Brian E. Boyd Sr.'s Blog, page 4

Tools Can Change Your (Social) Life

Can you imagine peeling a dozen of potatoes without a peeler? What about making a gallon of fresh orange juice without using a juicer? Since the beginning of time, tools have made life so much easier for us “poor humans.”

 

Even in the Bible, though not literal, there are the tools of the spirit. (Breastplate of Righteousness, Gospel of Peace, Shield of Faith, Helmet of Salvation, Sword of the Spirit)

 

The examples above prove that tools really can change your life!

 

Have you thought about how you can start to change your social life for the better? I’m not talking about going to more parties or making new friends, although I’m sure there are tools to help you achieve that. I’m referring to the tools to help improve your brand’s social media presence.

 

Social media is a wonderful thing. For your company, organization, non-profit or personal brand, the results can be massive.

 

For Stormie Omartian, a Christian author and speaker, in her first nine months of using tools and strategy to improve her social media, her followers grew by 216%. We all know that a growing audience is only the first step to success with social media. With it comes increased interactions, more traffic to websites, and more successful campaigns.

 

Can you imagine what would come for your brand with a 216% increase in social media followers? Have you thought about what tools or team you should put in place to make that happen? Start here: http://go.getsoci.al/home

 

This post was written by Jordan Moran. Jordan is an Account Manager with Media Connect Partners. His expertise in Wikipedia has him busy with lots of MCP’s clients on a daily basis. 

 

 

Across the World with Technology

During his recent visit to Mumbai, India, Brian noticed how much social media was being used across the world. What two platforms do you think were most popular in India?

 

 

This video blog was written and recorded by Brian Boyd. Brian is the CEO of Media Connect Partners. 

How Much is Your Content Worth?

I’m guilty. I was watching an episode of “Pawn Stars” because literally, there was nothing else on.

It went like this: someone entered the pawn shop with a letter from Abe Lincoln, wanting some cash to pay for his son’s tuition. He had done some research and estimated the letter was worth about $15,000.

“Sure, it could be worth $15,000 – but that’s only if Abe Lincoln wrote it himself,” said the shop owner.

They brought the letter to a specialist for verification. Sure enough, it was Lincoln himself that wrote the letter. After verifying its authenticity, they got down to business.

“Now, we would be prepared to offer you $15,000 depending on the content of the letter.” They took a look at it. Basically, it was a letter Lincoln wrote telling “Person A” to relay something to “Person B” – in other words, something unimportant.

“Sorry, but it’s only worth $1,500. Now, if Lincoln was discussing about his presidency or something personal in the letter, then it’s worth the big bucks. Today, we’re prepared to offer you $800.”

$800? For a letter that President Lincoln handwrote himself? I was just as shocked as the man with the letter. In the end, he decided it was worth more to keep it in the family and chose not sell it.

We see big brands do this all the time. They think because they are big “Brand X”, that any content they push out is worth thousands. But it’s not. The content that you write needs to hold importance to its audience to make it worth thousands. What you are saying on social media needs to matter or else it’s practically worthless.

Take the time to get an unbiased opinion of your content and answer this question, “Does it matter?” Maybe there’s something more important that you should be discussing.

 

Is your content worth thousands? Let us take a look: (800) MCP-1265

 

This post was written by Sarah Boyd. Sarah is a Social Media Community Specialist Lead  with Media Connect Partners. Sarah has had the opportunity and pleasure to travel to over 23 countries. 

Spread Jesus, Not Hate

It is really easy to be negative on the Internet. It is easy to hide behind the anonymity of a comment section or spew your dislike about a person via social media. It is tempting to be negative since negativity draws attention and creates greater traffic and engagement. I however, am more impressed when people rise above, show how polite and understanding they can be and seek to bring a more positive message.

 

Christians around the world are connected like never before. Missionaries in China can talk to family in the United States, churches in Uganda can listen to a sermon in Israel, and Irish parishioners can join in prayer with Russians for a single person or cause. Social media has made all of these things easier then ever before. It is peculiar then, that many Christians spend a lot of time trolling comment sections to make snappy, hurtful remarks on Facebook pages, instead of spreading the hope and love found in Jesus. This, in my opinion, is a modern interpretation of the pot calling the kettle black.

 

It is no longer enough to praise God on Sunday’s and spew cynicism the rest of the week. Christians should show that they practice what is being preached, on and off line. So rise above that organization that posted a ‘click-bait’ article, don’t fall for people just wanting to get into petty arguments, the message you should be sending is love and grace. Though this might seem like a pointless endeavor, I stand firm in the belief that a positive message or comment has the ability to silence critics, and point them to a higher power.

 

 

This post was written by Chandler Elmore. Chandler is a Social Media Content Specialist with Media Connect Partners. Chandler also enjoys taking part in a good debate about politics, so comment below and maybe he’ll respond. 

Platform Spotlight: Instagram

If you’re not using Instagram now for your brand, watch below as Bethany tells you why it’s important to start one now!

 

 

This VLOG was written and recorded by Bethany Couture. Bethany  is a Social Media Content Specialist with Media Connect Partners. When she’s not at work, she enjoys learning about art and photography. 

Valentine’s Tips for Wooing Your Fan Base

Valentine’s Day is all about love…and it’s no longer just for couples. With social media taking over, it’s now a holiday for all; giving brands a chance to make their fans fall head over heels.

But just like with any relationship, there are some key tips to consider on social media in order to make the love last past the holiday and all year long:

 

1 – Listen. Are you actively listening to your audience? Merely smiling and nodding won’t do. Keep a close eye across all platforms for your customers’ feedback. And when they do provide feedback, pay attention and take it to heart.

 

2 – Engage in dialogue. We don’t mean just “communication” here. It’s deeper than that. Dialogue implies a back and forth exchange. Your fan tweets about their love for your brand – that’s great! Take it that extra mile to engage back with more than just a retweet or a “thank you.”

 

3 – Show love. Who doesn’t like coming home to flowers and chocolates, “just because”? Everyone expects to get something on a holiday like Valentine’s Day where it’s almost required – but don’t forget to reward your followers throughout the year simply for being awesome. Something as simple as a free download or flash giveaway can win fans for life.

 

4 – Be consistent. Once you’ve gained followers based on your stellar social media content, they’re going to expect you to keep delivering. If you keep up your social pages with regular content and engagement, keep it that way – don’t suddenly drop off and skip posting for days at a time.

 

5 – Be loyal and commit. Relationships take time—and work. It takes repeating steps one through four, and often above and beyond that, every day. Anyone can manage to bring the A game once year on Valentine’s Day, showering you with love and attention to meet the yearly quota. But the real “keepers” are the ones who see every day as an opportunity to show up and put the best foot forward.

 

Not sure if you’re ready to take on such a serious relationship? Give MCP a call and we’d be happy to woo your audience, producing relationships that last:1.800.627.1265

 

This post was written by Jackie Silva. Jackie is a Social Media Content Specialist Lead with Media Connect Partners. She is also getting married next month, send her your love and best wishes in comments below! 

Creative Ideas For Your Valentine’s Day

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching and expectations to out-do last year’s gift weighing on your mind, I’ve put together a list of crafts and ideas you can easily put together for your valentine!

 

First off, breakfast. There is no other way to start the day than with a Valentine’s Day themed breakfast. Heart-shaped muffins, you say? Absolutely. Your valentine will love waking up to that. (I know I would.) All you need is: a muffin tray, muffin paper, some marbles, and a muffin recipe (not included). Place the marbles as seen in the picture and BAM! Heart-shaped muffins!

A Valentine’s Day must is a card. It’s a classic way to express your love. This ‘I

Now, a gift anyone can love: a scrapbook or photo album collage of the two of you, your children, or anything of meaning to you. If you don’t have the time, patience, or any crafting ability (although mistakes are always more personal in my opinion), you can put together a photo album online using any number of websites that allow you to upload pictures and put them into a collage, or even a calendar.

 

To finish it up, a gift that will last all year and is sure to keep the love fresh. “12 Months of Date Nights.” This gift is fun and allows you to make time for a special date every month.

 All you need is:

-Two sheets of white card stock

-Assorted divider pages to put between each date card (scrapbook paper, love notes, magazine paper, photos, book pages, quotes you know they’ll like, or anything you want. Be creative!)

-Pen

-Scissors

-Hole punch

-Binder ring, twine, or ribbon

-Free, printable PDF

Now, go prepare for a wonderful Valentine’s Day with the one you love! Make it creative and special!

 

 

This post was written by Andrew Hanssen. Andrew is a Graphic Designer with Media Connect Partners. He is also a guy who joined Pinterest just to get ideas for Valentine’s Day, and thinks you should too. 

How the Super Bowl Always Scores a Touchdown with Social Media

Social Media and the Super Bowl

Social media, particularly Twitter, and the Super Bowl have long been close bedfellows. In fact, each year it seems as if social media becomes an even more vital part of the Super Bowl experience and what people talk about the day after.

In 2014, when the Super Bowl experienced a power outage, Oreo won the day with a clever ad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This year, while the power may not have gone out, there was still more than enough to provide a thriving social media commentary. Here are the top three campaigns that conquered social media for #SB15.

#LeftShark was a definite Super Bowl winner, or MVP as it were. Katy Perry performing fantastically during her half-time show set was not nearly as interesting as the shark on the left—a costumed shark who had his own ideas and moves. In fact, @LeftShark ended up getting his own Twitter profile. But what’s not to love and talk about when you have a possibly drunk costumed shark on stage?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Super Bowl social media winner, or loser, depending on your view, was Nationwide. Nationwide, in an ill-conceived marketing move, created one of the most depressing Super Bowl commercials of all time. And pointing out faults is where social media truly shines. Thanks to Nationwide’s commercial about children dying, Twitter went crazy and the memes were out of this world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, the true winner of social media during the Super Bowl was #LikeAGirl. An inspiring commercial by Proctor & Gamble set off a flood of social media support and over 50 million views on YouTube. Sometimes the best does get talked about the most, and that’s what we like to see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What was your favorite social media moment of the 2015 Super Bowl?

 

This post was written by Kelly Vo. Kelly  is a Strategy Director with Media Connect Partners. She also has two Huskies and looks forward to anytime in snowy weather. 

You Seriously Need To Update Your Website

First off I should tell you, I’m not a Web Designer—I’m a Social Media Specialist. But, like most people, I have a strong opinions about what I like and don’t like, and what I don’t like is badly designed websites. A lot of Christian websites look dated and old, have too much “in-your-face” information, and don’t make use of new tools and tricks. So here are some tips on how to improve your faith-based—or any!—organization’s website:

 

#1 Logo and Design

-Make sure that you have a professional logo.

Logos should not be overly colorful or distracting, they should be clean, neat, and represent your brand. Make sure you create something that will look good on business cards, social media, emails, and of course, your website. Don’t hesitate to re-create your logo if it’s out-of-date. 

-Web design should be left to a designer.

Don’t try build your own website. Make sure the designer clearly understands your brand. Give them colour restrictions, brand designs, and all the content they need to populate your website up-front. Make sure your logo, fonts, text size, images, and color scheme are all in sync. 

 

#2 Layout—your front page is not a “put as much as you can here page”

-First impressions are important.

You want people to know who you are and what you do, they shouldn’t have to search for this information. Your home page shows not only WHAT you do, but also WHO you are and HOW you do business. First impressions count, make sure yours is a good one.

-Make use of images and video.

Most people are visual and don’t like to read paragraphs of information. They want to be able to tell what your company does and what you stand for from a glance. Images can be a great way to represent yourself, as well as short, professionally edited videos.

-Make sure that your site has social media buttons.

All social media buttons should be easy to find on your home page. Make sure they are uniquely designed in the same style as your website.

-Consistency is key.

Nothing looks more unprofessional than lots of fonts and text sizes on one website. Make sure to use the same look-and-feel across all tabs. You can even buy your own custom font to really make your brand stand out.

 

#3 Formatting   

-Make sure your site is built to work on mobile devices.

-Your site should be responsive.

-Make sure information doesn’t disappear when it’s viewed on different devices.

-Make sure all images are good quality, if you don’t understand resolution, ask someone who does to check all images before sending them off to your web designer, this will save you time and trouble.

 

#4 Tabs and Updates

-Make use of your tabs!

Your website has tabs for the purpose of dividing information into easy-to-find compartments. Make sure they stand out, aren’t overly populated, and follow a logical order.

-Blogs are a must.

Most websites now-a-days have a blog (we recommend if you don’t that you look into it). Make sure that your blog is updated regularly with new and exciting information, text blogs get boring, throw some Vlogs, audio, and images in there!

-Updates are important.

Many sites are created and then left to their own devices. Websites should be updated on a weekly basis and kept up-to-date not only with information but in look and feel too. There are too many Christian websites that look like they were built a decade ago. Keep with the times! Flat, clean design seems to be in fashion at the moment. This is constantly changing and hard to keep up with but that’s why having a web-designer who knows what they’re doing is so important!

 

We can’t fix your website for you, but we can fix your social media! If you think your social needs a makeover, contact us at: +1.800.627.1265

 

 

This post was written by Kirstin Venn. Kirstin is a Social Media Content Specialist with Media Connect Partners, who works from South Africa. 

Connecting with Customers

CEO Brian Boyd talks with Amy Calvert, General Manager of GEB America. GEB America seeks to equip, empower and educate through providing Spirit-Empowered Edu-tainment that will help viewers to live well – Spirit, Mind and Body. http://c.gogeb.co/website 

 

 

 

This VLOG was written and recorded by Brian Boyd. Brian is the CEO of Media Connect Partners.

 

What do you do when something goes wrong with your social media platforms? Community Specialist, Ginger tells us here: