—on Instagram, they could go with stories, posts or reels)
  • Overall voice and messaging

You can choose to let your influencer partners have as much or as little freedom with their content as you want; however, make sure their voice still shines through so it sounds authentic. And most importantly, make sure they include a disclaimer that each post is sponsored by your brand to abide by FTC guidelines.

3. Track your results

Like with any other type of campaign, your social media metrics and KPIs matter.

As we mentioned, influencer marketing is often criticized due to its lack of concrete ROI. The reality, though? There’s plenty of data to track on behalf of your influencers. Not to mention KPIs relevant to your business goals. This includes:

  • Engagement rate (ratio of followers to interactions) to gauge your influencers’ level of reach
  • Followers and audience growth
  • Conversions and link clicks (for affiliate campaigns)
  • Reach to understand how many people see your promotions
  • Traffic to see how on-site visitors from influencers behave

And that only scratches the surface!

Tracking all of the above requires coordinating with influencers and keeping a close eye on your own data.

That’s the upside of using an influencer marketing platform like Sprout Social. For example, Sprout’s platform makes it a cinch to monitor engagement metrics and keep a better pulse on campaign performance.

Screenshot of Sprout Social Instagram profile stats and performance.

Does Instagram influencer marketing make sense for your business?

The business impact of influencers on Instagram is clear. Having influencers show off your products and shout you out can build awareness fast. Much quicker than what’s possible organically, anyway.

But there’s no denying the legwork that goes into any given campaign. Brands need to weigh their options when seeking creators to work with.

Want to learn more about what working with creators is like? Make sure to check out our comprehensive guide to Instagram influencers if you haven’t already!

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]]> How to integrate TikTok Shop into your social strategy https://sproutsocial.com/insights/tiktok-shop/ Thu, 09 Nov 2023 15:00:17 +0000 https://sproutsocial.com/insights/?p=178782 TikTok Shop presents a massive opportunity for brands, combining TikTok’s powerful discovery engine (#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt) with in-app e-commerce capabilities to create a new shopping experience Read more...

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]]> TikTok Shop presents a massive opportunity for brands, combining TikTok’s powerful discovery engine (#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt) with in-app e-commerce capabilities to create a new shopping experience (#IBoughtItonTikTok). Still, these new TikTok shopping features come with a learning curve.

For example, you might be wondering how to integrate it into your social strategy in a way that fits the platform and doesn’t overcomplicate your current approach. Or maybe you’re already managing other social media storefronts and you want to know how to add TikTok Shop to the mix.

This article provides an in-depth overview of TikTok Shop and how to make the most of it for your brand by covering the following topics:

Table of contents:

What is TikTok Shop?

TikTok Shop is a suite of e-commerce features that allow brands, merchants, and creators to sell products directly within the TikTok app.

A screenshot of TikTok videos featured under the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt hashtag

From drink tumblers to hair dryers to pickle sweatshirts, you’ve probably heard of at least a few products that became massively popular after going viral on TikTok. This phenomenon even spawned the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt with over 73.3 billion views and a seemingly endless array of promotional videos from brands, influencers and everyday consumers.

With the launch of TikTok Shop, the app is evolving from a product discovery app to an all-in-one marketing and sales platform. Once a product catches a user’s eye, they can buy it in just a few clicks without leaving the app.

TikTok Shop is currently available in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States. The TikTok Shop experience and eligibility requirements also differ for creators, partners, shoppers and sellers.

Keep reading to learn how to use these features as a brand, user or influencer.

TikTok Shop for Creators 

TikTok Shop allows creators to showcase and promote products they love to their community and launch new revenue streams. For example, through TikTok Shop’s Affiliate Program (more on this later), creators can earn a commission from products they promote in videos and livestreams.

TikTok Shop Creator eligibility requirements vary. In the U.K., creators must be located in the country, over 18, have a minimum of 1,000 followers and have posted a video on TikTok in the last 28 days. If you’re in the US, you can start selling via shoppable and livestreams even if you have a new account and zero followers. More information is in the FAQs.

TikTok Shop for Partners 

TikTok Shop Partners provide e-commerce or marketing support to TikTok sellers or creators. For example, TikTok Shop partners might provide services like short-form video production, account onboarding support, content strategy, short video ideation, live shopping moderation and business analysis. To register as a TikTokShop partner, users must create an account, select their category and market, and submit an application.

TikTok Shop for Shoppers 

If you’re a TikTok user based in a country with TikTok Shop, you should have access to the in-app shopping features—no additional registration is required.

TikTok Shop for Sellers 

Brands that want to sell their products using TikTok Shop must complete a four-step application process.

  1. Sign up. Sign up for TikTok Shop using a U.S. phone number and email address.
  2. Complete an application. Verify your identity with a certificate of incorporation, a U.S. passport or a U.S. driver’s license. You also need to provide payment and tax information.
  3. Check your email for confirmation of your approval. The application review time varies but is typically three to five days.
  4. Link your TikTok account to your Shop. Once approved, you’re ready to set up your Shop.

How to set up TikTok Shop

According to TikTok’s Seller University, setting up a TikTok Shop involves the following key steps—shop setup, executing sales and fulfillment.

Shop setup 

You’ll need to provide more company information and documents during this phase. Here are the following key tasks

  • Upload shop documents and legal information
  • Add warehouse and return address
  • Link bank account
  • Select your shipping option (shipped by seller or by platform)
  • Configure shipping template

You may also need to provide product certification and brand authorization at this stage.

Selling and fulfillment 

To list products on your profile, either add them individually, batch upload multiple products or integrate TikTok Shop with your existing e-commerce platform. To fulfill orders, use TikTok’s fulfillment services or handle it yourself. If you go the latter route, you must book a courier and pack and prepare your products for shipping.

Other factors brands need to consider 

Everything you need to set up and manage your TikTok Shop is in the TikTok Shop Seller Center, which you get access to once you’re account is approved. The Seller Center even has a Growth Center where sellers learn to manage their TikTok Shop by completing ‘missions’ and collecting rewards like ad vouchers and commission deductions.

Still, managing a social commerce platform takes a lot of time and effort. There are a lot of different responsibilities involved, such as

  • Inventory management
  • Order tracking and fulfillment
  • Managing returns and refunds
  • Customer service
  • Promotions and ads
  • Influencer and affiliate management
  • Financial reporting
  • Data analysis

TikTok Shop is essentially a digital store, so consider the following questions before you dive in:

  • How will you balance managing your TikTok shop with any other ecommerce sites you have?
  • What resources will you need to cover the various aspects of the retail experience?
  • How will you adapt your ecommerce strategy to fit TikTok’s audience and align with their expectations on the platform?

7 ways to sell with TikTok Shop

TikTok Shop adds even more ways to make money on TikTok. From Home Shopping Network (HSN)-style livestreams to shoppable ads, here are all the different ways to sell with TikTok Shop.

Three phone screenshots showing the LIVE Shopping, Shoppable Video, and Store features of TikTok Shop

In-Feed video 

Include shoppable product tags in your posts so your audience can purchase right from the video.

LIVE shopping 

Like HSN for a new generation, LIVE Shopping allows brands and creators to include shoppable product tags in LIVE videos. Promote, sell and engage with your audience, all in real time.

Product showcase 

Display your entire product line-up or curate custom collections within your in-app Shop. This feature lets your audience browse product tiles, read reviews and purchase directly from a brand’s profile

Shop tab 

This feature enables businesses to display products in a marketplace where customers search and discover promotions. Customers can also view product recommendations and manage orders in the Shop tab.

Affiliate Program 

An alternative to brand partnerships, TikTok creators earn commissions on products they promote in videos and livestreams through the Affiliate Program.

Shop ads 

Promote your TikTok Shops to potential buyers with paid ads. Boost your reach and increase conversions since customers discover and complete purchases in one platform.

Fulfilled by TikTok 

Similar to Amazon, TikTok has fulfillment centers that pick, pack and ship products to customers for sellers.

8 tips for integrating TikTok Shop into your social strategy

Incorporating TikTok Shop into your social media strategy can be exciting but daunting. Most users think of TikTok as an entertainment app, so how do you drive them to your Shop without being too sales-y? From leaning on creators and affiliates to turning viral organic content into ad campaigns, here are some tips to help you make the most of TikTok’s new selling features without exhausting your audience.

Ensure your brand and products fit the platform 

Consumers are still getting used to shopping on TikTok, so purchases are usually lower-cost, low-risk “impulse buys”. TikTok is also a video-first entertainment content platform with a large Gen Z demographic. If you feel you can reach your target demographic on TikTok, and have products that translate well to video and hit the right price point, TikTok Shop could be a great fit for you. But ultimately, you should adopt a test-and-learn approach before diving in headfirst.

Optimize your bio 

TikTok doesn’t give you a lot of characters, so make them count. Clearly describe your brand, include keywords for searchability, use emojis to add personality and end with a strong call-to-action to drive sales.

A screenshot of Fenty Beauty’s TikTok page featuring their profile description. The description reads: “Fenty Beauty by RIHANNA #CrueltyFree Shop the looks!”

Make purchasing instructions crystal clear  

Help your audience get familiar with TikTok Shop. Mention where they can buy, include clear links and explain how people can shop from your store.

Use live sessions to launch new products 

Build hype around new arrivals or collections by hosting a LIVE Shopping event. Show off your latest products and answer questions—all in real time.

An image featuring three screenshots from different TikTok Live Shopping events. The text says Go shopping with Addison Rae, Chase Stokes and Madison Bailey.

Promote your catalog (but not in every video) 

Your audience may get fatigued if all of your content feels like advertising. Keep viewers engaged by posting a mix of promotional and entertaining videos or adding humor to sales-focused content.

Leverage creators and affiliates 

TikTok is a video-first platform, so you’ll need to invest heavily in video creative to establish a presence on the app. Partnering with popular creators and affiliates will lighten your creative load and get your brand in front of a wider audience.

@loveandpebble

“Seriously the only mask I use and trust” -@accutanewithannabelle ❤️🙏🏼 #accutanejourney #skincare #skincaretips #skincareproducts

♬ YONCÉ x BIG POPPA BABY Q – Baby Q💖

Connect your organic and paid strategy 

Brands like Love and Pebble and MySmile have boosted sales by re-using high-performing organic content as creative for paid ad campaigns. Just make sure you get permission from the original creator first if you didn’t create it.

Tap into your existing community 

Use retargeting ad campaigns to bring website visitors to your TikTok Shop. Or use LIVE Shopping to engage your existing TikTok community. For example, skincare brand Glow Hub hosts weekly LIVE Shopping events to showcase products, educate followers and show them how to build a skincare routine.

Upgrade your social strategy with TikTok Shop

TikTok is already a valuable marketing channel. With the launch of TikTok Shop and other platforms like YouTube adding similar shopping features, it’s clear that we’re entering a new social media era—shifting from an awareness play to a full-funnel strategy.

Integrating sales and e-commerce goals into your social media strategy requires research, strategy and cross-functional collaboration. To jump-start the process, we created a tool to guide those initial conversations, define priorities and get everyone on the same page.

Download the Social Commerce Strategy Interview Guide to start building your social commerce strategy.

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]]> The complete guide to TikTok influencer marketing https://sproutsocial.com/insights/tiktok-influencer-marketing/ Thu, 09 Nov 2023 15:00:03 +0000 https://sproutsocial.com/insights/?p=178418 There are over 100,000 TikTok influencers in the United States across a number of different niches. This means that no matter what your business Read more...

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]]> There are over 100,000 TikTok influencers in the United States across a number of different niches. This means that no matter what your business is promoting, there’s likely a slew of influencers available to work with and get your brand name out there.

And why would you want to work with TikTok influencers? Influencer marketing is a powerful marketing strategy that helps you increase brand awareness, build trust in your audience and generate more sales.

Throughout this article, we’re going to discuss how the TikTok platform can be incorporated into your influencer marketing strategy. Let’s dig in.

Table of contents:

Looking to accelerate revenue and grow your brand faster with TikTok influencer marketing? Tagger and Sprout Social together creates true value for you through the alignment and unification of AI-powered influencer marketing and social media management. 

What is TikTok influencer marketing?

TikTok influencer marketing is the act of working with influencers to promote your products and/or services on TikTok. Working with TikTok influencers can help you build your brand and reach an even wider audience.

With TikTok influencer marketing, your influencer partners are the ones creating and sharing the content. This differs widely from traditional TikTok marketing strategies as those revolve around your brand and social media team creating and sharing its own content on your brand account.

While many brands do share the influencer videos on their own accounts as well, the goal of influencer marketing on TikTok is to spread the word about your brand by introducing it to your influencer partners’ audiences.

Why use TikTok influencer marketing?

Why should you incorporate influencer marketing into your TikTok strategy? Working with influencers can get expensive and it takes a lot of time to coordinate. But the influencer marketing ROI can be worth it. Here are three reasons to consider TikTok influencer marketing.

Improve brand engagement on TikTok

Influencers tend to have a much more engaged audience than brands do. It’s the nature of the beast when someone feels like they’re interacting with a person instead of a logo.

However, if an influencer is talking about your product, their followers are likely to start talking about your product in the comments. This can then lead to them finding your brand on TikTok and interacting with your brand’s content—and of course, hopefully making a purchase. Which leads us to our next point.

Increase sales

Influencer marketing can also increase sales. Influencer marketing is a form of social proof, showing potential customers that other people use and enjoy your product. This increases the likelihood that people will be interested in your product, due to a sort of mob mentality.

Plus, TikTok and TikTok Shop make it easy for influencers to lead customers to purchase your products. And with #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt being such a popular meme, TikTok users expect to be influenced. Their wallets are already partially open every time they scroll. And seeing your product on one of their favorite influencers’ feeds can be just the push they need to buy it.

Boost your brand’s authenticity on TikTok

Brand authenticity refers to how genuine or authentic customers believe your brand is. And the influencers you partner with and the content they create surrounding your product or service can help boost your brand’s own authenticity.

Brand authenticity helps potential customers feel closer to a brand, fueling loyalty and retention. Keep this in mind when choosing your influencer partners so that you work with people whose messaging aligns with your brand mission.

How to find the right TikTok influencers for your brand

We just mentioned how important it is to find the right influencers for brand authenticity—but it matters for more than that, too. You need to work with influencers whose audience matches yours and who make sense to promote your brand.

Here are a few ways to help you discover the right TikTok influencers for your brand.

Determine your niche

What niche or industry is your business in? Determining your niche will be a major factor in finding the right influencers. But on TikTok, it comes down to more than that—you also need to determine your subculture.

Subcultures are a major TikTok trend and help users find content they’re interested in. Subcultures tend to have their own hashtag and niche content, like #BookTok (for book lovers), #FoodTok (for recipe creators), #FitTok (for fitness enthusiasts) or #MomsofTikTok (for parents).

If your business fits into one of those, peruse those hashtags and look for influencers within those subcultures. They could be the perfect people to consider working with.

Search for specific topics using keywords

For Gen Z, TikTok doubles as a search engine. In fact, 51% of Gen Z women head to TikTok over Google to make a search. TikTok’s search feature is that sophisticated. Easily input keywords or topics into TikTok’s search to find videos, users, sounds, TikTok Shops, live videos, places and hashtags related to those keywords.

Look at the videos and users that pop up to see if you can find any new influencers. Add them to your list to reach out to.

Review trending hashtags

TikTok hashtags can also be a great way to discover trends. Discover popular hashtags to find influencers hopping on those trends. There are a few different ways to discover new hashtags.

First, keep an eye on your For You page. This is the best place to discover new content. Take a look at the hashtags that are being used and pay attention to recurring tags. Click on them to view even more content using those hashtags.

You can also tap the Search icon in your TikTok app. Find it at the top right corner of your screen. This is where you can search for your keywords we mentioned in the last point, but it’s also where you can see some trending topics.

A screenshot showing the search interface in the TikTok app

Click on different topics under the “You may like” heading to see what types of videos are posted, the hashtags they’re using and if any influencers related to your business are talking about those topics.

Another option is to check out the TikTok Ads Creative Center. Here, you can head to Trends > Hashtags to see the top trending hashtags in your area, or globally.

A screenshot of the TikTok Ads Creative Center

Get info like the number of posts that have been made using that hashtag, the number of views the hashtag has gotten and a simple line chart showing how the hashtag is trending.

Use an influencer marketing tool

Influencer marketing tools can be extremely helpful for finding, reaching out to and partnering with influencers. Upfluence and Collabstr are two influencer marketplaces designed to help brands find the best influencers to work with. Many such marketplaces also offer additional features that enable companies to reach out to these influencers, pay them and set up campaigns all through their marketplace.

If you really want to revolutionize your influencer marketing with data-powered social intelligence, check out Tagger by Sprout Social. Tagger by Sprout Social empowers marketers to drive impactful influencer marketing strategies, enabling you to grow brand presence authentically, engage with new targeted audiences and generate revenue faster.

Check out influencers your competitors are partnering with

Look at the influencers who are working with your competitors. Do this by searching their brand name in the TikTok search feature and checking out the videos that appear in search results.

While you might not want to work with the exact same influencers—unless it’s clear the partnership is over—this can still give you a good idea of the type of influencer who would work well for your campaign.

Work with an agency

Finally, consider working with an agency. TikTok influencer marketing agencies can fully take over the entire process, finding the best influencers (because they’ve worked with them before), drawing up a contract that works for both parties, handling asset creative and campaign details and putting together the final report with campaign results.

Examples of brands using TikTok influencer marketing

Now that you know how to find the right influencers, let’s go over a few real-life TikTok influencer marketing examples. These can show you the type of end video you should expect from working with your influencers.

1. Aerie

Aerie is a clothing brand focusing on undergarments, loungewear and activewear. But their biggest focus is on inclusivity, ensuring people of all shapes and sizes have access to comfortable and well-fitting clothes.

Even clothes that are possible to put on one-handed, as we see in this influencer video below. Influencer Gemma Adby created a video showcasing how easy it is to put on this Aerie-designed bra with just one hand.

TikTok influencer promotes for Liberare

This particular video was actually created specifically for Aerie’s TikTok page. And while that’s one way to manage your influencer marketing, you may also want your influencers to share the content on their page to reach their own audiences.

2. Supergoop

Supergoop is an SPF/sunscreen-based skincare brand. This video below shows an influencer using one of their products while she gets ready.

TikTok influencer promotes supergoop

And yes, while this does also live on the Supergoop website (why not turn your influencer content into user-generated content?), it originated on the influencer’s profile.

3. BEHR

Here’s a more traditional example of an influencer post from paint company BEHR. TikTok influencer Laura Whaley creates skits detailing the different people and personalities that work in a corporate office setting. Because that’s the kind of content that her audience expects from her, it makes sense to work an influencer post in with the same type of skit.

Here, we have a conversation between two of the characters in Laura’s skits where one character tells another the details about a BEHR sweepstakes, causing the other character to envision herself painting her house—using BEHR paint, of course.

Screenshot from TikTok of influencer promoting Behr paint.

This video fits seamlessly in with Laura’s regularly scheduled content, making it a great example of influencer content.

4. Lulus

Lulus is an online clothing company that worked with TikTok influencer Madison Humphrey to create a humorous video about going out. Lulus typically sells dresses and other more formal wear for events or nights out, so this piece of content fits perfectly.

Screenshot of TikTok influencer promoting Lulus.

Plus, they’ve also turned this video into an ad to reach an even wider audience on the platform.

5. Pair Eyewear

Pair Eyewear is an innovative glasses company that have created a pair of magnetic glasses so customers can easily snap on different glasses designs and change up their look. If you’re on TikTok, you likely have heard of Pair Eyewear, because their influencer marketing and advertising campaigns are extensive.

Here’s an example of a humorous video from one of their influencers, Dad Chats.

Screenshot of TikTok influencer promoting Pair Eyewear.

Pair Eyewear relies on both entertaining organic content from their influencers as well as promotional videos they can turn into ads.

Get started with TikTok influencer marketing

Want to get more out of your TikTok influencer marketing? Request a demo and learn more about how you can use Tagger by Sprout Social to make your influencer marketing campaigns come to life.

The post The complete guide to TikTok influencer marketing appeared first on Sprout Social.

]]> Everything you need to know about social media algorithms https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-algorithms/ https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-algorithms/#comments Mon, 30 Oct 2023 15:11:27 +0000 http://sproutsocial.com/insights/?p=99740/ Social media algorithms can be a powerful ally in growing one’s online audience. Think of it as a virtual matchmaker designed to match users Read more...

The post Everything you need to know about social media algorithms appeared first on Sprout Social.

]]> Social media algorithms can be a powerful ally in growing one’s online audience. Think of it as a virtual matchmaker designed to match users with content that suits their interests. Just as matchmakers strive to make meaningful connections, algorithms analyze user behavior, interactions and interests to understand their content preferences and deliver personalized content.

As algorithms continuously evolve and become more complex, social media marketers must embrace change, adapt swiftly and navigate these algorithmic shifts. The best strategy is to stay updated on trends and optimize your social strategy to maximize engagement.

This guide covers everything about social media algorithms, including important factors to watch out for and how to adapt your social media marketing strategies accordingly.

What is a social media algorithm?

An algorithm is a series of instructions designed to solve specific problems, perform tasks or make decisions. In computer programming, algorithms direct the computer’s actions, such as sorting elements, locating data or identifying objects.

In social media, algorithms are rules, signals and data that govern the platform’s operation. These algorithms determine how content is filtered, ranked, selected and recommended to users. In some ways, algorithms influence our choices and what we see on social media.

Why are social media algorithms important?

Every social media platform comprises a mix of users with different preferences. Without a filtering system, users must navigate through a flood of posts, which can be overwhelming.

This is where algorithms come into play. Social media platforms employ sophisticated algorithms as intelligent guides, carefully sorting and matching content to audiences with similar preferences. Understanding the ins and outs of algorithms and why they are important is essential for any social media marketing strategy:

Filter out the content noise

When a new TikTok video or a Facebook post is published, it joins millions of other content pieces online. Algorithms function as librarians, sorting and connecting users with their preferences. This prevents overwhelming users with endless content and helps them find what they like faster. Algorithms enable users to uncover valuable posts, connect with like-minded individuals and explore their interests.

Show users more of what they’re interested in

Social media platforms use sophisticated algorithms to prolong user engagement. These algorithms control content visibility, sequence and recommendations based on user data like actions, behaviors and interests. For instance, if you interact with gadget-related posts, you’ll see more of such content. This personalization improves user engagement and in turn, creates a positive user experience.

Personalize user experience

Today, users have greater control over their content experience. Algorithms leverage data to personalize content recommendations. On platforms like Instagram, you can customize your feed by hiding posts, filtering comments, or selecting “Not interested” to curate your content.

Maximize organic reach

Understanding social media algorithms can boost your online social presence. As more users find your content, the algorithm becomes better at targeting users with similar interests. Creators and marketers can optimize their content for algorithms to leverage its distribution potential. When a post gains high engagement, the algorithm promotes it to a wider audience.

Understanding how social media algorithms work

Understanding how social media algorithms work is like unraveling the intricate threads that govern the digital tapestry of user experiences. These algorithms, like invisible guides, determine the content on our feeds. Let’s explore how social media algorithms function and how social teams can take advantage of it.

Algorithms search for relevant and valuable content

Algorithmic-driven content curation systems such as the Facebook News Feed and Instagram Feed monitor user behavior, interests and actions to recommend relevant content. For instance, if you engage with basketball content, you’ll likely see more of it.

These algorithms aim to refine content suggestions by adapting and learning from user interactions, ensuring content remains relevant.

Signals and important factors social algorithms consider

Algorithms collect user signals to match them with relevant content. Key signals include:

  • User engagement: Likes, shares and comments indicate that users find the content interesting and relevant.
  • Relevance: Keywords and hashtags give content context and improve its visibility.
  • Timing and frequency: Posting consistently and at the right time when your audience is active can boost visibility.
  • Recency: Newer posts are prioritized over older ones.
  • User interactions: Accounts followed, interactions and click-through rates on links signals relevance and content quality.
  • Profile authority: Follower count, consistency and engagement impact organic reach.
  • Location: Algorithms take into account the location and demographics of users when curating content. Content may be promoted to users in similar locations.
  • Content type: Different content types, like videos, images and text, are treated based on user interaction. Many platforms favor videos because they’re more engaging.
  • Virality: Content gaining popularity and shares signals relevance to the algorithm.
  • Watch time: This is the duration users spends watching videos (IG Reel, YouTube Shorts)

Social media algorithm example

If you use any social media platforms, there’s a huge chance that you’ve come in contact with the algorithm in play. Here are some examples you might have missed.

  1. Twitter shows content based on the keywords users follow. For example, I follow the “SEO” keyword, and X (formerly known as Twitter) recommends posts with the keyword on my Explore page.
    Screenshot of a Tweet that shows a recommend post on the Explore page with a keyword tag.
  2. LinkedIn’s algorithm shows content that my 1st-degree connections are engaging with. In this post, for example, over 313 of my 1st-degree connections follow this account, so LinkedIn prioritizes the sponsored post on my Feed.
    Screenshot of a LinkedIn post that is recommended to a user because many 1st-degree connections follow the page.
  3. LinkedIn suggests content for users with similar keywords. I love reading about social media and content marketing on LinkedIn, so it’s no surprise they push this content type my way.
    Screenshot of a LinkedIn post that is suggested to a user.
  4. Twitter suggests accounts to follow based on the content they post and what you’ve liked.
    Screenshot of a list of suggested Creators for a Twitter user.

Social media algorithms by platform

Every social media platform has its unique algorithm for content curation and display. These platforms look for specific ranking signals to discern user preferences. Let’s explore some social media platforms and their platform-specific rank signals to keep in mind.

Twitter algorithm

The Twitter algorithm is an AI-powered algorithm designed to curate content based on the user’s interests, preferences and past interactions rather than chronologically. According to Twitter, their algorithm looks through about 500 million daily Tweets to display only relevant ones on your timeline.

In 2023, the updated Twitter algorithm considers:

  • Location and language: Twitter shows you content based on your location, especially in their “Trends for You” section.
  • User interactions: Content is recommended based on your activity, including who you follow and interact with.
  • Engagement level: Tweet popularity is determined by user engagement metrics such as likes, Retweets and replies.
  • Relevancy: The relevance of a Tweet is based on the keywords used, the user’s interests and previous interactions.
  • Recency: Recent Tweets hold importance, especially in the “Trending Topics” and “What’s Happening” sections.
  • Profile Reputation Score: Active profiles engaging with others gain higher visibility; Twitter also uses TweetCred, a PageRank algorithm, to rate a profile’s credibility based on its followers, past activities, safety status and device usage.
  • Similar accounts: Profiles are categorized based on the niche or topic discussed.

Facebook algorithm

With over 2 billion active users, Facebook is the largest social media platform yet. To moderate content on the platform, Facebook employs several algorithms to determine what content users will find interesting. The updated algorithm considers:

  • Timing: Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes timing as a key signal for ranking content in user’s feeds.
  • Demographics: The user’s location, language and gender can help predict their content preferences.
  • Account credibility: The algorithm ranks accounts with credibility, a strong following, and engaging content.
  • Content type: Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes the type of posts users engage with most. So, users who watch more videos will get more video content.
  • Relevance: Posts with similar keywords or hashtags are recommended to users with shared interests.
  • Engagement levels: High engagement, including comments, shares and likes, indicates quality content and since Facebook is all about creating meaningful posts, it ranks it higher.
  • Facebook connections: Content from the accounts you follow is prioritized over those you don’t follow.

Facebook’s algorithm combines these signals to give the post a relevancy score, which predicts how likely a user is to interact with a post.

Instagram algorithm

Instagram’s algorithm is one of the most diverse social media platforms. According to Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri, Instagram is divided into 5 sections: Feed, Stories, Explore, Reels, Search. Each section uses algorithms, classifiers and processes to tailor content recommendations based on user behavior.

Instagram Feed

Your Instagram feed is a mix of content from accounts you follow, similar profiles you’re likely to enjoy and personalized ads. In the feed, posts are ranked based on several signals:

  • Post recency: Recent posts from accounts take priority, appearing before older ones.
    Screenshot of an in-feed Instagram post by Krispy Kreme Nigeria that was posted "15 minutes ago."
  • People you follow: Posts from those you follow appear organically on your feed. For creators, this means having more followers increases your visibility.
  • User activity: Posts you’ve liked, shared, saved or commented on convey your content preferences.
  • Content type: Users who prefer photos will see more photos. The same goes for videos and carousels.
    [IMAGE]
  • Post information: Posts with many likes, shares, comments and saves signal relevance to users with similar interests or locations.
  • Interaction history: Your interactions with an account’s posts and frequency influence the appearance of their content in your feed.

Instagram Stories

Stories is an in-app feature that allows users to post photos or videos that disappear after 24 hours. Here’s what it looks like:

Screenshot of an series of Instagram Story bubbles.

The ranking factors for stories are quite similar to those of the IG Feed. Stories use engagement signals such as:

  • Viewing history: Frequently viewing an account’s stories would result in its prioritization.
  • Engagement history: Liking or responding to stories is an engagement metric that impacts story rankings.
  • Closeness: The algorithm considers your relationship with the story’s creator, including mutual follows, shared locations, and DM interactions.

Instagram Explore

Explore simplifies the discovery of new posts without needing active search. Here’s what it looks like on Instagram:

Screenshot of three different Instagram Explore feeds placed side-by-side.

The grid comprises content recommendations from accounts you don’t follow but Instagram believes you might enjoy. Signals Instagram considers include:

  • User’s past interaction: Content is ranked based on previous engagements with posts.
  • Post popularity: The number of likes, comments, shares, and saves influences visibility.
  • User’s explore activity: history of a user’s interaction on the Explore page, including liked posts and similar content.
  • Account information: the frequency of interaction with the account in the past few weeks.

Instagram Reels

Reels are designed for users to explore new content from accounts they don’t follow, similar to Explore. Key signals for Reels content include:

  • User’s activity: Recent interactions with Reels, such as likes, saves, shares, comments, and engagement.
  • Interaction history: Your interaction history with accounts, even if you don’t follow them.
  • Relevance: The content’s relevance is determined by popularity signals like likes, saves, and comments.
  • Account information: An account’s popularity, including follower count and engagement level, informs content recommendation.

TikTok algorithm

TikTok’s algorithm is a recommendation system designed to curate the For You Feed for each user considering the following signals:

  • User interactions: Your likes, views, shares, comments, searches, and interactions with accounts shape your feed.
    Accounts you follow or suggested for you
  • Location: Recent and popular content in your region impacts your feed.
  • Video details: TikTok uses video quality, captions, sounds or hashtags to recommend content.
  • Device and account settings: This includes the language, device type and country.
  • Watch time: The number of replays and completed videos influences your feed.

YouTube algorithm

YouTube’s algorithm considers many signals to rank videos on its homepage, including:

  • Video performance: YouTube video performance is measured in terms of engagement metrics such as likes, shares and comments.
  • Click-through rate: YouTube’s algorithm assesses the likelihood of user interaction with a video to recommend it to other users.
  • Watch time and retention: Videos with longer watch time indicate quality content that retains viewer attention.
  • Recency: Newer videos are promoted to subscribers who interact with the channel.
  • User watch history and actions: Video watch time and post-interaction actions, like liking and commenting, signal relevance to the algorithm.
  • Search history: What has the user searched for? Is it a recurring search?
  • Demographics and location: Videos uploaded by creators in a particular location are pushed to local viewers before broader promotion.

LinkedIn algorithm

LinkedIn’s algorithm uses several ranking signals that contribute to the success of a post on the platform. Here are some to watch out for:

  • Quality over quantity: LinkedIn’s algorithm filters posts into three categories: spam, low-quality and high-quality.
  • Relevance: The algorithm assesses post relevance based on keywords, hashtags, and comments.
  • Engagement probability: LinkedIn uses machine learning models to predict post engagement, especially within the first hour.
  • Personal connections: LinkedIn’s algorithm prioritizes posts from your 1st-degree connections and those you engage with.
  • Consistency: The algorithm rewards pages that post regularly with increased visibility.
  • Credibility: Author expertise, insightful content and meaningful comments enhance post ranking.
  • Recency: Recent posts hold significance for LinkedIn’s algorithm.
  • Content type: The algorithm loves short-form videos and well-structured long-form content.

Pinterest algorithm

The Pinterest algorithm ranks content using key ranking signals such as:

  • Topic relevance: Keywords, hashtags, and user interactions determine content relevance to users.
  • Pin quality: Your pin’s level of engagement, such as likes, saves and comments defines pin quality.
  • Domain quality: Website safety and visitor engagement impact Pinterest rankings. If visitors feel safe on your website, Pinterest ranks your content highly.
  • Account quality: Pinterest assesses your account credibility and posting consistency as a ranking signal. If you’re considering Pinterest marketing, then ensure your account is on the good side.
  • Recency: The algorithm considers how recently a pin was published and how recently it was updated.

Reddit algorithm

Reddit’s algorithm is designed to rank content based on what’s Hot and Best, guided by key signals like:

  • The number of upvotes, downvotes and total votes it gets. Reddit uses votes as a signal to determine post relevance.
  • Recent posts gain more traction and visibility. If you’re marketing on Reddit, ensure you consistently post valuable content.
  • The types of comments it gets. For example, a comment with nine up-votes and two down-votes will rank higher than a comment with one-up votes and no-down votes.

Tumblr algorithm

If you use Tumblr for marketing, here are some signals to watch out for:

  • User interaction: Tumblr considers likes, reblogs, comments and follows to expand content reach to a broader audience.
  • Post content: The algorithm uses tags, text, images and multimedia to understand the post context and make recommendations.
  • Post timing: Newer posts receive higher visibility and are prioritized over older ones.
  • User preference: Past user interactions, content engagement and followed blogs influence content recommendations.

10 tips for staying ahead of the algorithm and optimizing your content

To stay ahead of the algorithm and leverage its potential for business growth, you must understand how it works and its governing rules. Through trial and error, we’ve learned several ever-green principles to help you stay ahead of the algorithm.

1. Ask questions and encourage comments from your audience

Social media algorithms favor highly engaging content with tons of comments, shares and likes. More engagement equals better chances of going viral. To encourage comments, ask questions that resonate with your audience. Ask their take on trending topics or go bold with thought-provoking inquiries to spark conversations.

Screenshot of Instagram's official Twitter account Tweeting a question to their audience.

While a question-based CTA is great for encouraging conversations, doing it right is what matters. Avoid controversial or offensive questions to foster positive discussion.

Screenshot of a LinkedIn post that uses a strong question CTA to draw engagement.

2. Tag other accounts in your posts

Tagging on social media involves mentioning someone by their username (or handle) in a post, comment or image, creating a clickable link to their profile. For example, a fashion curation account on Instagram may post several looks and tag the content creators or designers.

Tagging accounts in your posts boosts collaboration, brand exposure and visibility. On platforms like Instagram, tagging someone in a picture gets it featured in their “Photos of You” section, expanding your reach to their followers.

It’s good practice to reach out to accounts you tag and explain why before doing so. Ensure you have an established relationship with the account and, more importantly, that the post is relevant to the audience.

3. Tack on the right hashtags and keywords

Hashtags categorize posts and boost post discoverability to a wider audience.

Screenshot of a LinkedIn post that uses hashtags to draw engagement.

Use hashtags strategically; don’t go overboard. Stick to 3-5 hashtags to avoid overwhelming your audience and hurting visibility. Also, skip overly saturated hashtags and opt for focused ones. For example, rather than using hashtags like #InteriorDesign with 175M posts on Instagram, substitute for a smaller hashtag like #InteriorDesignTrends with 484,000 posts.

Screenshot of a list of Instagram hashtags that relate to Interior Design and the different hashtag post volume.

To find hashtags, use the autocomplete function on the social media platform you’re posting on. A better way is to use a social media management tool like Sprout Social. With Sprout, you can use social listening to monitor trending hashtags and select the best ones for your brand based on performance, sentiment and demographics.

Sprout Social Twitter Analytics Report with most popular topics and hashtags

4. Optimize your post timing to encourage engagement

When you post matters as much as what you post. Timing is a key ranking signal for many algorithms to rank a post. This means that a high-quality post, created for a defined audience, can underperform if posted at the wrong time.

The best posting times vary based on your audience, industry and platform, but generally, aim to post when your audience is online for maximum visibility and interaction. In our research, we found that the best time to post on social media generally is between 9 a.m. to noon.

Data chart showing the best times to post on social media during the weekdays, according to Sprout Social data.

Using Sprout’s ViralPost® takes out the guesswork about the best time to post for your industry. ViralPost analyzes your individual audience data and suggests optimal timing for each social platform you use.

Screenshot of Sprout Social dashboard publishing calendar and compose box with the Optimal Send Times feature highlighted.

5. Figure out your publishing frequency

There’s no universal answer to how often you should post on social media. It depends on several factors, but one thing is certain: Growing on social media requires consistency. Instagram’s algorithm, for example, prioritizes the recency of a post as a key signal for ranking content.

A personal philosophy is to post only when the content is relevant to avoid overwhelming your followers. Use a social media calendar to plan your content and schedule your posts to stay organized. Sprout Social gives you the flexibility of planning and streamlining your workflow without much hassle.

A screenshot of Sprout Social's monthly Publishing Calendar that demonstrates an at-a-glance view of a campaign.

6. Publish more video content across all networks

Video outperforms text-based content on social media platforms because it’s easier to understand, conveys messages quickly and adds a personal touch.

When creating a social media video marketing strategy, creativity is key. Share behind-the-footage of your product, create how-to videos or share an office tour with your audience—find your best mix of content. Make it exciting and engaging to watch, so your audience has a reason to stay.

Optimize schedule, and promote your video using a management tool like Sprout. For example, Sprout’s YouTube publishing options let you fine-tune categories, playlists, privacy settings and thumbnails. Manage and schedule your posts conveniently from your social media calendar for optimal timing.

A screenshot of Sprout's compose window where you can write and schedule posts right from your content calendar.

7. Craft relevant and engaging captions

One principle that stands the test of algorithmic changes is creating content that’s highly relevant to your audience. Social media platforms prioritize engaging, high-quality content that elicits positive reactions.

Creating engaging captions depends on your audience and the platform, which guides posting times and content choices. For example, while long-form captions work for LinkedIn’s professional audience, shorter captions work best on Instagram. It’s best to test and learn.

Screenshot of a LinkedIn post that is a longer caption organized with bullet points, emojis and a strong CTA.

Start your post with a strong hook. Aim to educate, entertain, promote or interact with your audience. Be concise, provide value and avoid unnecessary jargon. Conclude with a call-to-action (CTA) encouraging reader interaction.

Test multiple content types—videos, text or images—to determine what resonates with your audience and track the social metrics (think: impressions, clicks and views) to identify top-performing posts.

8. Experiment with different types of content (template)

If there’s one thing for certain, it’s that there is no absolute when it comes to what is successful on social media; it all depends on what works for your audience. Experiment with different types of content, like videos, photos or live streams, to see what resonates with your audience. In our recent Content Benchmark Report, we found that consumers found short-form videos the most engaging.

linkedin most engaging types of in-feed social content comparison table

Run A/B tests on your content types at different times and track the analytics for engagement using Sprout analytic and reporting tools. Once you find the right combination, replicate its success. Stay creative and remain open to exploring other content types.

Screenshot of the Sprout Social Post Performance Report showcasing impressions, potential reach, engagement and engagement rates of each post across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

9. Measure performance

Don’t forget to monitor your content’s performance. Define clear goals and KPIs aligned with your business objectives. Ensure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable and relevant to your business’s objectives.

Track common metrics like reach, impressions, engagements, likes, shares and mentions. Use Sprout’s analytics feature to track metrics in real-time and generate reports.

A screenshot of Sprout's TikTok Performance Report that demonstrates the number of published posts, views and engagements from one TikTok account.

10. Embrace new features

Embrace newly released features to showcase your creativity and adaptability. Platforms reward creators who experiment with their new features. They want more people to use these new features, so early adopters are often rewarded with higher visibility.

AI’s role in social media algorithms

The fact is, without AI, social media wouldn’t exist in the first place. AI has played a significant role in developing and curating algorithms to learn about users and make deliberate decisions based on the collected data.

Here are some ways AI plays a role in social media algorithms:

1. Flagging of misinformation and fake news

Social media platforms use AI to detect fake news and filter out offensive, harmful and disrespectful content. For instance, Twitter uses machine-learning models, AI-driven algorithms, user reporting and human moderation teams to identify and flag misinformation. The algorithm analyzes the tweet content and account history to fact-check the accuracy of the information shared.

2. Moderate content for user safety

It’s fair to say that social media can be unpleasant due to trolls who engage in offensive behavior, such as making hateful comments and, in worse situations, harassment.

To maintain quality discussions, platforms employ content moderation tools to identify suspicious posts and comments. For instance, Reddit uses machine learning models to spot suspicious comments, which are further reviewed by human moderators. Likewise, Facebook uses an AI tool to detect abuse and fraud in posts, images and videos, with human reviewers stepping in when needed.

3. Personalize content delivery

AI-driven algorithms segment users based on explicit (follows and likes) and implicit (video-watching time) details to personalize content recommendations. Users can select preferred keywords, follow hashtags or hide inappropriate words in their Feeds and DMs.

User data, including feedback, actions and behavior informs content recommendations and suggests related posts with similar keywords.

Machine learning-based smart search engine flowchart
Source

4. Provide real-time analytics

AI algorithms have the capacity to collect, process and analyze data as soon as it is generated. Platforms like Facebook, which records billions of daily users, use generative AI for rapid predictions, understanding user relationships and addressing security issues in real time.

When users log into Facebook, the AI algorithm immediately tracks their in-app behavior, including user engagement, content performance and trending topics, to offer personalized recommendations.

Start mastering the algorithms

The key to winning with algorithms is understanding how they work. Understand the best practices for satisfying the algorithm and you’ll be on your way to increasing your engagement and growing your audience base.

If you want to learn more about how businesses are harnessing social media for growth, read our report on The 2023 State of Social Media: AI & Data Take Center Stage.

The post Everything you need to know about social media algorithms appeared first on Sprout Social.

]]> https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-algorithms/feed/ 2 Best LinkedIn analytics tools to maximize your marketing https://sproutsocial.com/insights/linkedin-analytics-tools/ Tue, 24 Oct 2023 13:30:58 +0000 https://sproutsocial.com/insights/?p=178237 If you want to make LinkedIn work for your business, you need to keep a close eye on your performance to see where you Read more...

The post Best LinkedIn analytics tools to maximize your marketing appeared first on Sprout Social.

]]> If you want to make LinkedIn work for your business, you need to keep a close eye on your performance to see where you stand and how you can improve. This is where social media analytics for LinkedIn comes in. The right tool will show you what resonates with your audience. These valuable insights can enhance your strategic approach, enabling you to more effectively connect with your target audience.

But with a market that’s flooded with options, you may have a hard time choosing the best LinkedIn analytics tool for your business. This post helps you narrow down your options and provides you with a list of the top choices. Let’s take a look.

Why do you need a LinkedIn analytics tool?

LinkedIn analytics refer to a set of metrics used for measuring how your Page and posts are performing on the platform. LinkedIn analytics tools help you keep track of those metrics and understand the effectiveness of your strategy.

According to the latest LinkedIn stats, the platform is the most effective channel for generating B2B leads. However, those leads don’t appear out of nowhere. You need to actively work on producing content that would attract your target audience and turn them into valuable leads.

With the help of a LinkedIn analytics tool, you can get key insights into your audience and better understand how to engage them. You’ll be able to see what types of content resonate with the audience, what information they’re seeking out and so on. This helps you strengthen your strategy to make more effective use of LinkedIn for your business.

Which LinkedIn analytics tool is the best and why?

The native LinkedIn analytics tool offers a range of essential insights into your Page performance. But if you need to dig a little deeper than that, you should consider using a third-party tool. Ideally, these tools should offer data-backed suggestions on how to improve your performance. This includes suggestions such as the top content types and the best times to post on LinkedIn.

The best LinkedIn analytics tool for your business depends on your unique needs and operation size. For example, agency users would want a tool that lets them generate multiple client reports.

At the bare minimum, the tool should let you track key performance metrics for your LinkedIn Business Page. This includes follower and visitor metrics, update metrics, profile metrics and lead metrics. Additionally, you should be able to measure your standing in the competitive landscape. Some tools even let you track metrics related to LinkedIn employee advocacy.

Beyond these basics, you can look for an analytics tool that supports other aspects of your LinkedIn strategy. For example, if you’re running LinkedIn ads, you need a tool that keeps track of your paid campaigns.

Keeping this in mind, here are 12 of the best LinkedIn analytics tools in the market to help you make the right choice.

1.     Sprout Social

Sprout Social LinkedIn Analytics

Sprout Social’s powerful LinkedIn analytics features put it at the top of our list. The platform gives you a comprehensive look into your LinkedIn performance through key metrics.

What makes Sprout stand out is the ability to help you visualize your LinkedIn data, making it easier to analyze your performance.

An overview of your LinkedIn Page performance helps you understand your Page growth over time. The Performance Summary shows you changes in impressions, engagements and post link clicks. And the Audience Growth chart helps you visualize the number of followers gained or lost over time in a color-coded graph.

For more in-depth insights, Sprout breaks down your performance at the post-level. So you can understand what resonates with your audience based on engagement rates and content types. This informs your LinkedIn strategy by helping you develop more effective content.

Meanwhile, the Paid Performance Report shows you how your LinkedIn ads are performing. This reveals paid metrics such as ad spend, impressions, engagements, clicks and web conversions. You can really drill down on specific campaigns and ads to identify your top-performing ones.

Beyond this, Sprout offers the following key LinkedIn analytics features:

  • Tag Performance Report to analyze volume and performance patterns of tagged messages
  • Competitor Report for advanced social media competitive analysis
  • Inbox Team Report and Case Performance Report to measure the productivity of teams and individual members

Pricing: Starts at $249 per month

Free trial: 30 days

2.     Keyhole

keyhole homepage showing a preview of a profile analytics for starbucks coffee and text that reads "unlock social media insights without the manual grind"

Keyhole offers a powerful Profile Analytics tool to measure your LinkedIn performance. The dashboard gives you a summary of your activity and performance during a given time period. You can keep track of the number of posts, engagement rate and average likes per post during this period.

The tool helps you visualize your post performance with a chart depicting the timeline of posts and engagements received. You can access comprehensive analytics to compare your performance against the competition. The dashboard lets you benchmark your account size, engagements, share of voice and sentiment against theirs.

One of the main highlights of Keyhole is the data-backed suggestions on how to optimize your performance. It gives you recommendations on the best time to post and optimal post length to grow your social media engagements.

Pricing: Starts at $99 per month

Free trial: Limited to 3 account trackers and a sample of historical data

3.     SocialPilot

socialpilot homepage showing a cartoon character pointing to a graph next to text that reads "everything you need to hit your social media marketing goals"

SocialPilot provides you with detailed insights to see which LinkedIn posts are the most visible and engaging. This helps you fine-tune your content strategy and get more out of LinkedIn marketing.

You can access comprehensive audience insights to research trends in reach and growth patterns. SocialPilot even shows your most active fans so you can amplify their voice for better brand advocacy.

Pricing: Starts at $30 per month

Free trial: 14 days

4.     SocialInsider

socialinsider homepage showing text that reads "social media insights and data for the most impactful brands"

SocialInsider offers a powerful analytics tool for LinkedIn. It lets you track your engagement evolution along with vital metrics such as reach and impressions. This gives you an idea of your most impactful strategies so you can optimize your content mix for greater results.

The tool comes with competitor analysis features to see how you stack up. You can keep track of your competitors’ follower growth, engagement rate and campaign performance from this tool.

SocialInsider provides detailed post analytics insights to inform your social media content strategy. These insights help you understand optimal caption lengths, hashtags and content formats. You can then optimize your posts for performance based on this information.

Pricing: Starts at $149 per month

Free trial: 14 days

5.     Brand24

brand24 homepage showing text that reads "measure your brand awareness" with a preview of the tool below

Brand24 is an analytics tool with a focus on social listening insights. It lets you measure brand awareness and presence through brand mentions. These insights help you assess the impact of your latest LinkedIn efforts on improving reach and brand awareness.

You can use the tool to analyze sentiment and understand how people feel about your brand. This gives you an idea of what they like or dislike so you can fine-tune LinkedIn strategy accordingly.

Brand24 helps you measure the effectiveness of your campaign with hashtag analytics. Beyond hashtag volume, it keeps track of metrics such as reach and engagement. This paints a clearer picture of how your campaign hashtags are performing.

Pricing: Starts at $99 per month

Free trial: 14 days

6.     Social Status

social status homepage with a sample analysis next to text that reads "#1 social media analytics tool"

Social Status is a full funnel LinkedIn analytics tool. It lets you track top-of-funnel metrics such as reach and impressions. You can measure middle-of-funnel metrics like video views and engagements. Plus, it shows you the effectiveness of your LinkedIn efforts through bottom-of-funnel link clicks.

The Content Feed gives you a comprehensive look at your post performance metrics. This helps you visualize the type of content that makes an impact with your target audience.

Pricing: Starts at $9 per month

Free trial: 14 days

7.     RivalIQ

rival IQ homepage with a preview of the dashboard next to text that reads "powerful social media analytics. No data scientist required."

RivalIQ gives you comprehensive insights into your LinkedIn post performance. You can easily identify your top-performing posts and replicate them for your content strategy. It helps you visualize how your posts are performing by post times. This allows you to optimize your publishing strategy to target optimal post times.

This LinkedIn analytics tool lets you measure hashtag performance by activity and engagement. You can then use these insights to inform your hashtag strategy and maximize your LinkedIn reach.

Pricing: Starts at $239 per month

Free trial: 14 days

8.     DrumUp

Drum Up homepage showing text that reads "schedule perfectly curated content to keep your brand top-of-mind"

DrumUp is a social media management tool that offers comprehensive LinkedIn analytics. It lets you track key performance metrics such as shares, comments and clicks. This paints a clear picture of the types of content that works for your brand so you can fine-tune your strategy.

You can use smart filters to perform a deep-dive analysis and quickly identify your top-performing content. Plus, you can easily spot trends by tracking changes in engagement metrics.

Pricing: Starts at $15 per month

Free trial: 14 days

9.     Iconosquare

iconosquare homepage showing a 3D rendering of the brand logo next to text that reads "make your life as a social media marketer way easier"

Iconosquare is one of the most comprehensive LinkedIn analytics tools in the market. It gives you engagement insights so you can track how they correlate to your content efforts. You can then refine your strategy to boost engagement and improve your brand presence.

The tool helps you visualize your community growth on LinkedIn. It gives you a detailed breakdown of your audience demographics. So you can optimize your efforts according to where they are and what languages they speak.

Pricing: Starts at $49 per month

Free trial: 14 days

10.  Talkwater

talkwater homepage with a man smiling and a sample graph in front of him next to text that reads "make consumer centric decisions in real time with actionable insights"

Talkwater comes with powerful analytics for audience insights and social benchmarking. Additionally, it offers tools for media monitoring, customer feedback analytics and social listening. It lets you measure your competitors’ social media performance and analyze where you stand. This helps you identify areas for improvement and opportunities to capitalize on.

This analytics tool provides comprehensive audience insights to inform your targeting efforts. You can use it to discover new audiences and uncover prospects that are ripe for purchase.

Pricing: On request

Free trial: No info available

11.  Inlytics

Inlytics homepage with text that reads "LinkedIn analytics. Optimize your content performance and grow your influence"

Inlytics is an analytics and scheduling tool specifically designed for LinkedIn. It provides you with real-time and historic visualizations of your content performance. You can use it to track metrics such as impressions, reactions, comments and engagement rates.

One of the most useful features is the Profile Improvement Recommendations. You can get actionable suggestions on how to optimize your profile and improve visibility. Plus, your audience engagement insights will help you understand your audience better. This will then inform how to optimize your content to better resonate with them.

Pricing: Starts at $12.50 per month

Free trial: Free plan with limited analytics

12.  Hootsuite

hootsuite homepage showing a smiling woman surrounded by graphic representations of metrics and features next to text that reads "save time and get REAL results on social media. Hootsuite makes it easy."

Hootsuite offers advanced analytics to measure the return on your LinkedIn marketing strategy. This lets you visualize your organic and paid metrics in a single dashboard. So you can better understand how your organic content efforts and your ad campaigns are paying off. It shows you your top-performing posts and best times to post to help you optimize your strategy.

The tool provides you with reports that compare your LinkedIn performance against that of your competitors. These insights can inform how to duplicate their success and leverage missed opportunities.

Pricing: Starts at $99 per month

Free trial: 30 days

Which LinkedIn analytics tool will you choose?

When choosing the best LinkedIn analytics tool for your business, it’s important to clearly assess your needs and budget. This will help you narrow down the features that are important to you and the ones you can sacrifice.

If you’re marketing on other social media platforms, make sure to look for a tool that provides analytics for those other channels as well. This will streamline your social media analytics efforts so you don’t have to switch between multiple tools. Learn more about the top social media analytics tools that offer analytics for LinkedIn.

The post Best LinkedIn analytics tools to maximize your marketing appeared first on Sprout Social.

]]> SMS marketing 101: What is SMS Marketing (+ examples) https://sproutsocial.com/insights/sms-marketing/ Mon, 23 Oct 2023 19:09:12 +0000 https://sproutsocial.com/insights/?p=161094/ Everyone reading this has something in common: you all own mobile phones. So do all your prospective and current customers. With over 6.71 billion Read more...

The post SMS marketing 101: What is SMS Marketing (+ examples) appeared first on Sprout Social.

]]> Everyone reading this has something in common: you all own mobile phones. So do all your prospective and current customers. With over 6.71 billion people already using mobile phones, there’s no doubt this is one of the best ways to spread the word about your business. SMS marketing is here to stay, and with a few insights, you’ll discover how to use this to improve your digital marketing efforts.

In this article, we’ll discuss SMS marketing, including the types, benefits, best practices to follow and examples of marketing strategies that will take you ahead of your competitors.

What is SMS marketing?

SMS marketing (or text marketing) is a form of mobile marketing that allows businesses to send text messages to customers and prospects. This involves using a short message service (SMS) to send messages like promotional offers, discounts, appointment reminders and shipping notifications.

SMS marketing has many advantages over other marketing strategies, such as email marketing. One advantage to SMS marketing is a 98% average open rate, which is 5x that of email (20%), meaning there’s a higher chance your audience will see your text message than your email. SMS marketing also boasts a 9.18% click-through rate compared to email’s 2.5%.

SMS marketing is a great way to reach your target audience with a concise and clear message. You can use it to inform your customers about a weekend sale or promotion and advertise your business with a higher chance of receipt and action.

Types of SMS text marketing campaigns

There are many types of SMS marketing campaigns, from simple to complex. Here are three of the most effective forms:

1. Promotional SMS marketing campaigns

Promotional SMS marketing campaigns are designed to generate interest in a product or service. They can include discounts, coupons and other special offers. Everyone loves an incentive, and freebies have always been a great way to grab attention and drive more people to your store. This works even better with a compelling call to action (CTA).

Take a look at this SMS marketing example from Jenni Kayne, a fashion brand featuring a personalized coupon code and a direct link to their shop page.

Screenshot of an SMS marketing text from brand Jenni Kayne offering the subscriber 20% off with a code for subscribing to texts.

2. Transactional SMS marketing campaigns

Transactional SMS marketing messages are sent in response to an event or action. These campaigns offer time-sensitive information to the customer, such as appointment reminders, shipping notifications, password resets, or product releases. Because these messages are timely and relevant, they have a high open rate and can effectively drive conversions.

An example of a transactional SMS campaign is an order confirmation from an e-commerce purchase. Here’s an example from Baking Steel that includes order confirmation, tracking information and an unsubscribe option.

Screenshot of an SMS marketing text from brand Baking Steel providing order details and updates to the text subscriber.

3. Conversational SMS marketing campaigns

The major difference between conversational SMS marketing and other conventional SMS marketing methods is that it involves text responses as prompts. This two-way SMS marketing campaign mimics human conversations, with automated back-and-forth responses between your brand and the customer.

Conversational SMS blends natural language processing for lifelike digital chats, combining human agents and automated texts for effective customer engagement and retention.

Benefits of SMS marketing

With 7.3 billion people estimated to have smartphones by 2026, wouldn’t you rather use this to reach your target audience? Here are five benefits of SMS marketing:

1. Reach customers faster

If you have time-sensitive information to share, SMS is the right medium, as 95% of text messages are opened within three minutes of receipt. For example, if you’re running a limited-time offer, you can use SMS to inform your customers.

2. Increase response rates

Unlike other marketing channels, SMS allows you to reach customers directly on their mobile devices, and customers are 134% more likely to respond to an SMS than an email. Because text messages have a much higher response rate, they can keep your customers engaged with your SMS marketing and open opportunities for further offers.

3. Complement other marketing channels

While an SMS marketing strategy is strong on its own, it can also be used to enhance other marketing channels. For example, you could use SMS to promote a contest or sale on social media or increase your email newsletter subscribers. You could also use SMS to remind customers of an upcoming event or webinar to increase signups.

4. Build customer loyalty

SMS marketing can help you build customer loyalty by sending personalized messages and offers to individuals. This is a great way to make your customers feel valued and increase their chances of returning to your business.

5. Increase revenue

SMS marketing platforms can boost revenue by driving traffic to your store or website. You can use SMS messages to promote special sales and events and remind customers to complete their cart purchases. This mobile commerce approach takes advantage of the accessible nature of texts and seamlessly integrates into your brand’s marketing efforts.

6 SMS marketing best practices to follow

Now that we’ve gone over how to do SMS marketing for your business, let’s look at some best practices to get the most out of your campaigns.

1. Only send texts to those who opted in

Only send texts to those who have permitted you to do so. The best way to do this is to include an opt-in form on your website or other online channels.

Even if you have an opt-in, it’s a good idea to send an initial text thanking a new subscriber and asking them to confirm opt-in with a simple reply of “Yes” or “No.” A great example of this is the opt-in message from Flexispot, which states their business name, to alert who is texting before confirming subscriptions to marketing and promotional messages.

Screenshot of an SMS marketing text from brand Flexispot, who opens the text by stating their brand name and asking the recipient to confirm subscription to recurring automated texts.

2. Make it easy for customers to opt-out

Make it easy for customers to stop receiving your texts by including an unsubscribe option. This could be as simple as replying “STOP” or “Unsubscribe” to the text. Opting out of your SMS marketing campaign.

Screenshot of an SMS marketing text from brand Rain City Games, who welcomes subscribers to text alerts and a link to review account details.

3. Identify your brand early

Keep your messages concise. When you have your target audience’s phone number, introduce your brand immediately. This makes recipients more receptive to your message from an unknown number. Start with your brand name, followed by an irresistible offer within the second sentence. Instant brand recognition and brevity are key.

4. Keep messages short and to the point

For SMS marketing success, keep it within the 160-character limit. Eliminate unnecessary content to boost message open rates and clicks. An effective framework for SMS campaigns is usually in this format:

  1. company name
  2. customer name
  3. enticing offer or brand promotion
  4. conditions for opting in
  5. a strong call-to-action, and
  6. an opt-out option

Providing opt-out options makes consumers feel more relaxed since this is presented as a choice, not a requirement. If needed, include a shortened link for additional information.

5. Create a consistent SMS marketing strategy

As with any type of marketing effort, consistency matters. Find the right balance of messages you can send within a reasonable timeline. Don’t overwhelm subscribers with too many messages, but don’t go silent either. Striking this balance keeps your brand relevant without becoming a nuisance.

6. Adhere to privacy laws and regulations

Finally, ensure you comply with Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) privacy laws and regulations for SMS marketing. Obtain express written consent, always include your business name, provide clear terms and conditions, offer an opt-out option during business hours, and respect consumer privacy and rights. Adhering to these regulations saves you from legal issues and protects consumer privacy.

SMS marketing strategies (with examples)

Ready to ramp up your SMS marketing? Here are some creative SMS marketing strategies, along with examples, to get you started:

1. Send welcome messages to new subscribers

Once a customer subscribes to your SMS marketing campaign, send them a welcome message. This will ensure they know they’re subscribed and allow you to engage with them immediately. Plus, it sets the tone for future interactions.

Welcome messages don’t have to be long or complex. A simple “Thank you for subscribing!” will do. You could even include a coupon code or special offer to sweeten the deal.

2. Announce new product releases

Another smart use of SMS advertising is to announce new product releases. Share the excitement with your subscribers to create buzz and re-engage customers who haven’t shopped with you in a while.

You can also drive traffic to your store or website by including a link in your SMS campaign to entice people to check out your latest offering. For example, texting “Check out our new arrivals” with a direct link to your website can boost traffic and give people a reason to visit your site.

3. Follow up on abandoned shopping carts

The average cart abandonment rate for e-commerce businesses is 70.19%. That’s a lot of potential revenue that’s left on the table. SMS marketing can help you recover some of that lost revenue by sending abandoned cart messages to customers who have left items in their online shopping carts.

4. Inform customers when products are back in stock

As a consumer ourselves, it’s frustrating when desired items are out of stock. SMS marketing offers a solution to notify customers when products are back in stock, ensuring they don’t miss out on a restock opportunity. You can also alert customers about similar or related products that may go on sale.

Screenshot of an SMS marketing text from brand IKEA, who sends a product restock notification to a specific product at a specific store location to text subscribers.

5. Collect customer feedback

Customer feedback is essential for business improvement. SMS surveys collect customer feedback quickly and easily. You can create a short survey using tools like Google Forms or SurveyMonkey and send the link via SMS. Or, ask customers to reply with a rating (from one to five) and follow up with those who give a low rating to uncover areas for improvement.

Screenshot of an SMS marketing text from brand Refresh Financial asking the recipient to rate their experience.`

6. Provide text-based customer service

You can use text messages to provide customer service. This is especially useful for businesses with a mobile workforce, like plumbers or delivery drivers.
If a customer needs to get in touch with someone, they can simply send a text rather than making a phone call. This can save the customer time, and it can also be less disruptive for the business.

Here’s an SMS marketing example from U-Haul, which offers customers the opportunity to check in and out via text:

Screenshot of an SMS marketing text from U-Haul alerting the recipient of their rental reservation return time and location.

7. Ask for production or service reviews

Many companies use SMS marketing services to gather reviews about their service or staff. You’ve probably seen this from companies like Uber, asking customers to rate drivers after their ride to get feedback on their experience and identify improvement areas.

According to the Sprout Social Index™, 83% of consumers recommend a brand they follow on social media to friends and family. Consider displaying these reviews on your website, social media pages, and SMS marketing messages.

8. Promote online and in-person events

Promoting your upcoming events through SMS marketing can get people excited and engaged. Your SMS event reminders can include:

  • Date, time and location of your event
  • A CTA to encourage people to buy tickets or sign up
  • A link to your website or event page
  • Details about what attendees can expect
  • Hashtags to promote on social media
  • Emojis to increase engagement

If you have a limited number of spots available, be sure to include an RSVP link in your text so subscribers can reserve their spots right away.

Screenshot of an SMS marketing text from BeachSide CrossFit alerting the recipient of a virtual event and of safety precautions of their gym locations.

9. Start a VIP program

A VIP program encourages loyalty among your customers and subscribers. People love to feel like they’re part of an exclusive group, so make them feel special by offering VIP-only discounts, early access to sales and new products and other benefits.

To promote your VIP program, include a signup link in your SMS messages when customers purchase a product. You can also promote your VIP program on social media, your website or in-store. Use the right SMS marketing service to send relevant messages to different groups within your target audience and increase your conversion rate.

SMS marketing software to try

Rather than spend more time and effort on traditional SMS marketing methods, leverage SMS marketing software to streamline your strategy for greater success. Here are some standout options:

1. Attentive

With an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, Attentive ranks high as an effective SMS marketing software for sending personalized messages to your brand. You can integrate this with your email subscriber list and provide targeted messages for diverse groups.

2. SlickText

Integrate SlickText seamlessly with your brand’s existing software using its global API platform to get the best SMS marketing experience. Overall, this SMS marketing software features core features like text message scheduling, two-way text messaging, analytics and tracking reports for monitoring user engagement.

3. Klaviyo

Say hello to an omnichannel platform with automation and advanced segmentation capabilities. Klaviyo contains specific features that allow you to target specific consumers based on preferences and behavior. You can leverage this to increase conversions, especially with other marketing channels.

4. Birdeye

You don’t have to be technically inclined to use Birdeye. An amazing feature that makes Birdeye stand out is its easy integration with social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This means you can easily incorporate a visual aspect into your SMS marketing campaign and spread your success across multiple platforms.

Take advantage of SMS marketing

SMS marketing can help you reach your target audience and increase engagement. By marketing to your customers where they are most active, you have a better chance of keeping their attention.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of SMS strategies at the start. Some customers may prefer discounts or deals, while others may be looking for customer service support through order confirmation or shipping updates. By incorporating SMS marketing into your overall marketing efforts, you can further refine and define your social media marketing strategy.

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]]> How to make money on YouTube in 2024 (and what creators should expect) https://sproutsocial.com/insights/how-to-make-money-on-youtube/ Mon, 16 Oct 2023 15:33:32 +0000 https://sproutsocial.com/insights/?p=163486/ Trying to figure out how to make money on YouTube? Because there’s a big window of opportunity for monetizing videos. YouTube’s audience is massive. Read more...

The post How to make money on YouTube in 2024 (and what creators should expect) appeared first on Sprout Social.

]]> Trying to figure out how to make money on YouTube?

Because there’s a big window of opportunity for monetizing videos.

YouTube’s audience is massive. Viewers are logging in daily on the platform, watching hours upon hours of content each week.

Not to mention YouTube’s ad revenue is predicted to reach a staggering $30.4 billion in 2023.

Thing is, translating views into cash doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not just about uploading videos or promoting your YouTube channel. You need a strategy.

That’s why we wrote this breakdown of how to make money on YouTube and what to expect along the way. Along with the classic monetization techniques, we’ve included fresh, innovative ways to earn money on the platform in 2023.

10 ways to make money on YouTube (that actually work)

Recent YouTube stats show the platform is a goldmine for creators. But monetizing content on YouTube can be tricky.

Creators shouldn’t sacrifice entertainment value or authenticity for dollars and cents.

The good news? There is no “right” or “single” way to monetize your videos. You have multiple options based on your content, audience and promotional strategy.

Let’s dive into 10 opportunities to make money on YouTube and how they work.

1. Join the YouTube Partner Program

No surprises here! The YouTube Partner Program allows creators to earn revenue with ads run on their videos.

Let’s look at a quick snapshot of YouTube’s Partner criteria. Assuming you’re in line with the platform’s monetization policies, you need:

  • 4,000+ authentic public watch hours within the past year or 10 million valid public Shorts views within the past 90 days
  • 1,000+ subscribers
  • An active and linked Google AdSense account

Chances are you’ve seen your fair share of YouTube ads. From in-video to pre-roll, ads are a relatively hands-off way to make money on YouTube.

youtube ad example

In terms of how much money you can make from ads, there are too many variables for a straight answer. These variables include:

  • Your viewers’ demographics such as location and age
  • Whether there are relevant advertisers for your videos
  • Your content and industry

According to YouTube themselves, there are “no guarantees” for payouts or revenue share. Most information floating around is totally anecdotal.

While “$1 per 1,000 views” used to be the norm, times have changed. As the YouTube algorithm has evolved, so have the Partner Program and ad policies.  For example, the platform has explicit restrictions for advertising on YouTube Kids. Many major ad categories and targeting features are removed from videos intended for children.

You’re essentially looking at a numbers game regardless. You need to be earning thousands (or millions) of views per video to see any meaningful revenue.

Not sure about running ads on your channel? Totally understandable. Again, monetizing videos shouldn’t hold back your channel’s growth.

Stuffing your videos with unskippable ads makes them borderline unwatchable. That said, a few ads here and there is totally fair game.

2. Earn support from subscribers with a channel membership

YouTube’s channel memberships are specifically designed to support creators looking to make money.

Think of memberships like a Patreon or Twitch subscription. Subscribers pay a monthly fee in exchange for channel-specific perks. This might include exclusive content, chat badges and more. These benefits vary based on your membership tier.

youtube channel membership example

This feature is most relevant to creators that primarily post content to YouTube rather than treat it as a secondary channel. If you’re doing regular live streams or posting daily, memberships make perfect sense. Currently, the eligibility for channel memberships is almost identical to the Partner Program.

3. Put promotional links in your video descriptions

Promo links are a low-hanging way to make money on YouTube without running ads.

Your video descriptions are valuable real estate and YouTube gives you 5,000 characters to work with. Funneling your YouTube viewers to relevant links is a no-brainer. For example, a creator might link to:

  • A lead magnet (such as a free course or downloadable resource)
  • Their website
  • Their merchandise or ecommerce shop

Below is an example of how creators can promote their own products in a video description. If nothing else, links can turn YouTube traffic into on-site traffic.

links in description to make money on YouTube

4. Feature sponsors in your videos

Sponsored YouTube videos are popular among big and up-and-coming creators alike.

Through sponsored content, you’re specifically promoting a brand within your video. These call-outs are typically done at the beginning and end of a video. Since these forms of ads are literally part of your content, they can’t be skipped.

In the example above, Binging with Babish’s Andrew Rea bookends his sponsorship from Cash App at his video’s beginning and end. He also highlights the sponsorship in the video description.

youtube sponsored content description

Audiences are sometimes critical of sponsored videos when the sponsorship is totally irrelevant to the creator, their content or viewership. The best sponsored videos represent some sort of creative tie-in that doesn’t distract from the creator’s style. This sponsored video from Beauty Within featuring skincare brand Whind is a good example.

sponsored content example

These sorts of promotions are a win-win for creators and advertisers alike.

youtube sponsored content video description

5. Publish product-focused promotional videos

Branded videos are created with the specific intent to promote a product or service. These videos can fall into a few categories where:

  • A brand compensates the creator in exchange for their content or a review
  • The brand has provided talking points and instructions to the creator (think: influencer or brand ambassador content)
  • The creator is making a video to highlight a brand and earn affiliate revenue

These types of videos are common among beauty and skincare brands where creators unbox PR packages on camera.

unboxing video screenshot

Below is another example from a creator going into detail about Liquid IV and how it works.

branded video on youtube

In the video’s description, the creator’s promotional link is front-and-center.

promotional link in youtube description

These types of videos aren’t as common because they can feel a bit direct when it comes to promotion. That said, they’re relevant to industries like beauty, health and fitness where audiences like to hunt for products via YouTube.

6. Leverage affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is all about leveraging your influence to drive sales for other brands. As a creator, you can partner with brands to promote their products or services within your content.

The idea here is simple. You discuss products in your videos and then provide a direct way for viewers to check them out.

Every time a viewer clicks on your link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission. It’s a win-win: brands get more visibility and sales, and you get a cut of the profits.

This tactic is extremely popular among review channels and creators making “how-to” content. For example, this video from MyLifeOutDoors breaks down tips for getting better sleep while camping…

how to make money on youtube with affiliate links example

…and provides affiliate links to the products mentioned in the video.

Affiliate link example on YouTube

See how that works? The key here is that the products themselves are not the sole subject of the video. Some creators call out their affiliate links within their content and others don’t. The choice is yours!

Note: Affiliate links are totally allowed and don’t violate YouTube’s TOS. However, the platform does have an explicit policy for external links. Make sure to review YouTube’s guidelines before dropping links in your videos.

7. Take advantage of crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is a great way to build community while funding your content creation. It’s like having your fans chip in to support your next big project.

Platforms like Patreon allow your supporters to contribute a monthly amount in exchange for exclusive content and perks, like BTS footage, shoutouts or early access to new videos.

For example, the cooking channel Made With Lau offers three membership tiers on Patreon:

They also make sure to promote their Patreon link in the descriptions of all their videos.

You could also look into other crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo to fund your creative projects.

Just make sure to share a link with your viewers and always deliver on your promise.

8. Sell merchandise and custom products

Selling branded items on YouTube is a smart way to earn money, boost visibility and build a closer relationship with your followers.

But this type of social shopping works best if you already have a loyal fan base willing to spend money on your merch.

Depending on your niche, you could sell custom t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, caps or art. Got an inside joke? A catchphrase? A logo? Use it to create unique designs for your supporters.

Example of a YouTube channel Rose Anvil using merchandise as a way to monetize on YouTube.

There are plenty of tools you can use to design and ship merch without storing any inventory yourself. Here are a few merch sites popular with YouTubers:

You can also hire freelance designers on Fiverr or use Canva to create your own creative designs to hand over to suppliers.

9. Enable YouTube Super Chat & Super Stickers

A cool thing about YouTube is you can engage with your audience directly and get paid for it—thanks to Super Chat & Stickers.

Here’s how it works.

During a live stream, viewers can pay to have their messages highlighted in the chat. They can also send Super Stickers—paid animated images that float up in a live chat.

Example of a YouTube Chat monetization feature in a live chat.

If you host regular live sessions, Super Chats and Stickers are a fantastic way to boost YouTube engagement, earn extra revenue and make your audience feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Turn on Super Chat by heading over to your monetization settings. Make sure you thank and appreciate viewers who support your channel and pay to get your attention.

10. License your content to external media companies

If you happen to create a viral video—or something unique or newsworthy—other platforms or media outlets might want a piece of it.

Licensing allows them to use your content, but for a fee.

It’s a way to earn from content you’ve already created and can amplify your content’s reach beyond your channel.

Proactively reach out to media agencies or wait for them to approach you. Or, list your content on Junkin Media where TV channels and news sites can find and buy it.

Making money on YouTube: Fast facts and FAQ

To wrap things up, let’s look at some common questions we get from people trying to figure out how to make money on YouTube.

How many views do you need to make money on YouTube?

There is no set amount of views you need to make money on YouTube.

Again, there are a lot of variables involved and dollar figures are anecdotal.

Data from Influencer Marketing Hub notes that the average YouTuber makes $18 per 1,000 views, which translates to $0.018 per view.

Creator Shelby Church shared an in-depth breakdown of a video that earned 2.2 million views and $743 from ads. This equates to about 33 cents per 1,000 views. She notes that factors like presentation, age and demographics of viewership impacted the payout.

how to make money with youtube ads payout example

In short, more YouTube views don’t always equal more money in your pocket.

How many subscribers do you need to make money on YouTube

There is no exact number of subscribers you need to make money on YouTube.

Creators that make careers out of YouTube are the ones uploading consistently and fostering communities.

Piggybacking on the point above, a higher subscriber count doesn’t automatically result in bigger payouts.

The inner workings of YouTube’s ad platform mean there is no “right” answer here. We can use YouTube tools like SocialBlade to give us a ballpark figure but the range of estimated earnings is massive. For example, the monthly earnings estimation for a creator with 90,000 subscribers is anywhere between $200 and $3,400.

socialblade youtube

Our advice? Don’t look at your subscribers as dollar signs. Focus on fostering a community before worrying too much about monetization.

How to make money on YouTube without posting videos

While it’s technically possible to make money on YouTube without posting videos, it’s definitely not the ideal way to approach YouTube.

Think about it. Brands don’t grow on Instagram by only posting on TikTok and vice versa. Every platform has different content types, styles and expectations. YouTube is the same way.

Sure, there are some steps you can take such as repurposing or cross-posting content to YouTube. This includes:

  • Republishing Reels or TikToks as YouTube Shorts
  • Taking webinars, presentations or slideshows and turning them into videos
  • Taking streams from Twitch or Instagram Live and uploading them as long-form content.

Grow your presence to make money on YouTube

Making any level of income from YouTube requires conscious effort and consistency.

That said, countless creators are making it happen with their content. Whether through ads, sponsorships or crowdfunding, there are plenty of opportunities to monetize your videos. Hopefully, these tips can help you find a way that makes sense for you!

And if you haven’t already, check out our in-depth guide to YouTube marketing to take your channel to the next level.

The post How to make money on YouTube in 2024 (and what creators should expect) appeared first on Sprout Social.

]]> Creator Studio for Facebook and Instagram: A guide for marketers https://sproutsocial.com/insights/creator-studio/ Thu, 05 Oct 2023 14:26:36 +0000 https://sproutsocial.com/insights/?p=162169/ Is managing multiple social media accounts becoming too tedious? Is the pressure of crafting the perfect creator profile stressing you out? Think about it: Read more...

The post Creator Studio for Facebook and Instagram: A guide for marketers appeared first on Sprout Social.

]]> Is managing multiple social media accounts becoming too tedious? Is the pressure of crafting the perfect creator profile stressing you out?

Think about it: From personal brands run by individual creators to large-scale corporate marketing efforts, the competition is heating up. Without the right tools, you’re essentially navigating a stormy sea in a leaky boat.

Competition is high—you need the right tools at your disposal to streamline your efforts and compete with millions of creators in the same space.

Tools like Creator Studio for Facebook and Instagram can help. In this guide, we cover what it is, how you can access it and what features you can use to build a powerful creator profile.

What is Creator Studio?`

Creator Studio is a dashboard content creators and brands use to manage their content, audience engagement and data analysis of their Facebook and Instagram accounts.

You can schedule posts, interact with your community and even monetize your content. It’s a one-stop shop that’s excellent for beginner creators and brands.

It has recently been renamed Meta Business Suite and combines Facebook and Instagram Creator Studio features—like planning posts and sending messages—in one place. Plus, it includes more advanced tools for monetization, like billing and commerce.

Preview of the new Creator Studio in Meta Business Suite. The image shows the brand Pink Haathi’s business page with tabs such as a to-do-list, appointment schedules, create reel and other features.

What is the difference between Facebook and Instagram Creator Studio?

Facebook Creator Studio and Instagram Creator Studio were previously two separate dashboards, each with their own platform-specific features. Meta has streamlined the experience to create a comprehensive dashboard that houses both studios under one roof.

This unified approach makes it easier for marketers and content creators to manage, analyze and optimize their social media activities across Facebook and Instagram.

Getting started with Creator Studio

You can access Creator Studio from your desktop and mobile.

To access Meta Business Suite on your mobile, simply download the Meta Business Suite app on iOS and Android. Once you connect your accounts on mobile, you’ll be able to:

  • Create, schedule and manage posts and stories across Facebook and Instagram.
  • Respond to all of your messages and comments in one place.
  • View your notifications and to-do list.
  • See post and ad insights across Facebook and Instagram side-by-side.
  • Access and manage your published and scheduled posts within a calendar.

If you’re new to Meta Business Suite, here is a quick breakdown of how to connect your accounts to start using Creator Studio.

How to connect Facebook to Creator Studio

To log in from your desktop, you’ll need to first log into your Facebook account. You’ll also need access to a Facebook Page since the tool is specifically for content creators and brands.

A screenshot of the App Store preview of Meta Business Suite. The image shows four preview boxes that inform the user of the features available such as Manage your Facebook and Instagram marketing from one place and Grow your business by connecting with more people. 

Once you’re logged in, go to Pages from the main menu on your personal profile.

Preview of Facebook homepage. The image shows the homepage of a personal Facebook with an arrow and box highlighting where you can find the Pages tab. 

Within the Pages settings, click on Meta Business Suite.

How to access Meta Business Suite from Facebook Pages. The image shows the Pages feed with an arrow and box guiding where you can find Meta Business Suite.

You will now have access to Creator Studio.

Preview of Creator Studio in Meta Business Suite. The image shows the brand Pink Haathi’s homepage on Meta Business Suite.

Have multiple pages? You can easily switch between them. Just select the dropdown menu, and you’ll see a list that displays your different pages. Select each page to manage and monitor its content and analytics.

How to change Pages in Creator Studio. The image shows an arrow pointing to the page dropdown menu on Meta Business Suite. 

How to connect Instagram to Creator Studio

Connect your Instagram creator account to Meta Business Suite on your desktop with these steps.

  1. In the Meta Business Suite desktop, select Settings from the left-hand sidebar.
  2. Select Business assets.
  3. Click Add Assets and select your Instagram account.
    Preview of how to add Instagram account to Meta Business Suite. The image includes a button that says "Connect your Instagram account."
  4. Then click Claim Instagram account after reviewing and agreeing to the terms.
  5. Enter your Instagram username and password in the new window, and click Log In. If you’re already logged into Instagram, you can also choose Continue as [Instagram handle] if that’s the account you want to connect.
  6. If your Two-Factor Authentication is turned on (which it should be), enter your security code.
  7. Click Confirm.

Once you’ve linked your Instagram account, simply head over to the Meta Business Suite app or the website on desktop to access it.

Roles and permissions in Creator Studio

To secure your account, it’s a smart idea to provide only those permissions people need to do their work. For example, assigning access to your Business Account or your Instagram account. Limiting access organizes the workflow and secures your account against unintended changes or breaches.

Your Business Account allows you to assign partial access or full control to people. To do this, you need to:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Click People.
  3. Select the name of the person whose access you want to change.
  4. Under Business Account access, select Manage.
  5. Make your changes.

Here’s what each level of access means:

Partial access:

  • Basic: Users with basic access only see tasks and assets assigned to them. This is the default permission when adding people to a Business Account.
  • Apps and integrations: App and integration owners create access tokens, monitor events, edit application files and set up the Conversions API.

Full control:

  • Everything: People with full control of a Business Account can manage everything—settings, permissions, tools and business assets. They can also delete the Business Account.

Key Creator Studio features

Creator Studio comes with multiple features that provide unparalleled control over your Facebook and Instagram accounts. Whether you’re a solo content creator or managing a larger team, Creator Studio offers the tools you need to refine and execute your Instagram and Facebook marketing strategy. Here are some key features:

Content

Within the Content section, view all the content you’ve previously posted: posts, reels, stories and collections.

Preview of Content overview in Creator Studio. The image shows the brand Pink Haathi’s content page with tabs such as posts and reels, stories, mentions and tags and clips.

Use the dropdown filters at the top to sort your posts by type, date or other categories like marketing channels. The search bar is also quite handy when you want to find a specific post.

Dropdown menus in Creator Studio. The image shows the brand Pink Haathi’s content tab highlighting filter options such as post type, dates and search by ID or caption.

Sort your posts using the tabs at the top by published, scheduled, drafts, expired and expiring.

Want in-depth insights on a specific post? Click on “View Insights” to get a snapshot of how it’s performing and see what it looks like in your feed.

Preview of post insights in Creator Studio. The image shows the insights of a reel with information such as reach, engagements, likes and comments.

The Content tab also makes it convenient to manage your posts. Click on these three dots to access options like edit, boost or delete. Action lists are different for photo posts and video posts.

How to access action lists in the Content tab. The image highlights a box with three dots where you can select actions in the content tab.

Insights

The Insights feature provides granular data on various aspects of your content and audience. Deep-dive into metrics like reach, impressions and follower demographics.

 Preview of the Insights feature in Creator Studio. The image shows the Insights page with tabs such as overview, results, audience, benchmarking and data such as Facebook reach, Instagram reach and paid reach,

This feature offers four categories of general insights:

  • The Overview section allows you to compare your current reach with a previous period and provides actionable tips for expanding your audience.
Preview of insights Overview in Creator Studio. The image shows Reach data such as Facebook reach, Instagram reach and paid reach. 
  • The Results section displays key performance indicators like the number of visits to your page or profile, new likes and follows, and trends.
Preview of Results insights in Creator Studio. The image shows a detailed overview of data such as Facebook reach, Instagram reach, Facebook visits and Instagram profile visits. 
  • The Audience section gives you data on your followers from Facebook and Instagram, along with geographical information like the cities and countries where your audience is most concentrated.
Preview of Audience insights in Creator Studio. The image shows data on the current audience such as Facebook followers and Instagram followers, age, and gender.
  • The Benchmarking section enables you to gauge your performance by comparing it with businesses operating in the same niche or category as you.
Preview of Benchmarking insights in Creator Studio. The image shows benchmarking data of business competition such as published content, Facebook followers, new Facebook followers and content interactions.

The four categories are just the tip of the iceberg. You can also dig deeper into the insights by going to the Content, Messaging and Video tabs.

Inbox

The Inbox feature puts all your chats and comments from Facebook and Instagram in one spot, eliminating the need to jump between apps.

Preview of the Inbox feature in Creator Studio. The image shows tabs such as all messages, Messenger, Instagram comments and Facebook comments. 

Organize and classify messages to make sure you’re not missing anything urgent. Other features like creating orders directly from messages and inserting saved replies streamline administrative tasks so you can focus on more meaningful interactions.

These features work together to create a centralized hub for all your audience interactions.

Live Dashboard

The Live Dashboard in Creator Studio allows you to manage and monitor live videos on Facebook or Instagram. It gives you the controls to start, stop or manage various aspects of your live broadcast.

Preview of the Live Dashboard in Creator Studio. The image shows tabs such as resource hub, chat tools, moderation and clips.

See real-time data while streaming live, such as how many people are watching, comments coming in and even reactions to your video.

Use the Resource Hub as your control room for live videos, where you can engage with audiences in real-time and track how well your content performs.

Preview of the Live Dashboard's Resource Hub in Creator Studio. The image shows gaming resources such as getting started on Facebook gaming and optimizing your content. It also shows the Support tab with options to visit the help center and submit a help request. 

Planner

The Planner feature in Creator Studio brings together your content calendars from Facebook and Instagram.

Monthly Planner view in Creator Studio. The image shows content planned for the month of September 2023. 

It offers a unified view to make content management more seamless. Toggle between weekly and monthly views to get a broad or detailed look at your content calendar.

Weekly Planner view in Creator Studio. The image shows the content planned from July to August 2023. The calendar displays posts for Instagram and Facebook. A view on platform-specific content helps you plan your Instagram marketing strategy as well as Facebook marketing strategy separately.

The Planner tool’s filters help sort posts by content type, like posts, stories, reels and ads. Click on each post to view individually and see metrics like interactions and reach.

The image shows the performance data for a post such as post interactions.

Sound Collection

The Sound Collection feature is a library of music tracks and sound effects you can freely use in your Facebook and Instagram videos.

A preview of Creator Studio’s Sound Collection feature. The image shows tabs such as tracks and sound effects as well as recommended tracks to use. 

It’s an easy way to elevate your videos, engage your audience and add a professional touch to your social media posts.

Monetization

The Monetization section in Creator Studio supports anyone looking to earn money from their Facebook and Instagram content.

A preview of Creator Studio’s monetization feature. The image shows tabs such as overview, stars, and branded content. It also shows the monetization status.

You’ll find different monetization methods, like in-stream ads for your videos, fan subscriptions and branded content partnerships.

Recommended tools in the Monetization tab in Creator Studio. The image shows two tools, in-stream ads and subscriptions and mentions who they’re best for and eligibility.

Some users also get access to Stars, a video monetization tool. Your audience can buy Stars and send them to you on your posts with Stars enabled.

Ads

The Ads tab is a centralized command center for all your Facebook and Instagram advertising needs. You can create new ads, oversee existing ones and monitor their performance.

The Ads section provides a quick snapshot of your campaign’s reach and engagement levels.

Ads Summary in Creator Studio. The image shows the advertising summary data such as reach and post engagement and shows the data for three recent ads. 

It offers audience insights, breaking down the demographics of the people your ads are reaching, which you can adjust for different time frames using the calendar.

For those wanting to dive deeper, the All Ads tab offers even more granular data on individual campaigns. Details such as the amount spent on each ad, its reach and overall progress are available here.

Preview of all ads in Creator Studio. The image shows three ads and their data such as reach and objective with tabs for view results and boost again.

You can also view complete results for each campaign and boost an ad again if you’re satisfied with its performance using this tab.

Scale your social media presence with Creator Studio

Meta Business Suite is a powerful toolset that elevates your social media management by bringing together the best features of Creator Studio and other Meta services. It’s your go-to hub for all things Facebook and Instagram.

Of course, sometimes you need a bird’s eye view that goes beyond just these two platforms. That’s where Sprout Social comes in.

Sprout offers extensive features beyond what the native Creator Studio can provide. It’s a convenient way to scale your social strategy beyond Instagram and Facebook in one unified dashboard.

Learn about more social media marketing tools that optimize your social media management and help you build a strong presence at scale.

The post Creator Studio for Facebook and Instagram: A guide for marketers appeared first on Sprout Social.

]]> How to make money on TikTok: 15 strategies to use in 2023 https://sproutsocial.com/insights/how-to-make-money-on-tiktok/ Thu, 05 Oct 2023 11:22:34 +0000 https://sproutsocial.com/insights/?p=163505/ TikTok has remained a vastly popular social media platform since its inception, capitalizing on its early fame as people gravitated toward its light, short-form Read more...

The post How to make money on TikTok: 15 strategies to use in 2023 appeared first on Sprout Social.

]]> TikTok has remained a vastly popular social media platform since its inception, capitalizing on its early fame as people gravitated toward its light, short-form content. This surge in popularity means TikTok is ripe with revenue opportunities, something that your TikTok marketing strategy should make room for.

From the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt trend to devoted subcultures like #BookTok, brands are finding creative and authentic ways to position and sell their products or services directly to TikTok audiences. You can too, by making engaging and helpful short videos that speak directly to your audience’s interests.

But where do you begin? In this article, we break down the top 15 strategies for how to make money on TikTok.

Table of Contents

1. Run TikTok ads

About 67% of 18-19 year olds and 56% of 20-29 year olds are on TikTok. This makes TikTok marketing a strong advertising choice for brands wanting to market their products to Gen Z. TikTok ads come with simple, powerful tools to help you advertise to millions of users. Ad formats vary by region, but all let you personalize your targeting by age, location, interest and other factors. You can select one or a few formats that work best for your brand.

The most popular types of TikTok ads include:

In-feed video: Appear on the For You Page of TikTok users who meet your targeting parameters.

Brand takeover: This lets your ad expand to the width of the whole screen for a few seconds. Then it becomes an in-feed video ad.

Hashtag challenges: Create appealing challenges that encourage user-generated content. These challenges appear in the Discovery section on TikTok. This option is only available to managed brands that work in collaboration with TikTok sales representatives.

There are several more types of TikTok ads you can experiment with, but note that some are only available to certain types of accounts.

2. Collect tips or donations

TikTok has introduced a tipping feature that allows select creators to earn money from tips and donations. Fans can use this feature to show gratitude to the creators they love.

Video gifts let viewers send creators virtual gifts and coins. Some creators can collect gifts during a live stream. Gifts can be redeemed for Diamonds—TikTok’s digital currency.

When you save up enough Diamonds, you can trade them for real cash.

A screenshot of TikTok's digital currency options.

Creators can also use tipping platforms to earn money. Tipeee, Ko-fi and Buy Me a Coffee can be connected to your TikTok account to function as a tip jar.

3. Collaborate with a creator

The latest Sprout Social Index™ shows that 33% of Gen Z and 28% of Millennials value brand/creator content collaborations. TikTok’s thriving community of content creators makes it an excellent channel for collaborating with influential people with highly engaged communities.

The key is to collaborate with the right creators who can authentically position your brand to their audience, as creator-made branded content has 83% higher engagement rates.

@shopnuuly

Rental Reveal with @Britt 🦋 comment + tell us your fave #nuulyfits #tryon #fypシ #itstuesday

♬ original sound – nuuly rent | nuuly thrift

 

TikTok’s Creator Marketplace is where you can connect with content creators on the network. In a few steps, you can find influencers and run campaigns with them. Locate creators based on business goals, budget and industry, and find comprehensive performance and audience metrics for data-driven decision-making.

A screenshot of TikTok's Creator Marketplace.

TikTok has some eligibility requirements for the Creator Marketplace, so only select creators can join. This assures marketers that creators they partner with are some of TikTok’s top influencers.

4. Try affiliate marketing

Through affiliate marketing programs, creators and other businesses can promote and sell another company’s products or services for a commission.

To be a successful affiliate marketer, you need to generate sales online. Focus on promoting products that best align with your target audience. Create engaging videos that present affiliate products, showcasing the value and why you recommend purchasing them. Try promoting brands you like and trust, sharing affiliate links or codes to track purchases influenced by your account.

If a follower makes a purchase through the link or code provided, then you will receive a commission from the brand for that sale. TikTok doesn’t allow personal accounts to place clickable links within video descriptions. But you can ask followers to copy and paste links into their browsers, or enter special codes at checkout. Sites like Beacons allow you to create a free webpage containing affiliate links and details for products being promoted. If you have a business account, you can add a link in your bio.

If you’re an in-house marketer, create an affiliate marketing program with clear guidelines and instructions on how to participate. Invite TikTokers who align with your brand values and target audience to participate. Encourage affiliates to promote the products or services that best align with your goals and shared audience. And most importantly, implement a tracking system so you can monitor affiliate performance and commission payments.

5. Grow and sell TikTok accounts

Organically growing a TikTok account could take months. However, you can buy an established account to get an instant boost of followers.

To successfully make money selling TikTok accounts, creators should focus on niche topics that can be sustained by the buyer. This will make it easier for the buyer to continue posting similar content and maintain follower engagement.

Brands considering buying an established account should perform due diligence. An account with a lot of followers but low engagement may not provide the return you’re looking for. Also, ensure the account serves an audience you target and the content aligns with your brand and goals.

Brands can purchase an account with active followers from platforms like 123accs, Accfarm and Fameswap.

A screenshot of account listings on Accfarm

For smaller activations, brands can sponsor posts that live directly on creators’ profiles. Similar to creator collaborations, these campaigns allow brands to pay content creators to promote their products in organic posts. Sponsor single posts or create a series. If it starts trending, you can boost the post to expand its reach even further.

@christinanadinx

#Ad My new favourite primer leaving my skin hydrated and glowy @maccosmetics #MACstudioRadiance #TalkPrimerToMe

♬ Why Are There Boundaries – FKJ

 

7. Create a Patreon account

A Patreon account lets creators generate revenue from fans through memberships that allow exclusive access to content. Use TikTok to promote membership sign-ups.

@darastarrtucker

#patreon #becomeapatron #patronofthearts #supportcreators #supportcreatorsofcolor #joinmypatreon #creatorsupport @darastarrtucker

♬ original sound – Dara Starr Tucker

 

Try to keep your subscription costs low to encourage subscribers and consider rewarding new subscribers. For example, giving away merchandise or exclusive content access to your most loyal followers. Add the link to your Patreon page in your videos or add it to your bio to make it easy for followers to subscribe whenever they are ready.

8. Sell your products and merchandise

Merchandise, merchandise, merchandise. This tried-and-true strategy applies to TikTok as well. Turn original artwork, quotes or your brand’s logo into merch and promote it on TikTok. Feature your existing products in tutorials or showcase your product alongside a trend.

@useloom

🕯 New from Loom: Lighten your calendar and brighten your day with Cancelled Meetings by Loom — the first candle designed to help you get back your time. Featuring:✨ 8oz, hand-poured candle✨ “Peace on Earth, Peace at Work,” a free zine✨ The relief of knowing you can cancel a meeting with Loom #loomunlocks

♬ original sound – Loom

 

Listen to your audience if you are unsure what to sell. Create polls or ask them directly to learn what they might buy.

If you have a personal account, create an ecommerce website to process sales transactions and promote it on your TikTok account. Add the store to your videos, and encourage your followers to check out your products.

If you have a TikTok Business account, you can connect platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, Square Online and Ecwid store to your account.

9. Set up a TikTok shop

TikTok partnered with Shopify to launch the TikTok Shopping feature. Brands and creators can become official TikTok merchants and sell directly in the app.

A screenshot of the TikTok shopping feature.

By creating a TikTok Shop, you can showcase products on in-feed videos, lives and product showcase tabs. If eligible for this feature, you can signup to become a seller in the TikTok Seller Center, where you can manage inventory, orders, creator partnerships, promotions and more. However, the seller center is only available in select regions.

10. Join the TikTok Creator Fund

Users with a creator account can monetize their profiles through the TikTok Creator Fund. Creators need to hit some prerequisites to join the program and begin receiving money from the platform. Creator Fund members earn money based on the number of engagements they get on their content.

11. Offer exclusive content on TikTok

TikTok just launched a new monetization feature in June of 2023 called TikTok Series. This new feature is a way to create exclusive content that lives behind a paywall.

Interested creators can apply to get access to this new feature, but there are other criteria they need to meet as well:

  • Creators must be 18+
  • Their account must be at least 30 days old
  • They must have at least 10,000 followers
  • They must have posted 3+ public videos in the last 30 days
  • They must have at least 1,000 views in the last 30 days

Creators that have less than 10,000 followers may still be eligible if they can provide a link to premium content they’ve successfully sold on other platforms.

Your Series can include up to 80 videos total, each up to 20 minutes long. This can be a great way to provide valuable educational content to your audience for a one-time fee. You can set the price for each TikTok Series you create, with payment options ranging from $0.99 to $189.99.

12. Provide virtual gifts

Another monetization feature is virtual gifts on your videos. People who really enjoy your content can send you virtual gifts as a token of their appreciation—which can then be converted into actual money.

Turn on the gift option to have a small gift box icon appear next to the comment box. Users interested in leaving a gift can tap it to visit this interface:

A screenshot of virtual gifts in TikTok

Coin packages can be bought in the following increments:

  • 20 coins: $0.29
  • 65 coins: $0.99
  • 330 coins: $4.99
  • 660 coins: $9.99
  • 1,321 coins: $19.99
  • 3,303 coins: $49.99
  • 6,607 coins: $99.99
  • 16,500 coins: $249.99

These coins can then be used to buy and send virtual gifts to a user’s favorite creators, with gifts ranging from 5 to 3,000 coins. Turn on virtual gifts to offer this option to your viewers.

13. Host live events or workshops

TikTok Live is another great way to make money. Similar to virtual video gifts, users can also send live gifts. The little gift box icon will appear at the bottom of a live video for users to tap and buy different gifts. The ranges on these are even bigger, with some being just a single coin and others going up to 10s of thousands of coins.

A screenshot of live gifts in TikTok

Several TikTok creators have shared how live streaming can be used to make money. One creator makes between $20-300 every time they go live and another brought in $34,000 within a single month—just from live streaming.

Make sure your live videos are entertaining and valuable so that users keep wanting to tune in. The more consistent viewers you get, the more likely they are to stick around and send you virtual gifts.

14. Offer personalized shoutouts

If you have a large following, TikTokers who want to grow their accounts may be willing to pay for personalized shoutouts. Pick a price point and sell shoutouts as yet another way to make money. Your price may be a bit of trial and error. If you’re getting no bites, you may want to lower it. But on the other hand, if you’re getting a ton of interest, you might be able to increase your price.

You can then shout these people out during a live video or during a feed video. You might even choose to offer two different price points (with feed videos costing more) so that users can choose where they’d like to be shouted out.

15. Sell digital products

Finally, consider selling digital products. You can create a shop with TikTok and link to your digital products from there, making it easy to make a sale. Promote your products within your videos and include your shop’s URL in your profile so users can easily find it.

Learn more about TikTok for business

These strategies can elevate your TikTok game and put you on a clear path to making money on the app. Learn how to get more TikTok followers so you can increase your earning potential even more.

The post How to make money on TikTok: 15 strategies to use in 2023 appeared first on Sprout Social.

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