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Susan Rapaglia

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5 Tips On Building Your Instagram Audience
5 Tips On Building Your Instagram Audience 1200 770 Susan Rapaglia

Instagram is by far one of the most powerful social media tools to grow your business online. However, there are a lot of accounts that we have noticed which aren’t using the platform to its fullest potential.

That is why the Coast Creative team put together 5 tips on how to build your Instagram audience which you can start implementing today!

1. Set SMART Goals

Before you focus on your content, the number 1 thing to do is to focus on your goals for Instagram. Who do you want to reach? How many hours per day/week do you want to set aside for posting + creating content? What number of followers/engagement rate is a success in your book?

We at the Coast Creative are big subscribers to SMART goals. A S.M.A.R.T. goal is defined as one that is specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused, and time-bound. Lofty goals are an easy way to set yourself up for failure. If you’re just starting out on your Instagram account, instead of having a goal of gaining a bunch of followers, a s.m.a.r.t. goal would be to grow the Instagram channel by 10% in three months. A goal that is both achievable and measurable.

2. Stick To A Schedule

After you set your goals, the next step is to plan out a set schedule for your Instagram posting and community management/engagement. This part is really up to you and how much time you can dedicate to the platform. If 3-4 posts a week is too many (or too few), adjust to your own needs and goals. Once you find a posting frequency that works best for you, it is super important to stay consistent. The quickest way to build an audience is to stay consistent with your posting schedule. Your fans will tune out if you go weeks without a post.

3. Remember Content *Still* Reigns Supreme

Beyond setting goals and sticking to a schedule, an equally important task is creating compelling and engaging content for your audience. It doesn’t matter if you have the best target audience and schedule set in place, if your content is terrible, then your audience will look elsewhere.

We also recommend to our clients when creating content that each piece should inform, reveal and engage. We tend to stray away from promotional/advertisements in our organic content because the user can easily get turned off to it. Building brand awareness and affinity with our content are what to strive for.

4. Don’t Overlook The Power Of Stories

If you’re currently not using Instagram Stories in your marketing strategy, then it is time to make a change right now. Instagram Stories are not only arguably the most fun and creative part of Instagram, but they also are such an easy and an effective way to have your posts seen and shared by millions of daily users.

Instagram stories are meant to showcase and highlight content that you don’t need to have on your regular feed. For example, if you are a restaurant you don’t need to post about your weekly happy hours on your feed, but creating captivating Instagram story content is perfect to promote your specials without backing up your curated feed.

Instagram stories only last 24 hours (unless highlighted) so you also don’t have as much pressure in perfecting the content as you would on a regular post.

5. Here Come The Hashtags

If you aren’t promoting your Instagram content via ads then it is extremely crucial to be using quality hashtags on your posting. Using hashtags helps your content reach your target audience and also can build your following at the same time. Not to mention, potentially getting on Instagram’s explore feed as well.

Instagram allows each post to include 30 hashtags in the copy. Even though you have plenty of hashtags use, you should make the most out of them, and make sure they’re relevant and targeted to your audience base.

One Final Word

It is safe to say there are plenty more tips & tricks on growing your Instagram audience, but they all start with creating a strategy + implementing it. If you’re overwhelmed on keeping up with social media trends, send a message and see how we can help!

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Coast Creative x Charlotte Lately
Coast Creative x Charlotte Lately 800 535 Susan Rapaglia
As we prepare to fully expand into the Queen City, we are honored and excited to be featured in the beautiful fall issues of Charlotte Lately.

While we’ve already started working in Charlotte, our operations are still quite small. So, as we eye fall 2018 as our time to ramp up our efforts and expand our local team, we are thrilled to have been featured in the most recent Charlotte Lately publication. Not only is it a beautiful publication, we wholeheartedly believe in the brand’s purpose:

“A COMMUNITY PLATFORM CONNECTING THE VENTURES, PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES IN CHARLOTTE, NC. FOSTERING A CULTURE OF CREATIVITY, COMPASSION AND GROWTH.”

Our six-page spread talked about why we chose Charlotte to be our second office home (hint: President Jonathan Stewart and fam call it home), what we do for our clients, and of course, why.

We see this article as an amazing introduction to a city we can’t wait to really put down our roots in.

Charlotte Lately is a quarterly publication and available for single purchase or subscription. Check out their amazing Instagram profile showcasing the all sides of Charlotte: @charlottelately.

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Our Cause: Fit 4 Prevention
Our Cause: Fit 4 Prevention 2100 1400 Susan Rapaglia

When we founded Coast Creative, we knew we wanted to do good for our clients, and communities. So, we decided to find some amazing non-profits to work with and help these organizations achieve their goals.

The first charity that our team is honored to work with is Fit 4 Prevention. The fundraising arm of Keep A Breast Foundation, F4P was created to raise awareness about breast cancer prevention through fitness and wellness. Their goal is to get 1000 studios that raise $1000 each. Which means, yes, $1,000,000 raised for Keep A Breast.

According to the organization, Fit 4 Prevention is “a national movement to raise awareness about breast cancer prevention through fitness and wellness. Our goal is to inspire people to reduce their risk of cancers by adopting a healthier, more active lifestyle in a way that sparks their inner champion. We’re working with studios, gyms, and individuals around the country to raise funds and increase awareness for The Keep A Breast Foundation and our mission to empower young people around the world with breast health education and support.”

Coast Creative is assisting F4P with growing their social media following, additional studio and influencer outreach. We love getting to use our skillsets to help great organizations like Keep A Breast a well-deserved boost.

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3 Reasons You Should Be Using Video Marketing
3 Reasons You Should Be Using Video Marketing 1200 800 Susan Rapaglia

They say content is king, but we think that needs to be a little more specific: VIDEO content is king. Coast Creative believes deeply in this theory—nay fact–and work with many of our clients to create attractive, engaging videos that will convert. Of course, video can seem like just another marketing investment, but is it? Is skipping video a short-sighted business decision? Here are Coast Creative’s

Top 3 Reasons To Use Video Marketing

People LOVE Video

And not just cat videos. Video marketing engages in a way that photos can’t, and certainly like marketing copy can’t. According to KPCB, video will account for over 74% of all online traffic. That’s an insane percentage. Another incredible number, 500 million (YES, MILLION) people are watching videos on Facebook each and every day (TubularInsights). Be where your customers are: in a video on social media!

It’s Got the ROI we LOVE

Video converts! Including videos on your landing page can improve conversions. And, online videos can serve as fantastic lead generation, brand awareness and customer engagement tools. According to vidyard.com, 70% of their survey respondents reported video content performed better than any other content type for producing conversions. Let us also mention that video possesses another type of ROI—ROTI or Return On Time Investment. Video can convey and incredible amount of information in a short amount of time. Viewers have to do very little work to learn about your product, service or brand.

…And, Facebook Says So

We’d like to think we’re the boss, but the fact of the matter is we work hard to stay ahead industry trends and the evolving rules of digital marketing. As we sit now, Facebook’s newsfeed algorithm values video more than it does a traditional image-based advertisement. SEO.com states that “videos have repeatedly shown that they have much larger organic reach and engagement than other forms of content. People are watching more than 100 million hours of video on Facebook every day…” Additionally, video advertising on Facebook is one of THE MOST cost-effective forms of digital advertising you can complete.

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Squarespace Versus WordPress: What’s Right For You?
Squarespace Versus WordPress: What’s Right For You? 2100 1400 Susan Rapaglia

It’s a question we’ve asked ourselves. It’s a question our clients have asked. And you may be wondering right now: Should I use Squarespace or WordPress for my new website. Our simplest answer is, unfortunately, not that simple; because it all depends on you.

Today, we’re comparing the three primary differences between WordPress and Squarespace so that you can make the right decision for your business.

CUSTOMIZATION:

Both WordPress and Squarespace provide beautiful website templates designed for different industries, and both can be customized. That said, WordPress has  considerably more (an understatement) plugins and options than Squarespace. In fact, there are over 40,000 WP plugins available right now! When talking to clients, we typically say that WP is a more robust website platform, and a great option for those needing more site capabilities and functions. With less customization on Squarespace, there are also fewer chances for things to go wrong in the development phase. If you are building a website yourself, that’s something to certainly keep in mind.

Winner: WordPress

EASE OF USE:

Who doesn’t like easy? Get in, get out, get a website, right? While WordPress allows for high levels of customization, it’s not necessarily the easiest. Squarespace, on the other hand, was developed for those of us who are NOT developers. Much of Squarespace is drag and drop. You, the builder, can see exactly what is happening as you are doing and can adjust as such. That said, WordPress is a very “learnable” platform, and certain aspects of a website are incredibly easy to use. Blogs, for example are easy to post and update. The WordPress Backend and Frontend Editors are also helping the less tech-savvy create quality websites.

Winner: Squarespace

COSTS:

Squarespace certainly makes it easy with upfront costs and everything you need baked in. WordPress requires you find your hosting and will often require a handful of plug ins to really make your website pop. Hiring a Squarespace designer is also often less expensive than working with someone who specializes in WordPress. This, of course, is dependent on the situation; but it’s typically a safe bet that the WP site will be a more time-intensive build.

Winner: Squarespace

Yes, technically Squarespace won 2 out of the 3 comparisons, but that doesn’t mean we think Squarespace is a better platform. It still goes back to what functions your websites must perform.

If you are considering a Squarespace, WordPress or Shopify website, Coast Creative is here to assist you in design, implementation and tracking. Contact us today at [email protected].

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The Best Photo Editing Apps
The Best Photo Editing Apps 800 482 Susan Rapaglia

If you ask our Coast Creative team “What is the best photo editing app out there,” you may get a difference of opinion. What we are in agreement of, however, is that we all need photo editing in our lives.

Listen to us now: ALL photos should be edited before posting. Just like we as people can use a little sprucing up here and there, so do our photos. So, while we might not be able to choose the “best,” we have selected our top 3 favorite photo editing apps.

Best All Around: SNAPSEED

Snapseed, a Google product, got a few votes here at Coast thanks to its primary processing abilities when it comes to things like exposure, ambiance, sharpening and straightening. We love that in addition to “Tools,” Snapseed also offers “Looks” that includes your last edits. This comes in quite handy when you’re editing multiple photos in a row. This consistency is key to a cohesive to that enviable Instagram feed.

Best Filters: VSCO

You can’t really talk about photo editors without mentioning VSCO. Pronounced “Visco,” no one does filters better. These are not your overpowering filters, these are the filters that make you say “oh hello, photo.” Not to mention their basic photo editing tools are pretty on point as well.

Best Creative: A COLOR STORY + A DESIGN KIT

There’s a little something for everyone (who loves color in their lives) with A Color Story and its new sister-app, A Design Kit. Enjoy an incredible range of presets that can take your photos from nice to “I got how many likes?!?” Pair that with A Design Kit and you’re able to develop really creative photos that will stand out from any crowd.

We feel it’s only right to note that a both VSCO, A Color Story and A Design Kit offer a good number of their features for a fee. A small fee, but nonetheless a fee.

Photos and the editing apps that beautify them is a piece of the overall social media puzzle. If you’re looking for more ways to increase your following, improve engagement and build your brand, get in touch today!

Instagram Algorithm Updates
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Instagram is Changing the Game … Again
Instagram is Changing the Game … Again 1280 960 Susan Rapaglia

I think it’s safe to say that the word “algorithm” had never been uttered more times by more people outside of the math world than when Instagram decided to change theirs. In case you missed it, the really smart people behind the popular platform thought they knew what users wanted to see. And, so, they altered the way in which you and I saw photos. Gone were the days of chronological feeds, and it did NOT go over well.

As the New York Times put it, “Instagram is one of several social media companies that are striving to find the right balance between arranging content chronologically and ranking it according to machine-learned impressions of relevance.”

Why does this matter to us? To you? Besides less meddling in our feeds, this adjustment will affect your social media strategy. While they are not returning to a true chronological process, here are a few tips to keep up with Instagram’s updates!

 

POST FREQUENTLY

Now that Instagram is returning, slightly, to a chronological feed, there is a renewed need for regular posting. A few weeks ago, users could see posts from 7 days earlier if Instagram deemed it so. Be sure you are posting throughout the week (FYI depending on your industry that could be 4 times, 6 times, even 8 times a week).

*And, don’t neglect the time of day which you share content!

 

USE HASHTAGS…STRATEGICALLY

We all know that Instagram limits users to 30 hashtags. Whether you choose to use 5, 10 or all 30 hashtags, be sure you’re getting specific. Choose hashtags that truly speak to your business and your content. For example, at Coast Creative we would be smart to choose industry-specific and local hashtags like #sdcreatives #sandiegomarketing #digitalmarketingagency #supportsdlocal and so on.

*And, don’t forget your branded hashtag like #coastcreative! (#shamelessplug)

 

SHARE YOUR STORIES

As Instagram changes, change with it! And by “change with it,” we don’t mean take a boomerang here and there. Businesses should embrace Instagram Stories because the rest of the world certainly is. With over 200 million daily users, Stories offers a chance to grow your community in a new way, add outbound links (hello!), and include a more personal approach to Instagram.

*And, don’t forget have fun with Stories!

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