Industry Focus for Friday, February 24, 2023
No big deal, but we’ve been writing these Industry Focus posts for about a year now.
But we’re switching up our editorial calendar and moving to sharing our industry insights with you every two weeks.
Don’t worry – we won’t stop talking about the latest happenings in digital marketing as a team, and you can still come here to learn more about what’s going on in the industry.
This week, our team was focused on social media and SEO, especially because companies like Meta and Google have been consistently rolling out new features lately.
“Twitter Blue Versus Meta Verified,” by Andrew Hutchinson in Social Media Today
Meta is adding exclusive features in exchange for a monthly fee – including additional post reach. The new “Meta Verified” status is about $12 to $15 per month (depending on how you purchase your verification) and also gives you dedicated account support, exclusive stickers, 100 free “Stars” per month, and proactive monitoring against impersonator accounts. The new program is poised to be a valuable revenue stream for the social media giant – but is purchasing verification worth it? It might be, when you consider that social media engagement is declining (keep reading for more information on that).
-Submitted by Brandon Tietz, Senior Digital Copywriter
“Social Media Engagement Hits a New Low, Except for TikTok,” by Nicole Farley in Search Engine Land
A 2023 social media benchmark report revealed that social media marketing engagement rates have dropped for the third straight year on Instagram, but have held steady for Facebook and Twitter. However, post frequency was flat on Instagram and lower on Twitter and Facebook. But with billions of users actively participating on these platforms, social media marketers can’t afford to skip these tactics. In fact, comparing your own brand’s engagement rates to the average helps you gauge how well your ads and posts are performing so you can plan optimizations – something iFocus Marketing has done since our Kansas City ad agency’s inception.
-Submitted by Brandon Tietz, Senior Digital Copywriter
“How to Navigate SEO Keyword Research in the Era of ChatGPT,” by Adam Tanguay in Search Engine Land
With Microsoft investing in OpenAI, Google’s launch of Bard, and ChatGPT making tech accessible for everyone, it’s safe to say that AI search features aren’t going anywhere. SEO marketers can utilize the technology to generate keyword idea lists, complete with general topic categories and keyword intent. Good SEOs also will complete a gap analysis and consider nuances. Although AI seems like it would make things easier, it’s best to never get too comfortable with relying upon it.
-Submitted by Nicole Grazier, Associate Digital Copywriter
“Google Business Profile Strength Widget Now Live and Many Local SEOs Not Happy,” by Barry Schwartz in Search Engine Roundtable
Last summer, Google began testing a profile strength widget for its Google Business Profile, so users could determine how they could improve their online presence. Last week, it went live, and people have a lot of thoughts. The profile strength widget only shows the percentage of features your GBP uses – and that doesn’t mean it is incomplete. It’s possible the parts you aren’t using – like ads – are contributing to a less-than-perfect score, and so you’ll never reach 100% until you use every single feature. The moral of the story is that strength and health widgets for search engine optimization aren’t perfect, and it takes a digital marketing expert to ensure your web presence is as strong as it can be.
-Submitted by Alisha Ahern, Marketing Strategy Manager
“Culture Rising: 2023 Trends Report,” in Meta Foresight
Marketers have to stay up-to-date on trends to ensure they’re connecting with their audience. Trending conversations on social media can give us the insight we need in order to do this. In Meta’s culture report for 2023, we learned they’re predicting four hot topics for the year: exploratory identities; refined relationships; assertive aspirations; and lived values. All of these are a reflection of today’s society and economy. How can your business incorporate them into your social media content?
-Submitted by Marilee Rodgers, Social Media Ads Manager
See You Back Here in Two Weeks!
Our next Industry Focus blog is heading your way on Friday, March 10, so don’t forget to pop in so you can read it, learn, and apply your new knowledge to your marketing strategy.
In the meantime, get a free discovery call from iFocus so you can learn:
- Exactly how well your current tactics are working.
- What your competitors are doing and how you stack up.
- Which digital marketing solutions could help you reach your business goals.
All you have to do is send us a message on our website to get started. Talk to you soon!
Jenifer Calandra is an award-winning digital copywriter and copy team lead at iFocus Marketing with 12 years of marketing experience. She curates copy from conception to completion, capturing client voices, and building their authority in their industry. Her knack for storytelling is deeply rooted in journalism, and you’ll find her work published in various regional newspapers and magazines. At home, dogs and a never-ending cascade of home-improvement projects rule her life.
