We know many business owners wear several hats, from HR to PR and back again and there are some days that really ought to be four times as long, so everything gets done. Fear not, under-pressure damsels in business distress. Like a knight in slimline silver armour, Linkedin’s new features are coming to your rescue and promise will make life a bit easier. 

We’re big believers in every little helping, so let’s take a closer look at the goodies (Ed’s note: don’t you mean the Goode stuff? #badumtush)

Supercharge your posts

Taking a shameless leaf straight out of Facebook’s um… book, Linkedin will now allow you to boost a high-performing post to really supercharge your social media post’s engagement. 

It might sound like a cue for a song, but Linkedin says all you need are a “click of a button and a few payment details”, it’s a quick and effective way to expand a post’s reach without having to learn any new marketing tools. Nice. 

Amplify event promotion and measure the results

If the past year or so has taught us anything, it’s that many of us are more comfortable in front of the camera and crowds than ever before. 

If you’re among the businesses using group and community meetings or events as part of your marketing strategy, Linkedin’s Event Ad feature will help promote your event to a new audience, highlighting key details such as date, time, and how to join. 

It will also let members know if a mutual connection will be attending, so watch out for talking at the back. 

That’s smart enough on its own, but Linkedin’s new features also include an Event Analytics tool that offers insights into the reach, engagement, and companies behind event attendees, crucial information for tailoring or targeting future events. 

LinkedIn Live gets a boost

Business owners looking to get in on the livestreaming trend went crazy for Linkedin’s Live feature, which saw a more-than 400% YoY increase in the past 12 months or so. 

The chaps at the business platform have taken note and unveiled Custom Streaming, a nifty feature that allows members to use the broadcast tools they are most comfortable with, whether that’s Zoom, WebEx or OBS. If Microsoft Teams is your bag, that’s on its way too. 

Measure performance on the Go

Linkedin has finally realised many business owners aren’t chained to their computers 24/7 and can get out and about from time to time. 

With that in mind, they’ve launched Mobile Page Analytics, sending all the visitor, follower and content insights, including organic and boosted metrics, normally accessible on your desktop, straight to your phone. 

If you’re still struggling to get to grips with Linkedin’s new features, give us a shout and we’ll soon have you LinkedIn-ing like a pro.  

We’re 24 fingers, a digital marketing agency and a proud member of the 42 Club, Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, Excel Business Networking Group, the Trusted Business Community, the Organisation for Responsible Businesses and the Rotary Club of Brentwood à Becket. We help companies who are all fingers and thumbs with their social media grow their business and brand. Book your free strategy call here.

There was a time, not so long ago, when watching live telly was a national pastime, from Saturday morning kids’ shows to special episodes of EastEnders. Knowing it was being broadcast as we watched was thrilling – and hilarious if something went wrong. 

The rise of the internet and smartphones has put the power of live broadcasting into everyone’s hands, and while there’s less chance of an elephant having a poo on our living room floors (Ed’s note: poor John Noakes), the content being created by entrepreneurs and influencers can be every bit as compelling. 

It’s no surprise that Instagram also offers live streaming on its platform, alongside Facebook and YouTube. But is Instagram Live of any use to business owners? Absolutely. Allow us to explain…

Lights…

If you’re planning to plunge into the livestreaming world using Instagram, it’s easy peasy. First swipe right from your feed to open the Stories Camera. Then tap ‘Live’, followed by ‘Start Live Video’. Easy peasy. 

The trickier part is making sure your video is one worth watching, so let’s rewind a little. First of all, do your homework – has anyone else posted videos about the subject, product or service you plan to cover? If not – great. But if they have, can you put a must-see spin on it that will turn viewers into customers?  

Camera…

Next, get in touch with your ideal audience. All the world may be a stage and us mere players on it, but nobody wants to speak to an empty house. Use the countdown sticker in Instagram Stories or post on your Instagram Feed to give your followers a heads up. 

Timing is everything too, so check your analytics to ensure you’ll be grabbing your target audience at the moment when they’re most receptive (and willing to buy).

Action!

You can also partner up with a creator or business collaborator, or even a follower for your Instagram Live if you’re not keen on flying solo for your video debut (though remember what happened to The Supremes…). The ‘Using Live With’ button is a great way to build anticipation and even engage a wider audience before you’ve even uttered a single word. 

When you finally push the button and go live, you can interact with your viewers using a Q&A, either by taking questions during the stream or via the Questions sticker in Instagram Stories. Having a few in the bank before you get going is a great way to avoid any awkward pauses. Audiences prefer longer live streams, so aim for at least 10 minutes. 

Stick to the script

Chances are your viewers will be receptive and friendly, but to make sure the entire process is a positive community experience, don’t forget to turn on the comment moderation button. 

Open Instagram settings, scroll down to Privacy and then choose Comments. Here, you can filter out replies containing specific words or phrases, or use the Manual Filter to select your own words or phrases that you don’t want to pop up onscreen. 

Cut! That’s a wrap

When you’ve finished your Instagram Live, don’t forget to promote it in your Stories, where it will remain for 24 hours before being automatically deleted. 

You can, of course, hang on to your magnum opus for longer, by downloading it from Instagram TV (IGTV). It’s a good idea to watch your videos back and critique them as objectively as possible. Which bits did viewers respond to the most, and what made them turn them off? You can use that information while planning your next video. 

If you’re still gripped by stage fright, don’t worry. Drop us a line and we’ll soon have you ready for your close up, Mr DeMille… 

We’re 24 fingers, a digital marketing agency and a proud member of the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, Excel Business Networking Group, the Trusted Business Community, the Organisation for Responsible Businesses and the Rotary Club of Brentwood à Becket. If you’re feeling all fingers and thumbs with your online marketing, use our hands (and hearts and minds) to get extra digits on your bottom line. Book your free strategy call here. 

We’ve all become a lot more savvy with video technology in recent weeks thanks to lockdown, from Zooming clients or colleagues to posting Facebook Lives and chatting with relatives via Facetime or Skype. But now things are gradually easing, why not take that new-found skill and try a webinar?

For business owners video – particularly webinars – are a powerful and inexpensive tool that can enhance your brand voice, establish you as a thought leader, and bring your products or services to a new audience. They do take a bit of planning and organisation though, so sit back and soak up our step-by-step guide to hosting a successful webinar. 

Which platform?

First and foremost, where will your webinar happen? There are so many to choose from right now, from Zoom to Google Hangouts and WebinarJam. Take some time to familiarise yourself with a few, and find one that’s totally right for you. 

What content?

Grab your marketing calendar and identify what issues or subjects you haven’t covered with other forms of communication, then assess if you can come up with content that will plug these gaps or engage specific groups. Have an optimum time slot in mind that will attract the biggest audience. After that, it’s time to get creative. 

Give yourself several weeks to assemble the content for your webinar and determine if topics you’re planning to explore have been covered recently, or whether there’s a trend you can capitalise on. When you’re fully prepped, the invitations can go out (don’t forget those follow-ups) and you can start actively promoting the event. 

Testing, testing, testing…

At least a day before your scheduled webinar, check all your pre-recorded pieces are good to go, any poll questions are done (and the answers), and all your equipment has been thoroughly tested, including your internet connection. Then it’s time for a complete dress rehearsal – conduct the entire webinar as if it was the live version, keeping an eye on time and sorting out any technical hiccups as they go without swearing…  

The big day

On the day of the webinar itself, make sure you’re suited and booted, with hair whipped into shape and make-up if you need it. Ensure sure your voice is good and warmed up and we’d say avoid eating too much just before, but have some water to hand. Make sure your internet connection is solid, the light is good, your background is clear and do a full battery and headphone check. Finally, check the camera, which needs to be at eye level if possible, is switched ON. Line up those pre-recorded segments and then smile as you go live. 

The aftermath

It’s always good to examine the pros and cons of any webinar, to see what worked and where you could make improvements. Download a recording and try to analyse it objectively. Further editing and post-production can help create valuable snippets for social media to enhance your brand or business. Don’t forget to share both the webinar or clips with the people who took part, as well as the wider social media public. 

Fancy running your own webinar but still not confident about taking that first step? Chat to us at 24 fingers and we’ll help you dive right in.

We’ve learned a lot about ourselves during lockdown, from our capacity to deal with enormous amounts of disruption to how many biscuits can legitimately accompany a single mug of tea. The curve has been vertical, to say the least. 

This strange time has also forced many businesses to really embrace digital technology, including video conferencing. Moments of peering into the screen and muttering “is it on yet?” swiftly gave way to us hosting or attending meetings involving several colleagues and using Zoom or Skype like the bosses we are.

So if everyone’s doing it, how do you make yourself stand out from the video conferencing crowd? 

Know your technology

As with all new bits of kit, it’s always wise to give them the once-over before diving in and  video conferencing software is no different. Get to know your way around the platform before joining or hosting any meetings, and make sure all pop-up or notification bleeps, bloops and blarts are firmly turned off. 

Also, invest in a good set of earphones (preferably ones that won’t make you look like Mickey Mouse) with a robust microphone but test its levels first to avoid potential embarrassment… 

Just farted on a zoom call and it lit my name up.

I’ve been betrayed

— Scarlet Châppell (@ScarletChappell) June 20, 2020

Location, location, location

Not all of us have a dedicated office space to conduct meetings (and anyone who saw that adorable BBC interview with Professor Robert Kelly knows the value of a locked door), so choosing a calm, quiet location for your meeting is crucial. 

Position yourself against an interesting background with good lighting. Bookcases are a popular choice but if you don’t want your clients/colleagues to know you’re a Danielle Steele nut, then a plain wall will do. Make sure that pile of laundry is shoved well out of shot before you go live. 

Wear it well

By now, working from home should – 24 fingers crossed – should be close to normal, so slobbing about in pyjamas won’t even be on your radar. But if you’re video conferencing a potential new client or the meeting is more formal than a colleagues’ get-together, make sure you reflect that with a smart outfit. 

As long as you’re 100% certain you won’t be required to stand up or move around, chances are you can get away with wearing whatever you like below the camera. 

Chit chat…

Although you’re probably miles from each other, don’t forget the pleasantries when people join the conversation. Getting the ball rolling with a little bit of small talk – especially when socialising face to face is a bit of a luxury at the moment – goes a long way when building relationships. 

…but don’t hog the airwaves

That said, it’s easy for us to be on transmit rather than receive, so it’s important to stay focused on the point of the meeting and not waffle on. If you’re hosting the meeting, then have a series of bullet points to hand so you don’t wander off-topic. Mute yourself before you wreck yaself.

Make sure everyone gets a chance to have their say and that everyone is respectful and keeps schtum when someone else is talking. Enthusiasm is great, but a noisy babble where no one can get a word in edgeways is off-putting and could put people off future meetings. Sad face. 

If the thought of video conferencing has you pulling your virtual hair out, talk to us at 24 fingers and we’ll have you ready for your close-up before you can say “lights, camera, action”.