Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on March 25th, 2016, and has been updated to provide you with the latest information. Update (October 1, 2020): Back in 2016, we were all so very excited to see the Facebook Grid Tool disappear. Unfortunately, it was replaced with similar restrictions of labeling ads with High, Medium, Low, or Ok amounts of text, and we found that ads were still being penalized for including large amounts of text. So is it true this time? Is it really gone? Facebook Grid Tool OFFICIALLY Removed See for yourself! The original Facebook Grid Tool (https://www.fac ..read more

Key Insights: A Facebook Ads boycott is taking shape under the hashtag #StopHateforProfit aimed at forcing action from Facebook regarding its policies on hate speech, political ads, and disinformation. While the list of brands pausing Facebook Ads grows, so does the opportunity for smaller or competitor brands to eat up some of the market share, likely at lower costs due to the already high usage rates of social media and apps, as well as decreased competition. SMBs and values-driven organizations, especially those already in a fragile state due to the economic impact of COVID-19, will need t ..read more

If you are as enthusiastic about Facebook advertising as the nerds at Search Influence, then 2019 was an exciting year for you. Among other developments, Facebook made some major changes to their targeting options, beginning in the Spring with new requirements for Special Ad Categories like housing, financial services, and employment. These new targeting restrictions were intended to prevent advertisers from doing what I call “creative discrimination,” for example, only targeting high-income people for real estate ads. Many resources explain these new Special Ad Categories and how to create ef ..read more

Katelyn Mulkey, Account Coordinator at Search Influence, joined Great Day Louisiana on National Emoji day to share her knowledge on: The history of emojis New emojis being released in 2019 How emojis relate to inclusivity and the all-inclusive-web Misused emojis Emojis have been popular since they first appeared on Japanese mobile phones in the late ’90s, and in the past few years they have become a hallmark of the way people communicate. They show up everywhere—from texts and Facebook posts to press releases and corporate emails. At Search Influence, we’re always up-to-date with social media ..read more

If you asked someone to name a social media network five years ago, their answer would probably have been “Facebook.” But in 2019, there’s an entire social media ecosystem with distinct content, styles, and user groups. Facebook continues to dominate, but with such a dynamic social media landscape, who knows how long that will last. For marketers, the uncertainty can be unnerving. The good news is that digital marketing spend is growing steadily. The great news is that just two of the major social media networks will give you incredible advertising coverage. As a bonus, you can create ads and ..read more

One of the most important assets in any physician’s marketing strategy is knowing your potential patients. In a field as diverse as medicine, this can mean the difference between success and failure. Therefore, we’ve put together a helpful guide to Facebook’s targeting tools to help build and improve your online audiences. Define Your Patients The first step in any successful strategy is defining who you want to get in front of. Imagine the type of patient you’d like to attract and jot down every characteristic about them that you can think of. For example, if you’re a plastic surgeon who wo ..read more

Social media is an essential element of a holistic and integrated marketing plan. Different social media platforms allow you to create and share content, reach specific audiences, and accomplish your marketing and business goals. Before you begin expanding your current social media marketing, make a plan. Here are some questions to help you get started: Who are you trying to reach? Where does your target audience consume content online? Which message(s) do you want to send your target audience? What is your end business goal? Your answers to these questions will help you define your business ..read more

To succeed in today’s competitive environment, companies have to convince us to choose their products and services in an instant. What better way to do that than with videos? Let’s face it, people love videos! Sight, sound, and motion can be a powerfully positive combination. We’ve all felt it. Videos are a very effective marketing tool, and businesses should make the most of them on different media platforms, including YouTube, Google Ads, and social media. According to Cisco’s Visual Networking Index on Forecasts and Trends, by 2019, global consumer internet video traffic will account for 8 ..read more

How Can an Agency Help Me If I Am a… Single Person Marketing Team Single person marketing “teams” can feel isolated and underappreciated. The business owner(s) expect you to handle it on your own, but as you’ve tried to run campaigns, manage vendors, write content, plan the strategy, update your website, and still get results, you find two key challenges: There isn’t enough time to do it all yourself. One person rarely has the skills to be strategic, create graphics, update a website, monitor results, and evaluate and manage vendors. Business Owner Business owners who manage their own market ..read more

Social media users are 10x more likely to engage with a post that includes a photograph or other visual. And, on platforms like Instagram, without a photo, you can’t post at all. So, no matter what industry you’re in—or even for your personal profiles—if you want to reach the 2.34 billion social media users worldwide, knowing the dos and don’ts of quality images is essential. Luckily, the social media experts at Search Influence are here to help. Use Professional Photos It’s the number one rule of social media—professional quality photos only. Nothing blurry or out of focus, no limbs cut out o ..read more