In the dynamic world of social media, where first impressions matter, a visually appealing brand presence is your ticket to success. Elevating your brand on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook requires more than just a basic understanding of design; it demands a strategic approach to create a lasting impact. Let’s delve into key elements that can transform your brand into a visual masterpiece and optimize your online presence.

1. Consistent Branding: Unify Colors, Fonts, and Logos

The foundation of a strong brand presence on social media lies in consistency. Unify your brand’s visual elements, including colors, fonts, and logos. This cohesiveness not only fosters brand recognition but also establishes a sense of professionalism. Consistent branding across platforms ensures that your audience easily identifies and connects with your brand, building trust and loyalty.

2. High-Quality Visuals: Opt for Clear and Vibrant Images

In a sea of content, high-quality visuals act as beacons, drawing attention and leaving a lasting impression. Invest time and resources in creating clear, vibrant images that reflect the essence of your brand. Whether you’re showcasing products, sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses, or crafting visually stunning content, prioritize quality. Sharp, eye-catching visuals not only capture attention but also convey a commitment to excellence.

3. Engaging Profile: Choose a Striking Cover Photo and Recognizable Profile Pic

Your social media profile is essentially the digital storefront of your brand. Make it inviting! Select a striking cover photo that encapsulates your brand’s personality and resonates with your target audience. Additionally, choose a recognizable profile picture that aligns with your brand identity. Humanizing your brand through a well-curated profile enhances relatability, making it easier for followers to connect with your story.

4. Strategic Elements: Mix it Up with Infographics and Behind-the-Scenes Shots

Diversify your content to keep your audience engaged. Beyond product photos, consider incorporating infographics to share valuable information in a visually appealing format. Showcasing behind-the-scenes shots provides a glimpse into your brand’s personality, fostering a sense of authenticity. By strategically blending various visual elements, you create a well-rounded and interesting feed that captures the attention of your audience.

Optimize Your Visuals for a Stunning Online Presence! 💫

As you embark on the journey to elevate your brand on social media, remember that visual appeal is a powerful tool. Optimize your visuals to tell a compelling story, build brand recognition, and foster a community of engaged followers. Consistency, quality, and strategic diversity are the keys to unlocking the full potential of your brand’s online presence.

Embrace the visual revolution, and watch your brand soar to new heights! ✨

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Like this blog? Read next: Elevate your business with professional photography

So, you’re here because you want to know what’s the dealio with Instagram Reel-ios, am I right? 😜

For my friends less familiar with Reels, let me give you a quick description: Instagram has a feature on its app called Reels, similar to TikTok & Youtube Shorts, that allows you to create short videos with text, sound effects, trending audio, etc. 

Reels have quickly gained popularity points and we’re seeing many content creators create more and more over this past year. 

Stick with me and I’ll answer some questions you probably have about this booming trend! 

Do you think Reels are here to stay? 

Absolutely. All predictions point to video content being king over these next few years. With Reels, you can get golden information in seconds – feeding our need for instant gratification. 

Reels are fun, informative, and entertaining, which plays into some of the main reasons we use social media on a regular basis. 

So I wouldn’t hesitate to use Instagram Reels just because you fear it might go away in a few years. Even if the Reels feature goes away, video content will still be dominating the market, and creating these short videos will be great practice for what’s to come. 

What success have you had with Reels? 

To be honest, I was hesitant to take on Reels, but I have to admit it has been worth all of the hours it has taken to learn how they work.

The first Reel I ever posted reached over 3,000 people! That’s 3,000 pairs of eyes on my company; and that’s with very little effort involved. I have reached way more people using Reels compared to still image posts. 

I will continue using Reels as a tactic to boost my brand’s awareness.  

What tips would you give someone who is just getting started with Reels? 

Don’t let Reels overwhelm you! Start with the basics. Learn how to use video effects, record in the app, add text and music. Once you’ve got those basics down, move on to figuring out the timing of texts, fun transitions, adding your brand colors, logo, etc. 

Some helpful tools I use when creating Reels are my tripod and my hands-free remote for my phone that allows me to capture video by pressing a button.  

Before creating your video, write down your topic and main talking points, so you know what to discuss before hopping on camera. You can use an app like Teleprompter to help you remember your lines, if scripts are your thing. 

My last piece of advice is to go look at your competition’s Reels to get ideas of what they’re doing to reach their audience. Good luck! 

How can I best use Reels for my business?  

As I mentioned before, people watch Reels to be entertained and informed, so when you’re creating your Reels you want to keep this in mind.

Here’s some ideas to get you started:

• Answer frequently asked questions
• Tell your business journey (how it started, your struggles, your wins, your vision for its future, etc.)
• Share case studies of how you helped your clients

Reels are another great way for you to build that know/like/trust factor that gets people to invest in your product or service, so make sure you’re creating them regularly.  

Final thoughts

Just have fun with it! When you’re having fun creating Reels, it shows. This is your opportunity to get creative and share what you have to offer to the world. 

Stop putting it off and instead, live by Nike’s motto: Just do it! 

As always, thanks for reading my blog, y’all! 💙

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Like this blog? Read next: Elevate your business with professional photography

When you think about your favorite brand on social media…what comes to mind? What about their page stands out to you?

Most likely it’s their photos! The most successful brands on social media rarely use stock images, but instead they showcase professional, high-quality photographs.

With so much content out there, you can’t afford for yours to be cookie-cutter. Keep reading to learn how you can elevate your business using professional photography services. 😉

Look more professional

Just because there are cell phones out there with high-quality cameras, doesn’t mean the photos taken from them will be professional. 🙅‍♀️

Professional photographers know techniques that can make an image go from good to great. They have the “creative eye” to capture a moment in time worth looking back on for years to come. Not to forget to mention their editing skills that take photos to another level. 

You might think, “I’ll use stock photos then,” but the reality is so many businesses are using those same stock photos! Instead of standing out, you’re blending in, which is the exact opposite of what you want to do if you’re trying to scale your business.

A crisp, quality image will stop the scroll and make you look more professional. 

Humanize your brand

“People respond to people – it’s that simple. Steer away from the robotic marketing tactics and instead focus on being relatable, interesting, and most importantly, HUMAN.” – Crackerjack Marketing 

As business owners, we have to remember that when people invest in our business, they are investing in us; this is why we need to show them who we are behind the brand and a great way to do that is through storytelling. 

And when you’re sharing a story, it’s best to use visuals, such as photographs, to help emphasize your point. A photographer can help you share your story; they can take photos of you at a team-building event, or volunteering at your favorite nonprofit…They can take photos of you doing something you love outside of work. The photography options are endless. 📸   

Make your products look more appealing

Does your company sell products? If so, a professional photoshoot can make your products look more attractive to potential buyers. 

There are certain backgrounds that can make a product pop, or certain angles that can entice your prospects enough to dig further. A photographer has the knowledge and training to help sell your products using beautifully produced photos. 

“Ninety percent of online buyers say that photo quality is the most important factor in an online sale”, according to a study by Etsy (2019). That’s a pretty big deal!! 😮 Don’t ignore the statistics. 

Final thoughts

With so many people making the shift to buying online, you’ll want to make sure your online presence is professional and unique; a photographer can help you accomplish that.

We offer professional photography services at Like It Marketing that can elevate your business. Check out our portfolio and book a photoshoot with us today. 

As always, thanks for reading my blog, y’all! 💙

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE reading. There’s something about finding a good book and getting lost in the pages. Normally, I’m a fan of fiction novels, but now that I’ve started my own business, I’ve ditched fiction (mostly) and replaced it with nonfiction, self-help books. 

These books have shaped the way I think about life & business and one of them even convinced me to ditch my 9 to 5 to pursue entrepreneurship. So, it’s only fitting that I start with it…

Book recommendation #1: Growing Boldly by Emily Ley

Book description: A celebration of self-discovery, taking risks, and doing what matters most, Growing Boldly by business owner and mother of three Emily Ley offers a powerful invitation for you to move beyond fear and dream big—and then dare to build a life you love.

This book will always hold a special place in my heart because after reading it, I decided to make one of the riskiest decisions of my life: Quitting my 9 to 5 job to pursue business ownership. 

Definitely read this book if you need some inspiration to be bold and create a life you love.

You can purchase it here on Amazon. 

Book recommendation #2: The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

Book description: The Total Money Makeover is Dave’s all-time bestselling book. It has helped millions of families get rid of debt and change their lives forever with its simple, practical seven-step plan. How does it work? By getting to the heart of your money problems: You.

My fiance Nick probably gets tired of how many times I reference this book in our daily lives; but I can’t help it! The steps Dave recommends to help you get out of debt just makes sense. You must read this book if you want to experience financial freedom. Or, you can join the Facebook group, if you hate to read. 

Book recommendation #3: The Art of Closing the Sale by Brian Tracy

Book description: Do you want to learn the keys to sales success? Confidence and self-esteem are just a few factors that separates successful salespeople from unsuccessful ones. Let Brian Tracy help you master the art of closing the deal. 

As a business owner, you must master sales; this is something I’m still working on but this book certainly moved things along for me. I love that this book gives action items at the end of each chapter. 

Purchase it here on Amazon. 

Book recommendation #4: Girl, Wash your Face by Rachel Hollis 

Book description:
Do you ever suspect that everyone else has life figured out and you don’t have a clue? If so, Rachel Hollis has something to tell you: that’s a lie.

If you have ever said any of these things to yourself . . .

• Something else will make me happy.

• I’m not a good mom.

• I will never get past this.

• I am defined by my weight.

• I should be further along by now.

. . . then you could benefit from the unflinching faith and rock-hard tenacity Rachel Hollis has in store for you.

The description says it all, really. This book is packed with real talk and strategies to help you get past this negative self-talk. I know several people who have read this book and loved it. 

Book recommendation #5: In Case Nobody Told You by Emily Maroutian

Book description: This book contains passages of encouragement, wisdom, and reassurance. It was written to bring the reader hope, confidence, and clarity. Be you. Be free. Thrive. 

Okay, so I’m about to get real deep here. I bought this book during a time of crisis in my life. As a victim of domestic violence, I needed the things this book promised: encouragement, wisdom, and reassurance. I am happy to report that the book kept its promise; I was so moved by it that I bought multiple copies of the book for those people who helped me during this hard time in my life. 

If you’re going through something, I encourage you to read it.   

Final thoughts

I hope you find these books helpful! Let me know what you think of them, if you decide to read any of them. Also, I’m trying to read more self-improvement books, so if you have any recommendations please send them my way! Email Tonya@LikeItMarketing.com or let’s chat here.

As always, thanks for reading my blog, y’all! 💙

Have you thought about your company’s social media strategy for the new year or does the thought overwhelm you? 

If your answer is the latter, I’m here for you! I’ve come up with a few ideas for the new year that I know will instantly give your social media pages a digital “face lift”. 😉

Let’s get started! 

Smile for the camera! 

When is the last time you’ve taken team photos? And I don’t mean cell phone photos, I mean a professional photoshoot. If your team photos and professional headshots are out of date, the new year is the perfect time to hire a photographer!

Here’s a few reasons you should consider hiring a professional photographer for your business: 

• High-quality images will make the company look more professional (especially when compared to cell phone photos). 
• Stock photos make your brand seem cookie cutter and there’s a good chance other businesses are using those same photos. Original, customized brand photos are much more personable. 
• The photos can be used for multiple purposes. Think of using them on your social media pages, your website, print materials (flyers, mailers, etc.) and wherever else you can think of! 
• Social media posts will be more engaging and will make your brand seem more “human” than robotic. People want to see the people working at your company, so give your audience what they want!

Here’s some photoshoot types you might consider for your business:

• Professional headshots
• Behind the scenes photos
  • Team meetings
  • Staff working
  • Company outings
• Product photos
• Venue shots
• Geographic shots
• Event photography

We offer photography services at Like It Marketing, so reach out if you’re interested in setting up a shoot! https://likeitmarketing.com/contact/ 

It’s nice to (re)meet you! 

If you’re an established business, chances are you haven’t introduced yourself on your company’s social media pages in years (that’s a century in social media time). 

It’s time to put together an updated bio and re-introduce yourself to your social media audience. When writing your bio, make sure you include some fun facts about yourself that people will remember. 

You’ll also want to reintroduce your staff (in separate posts), so make sure they write a short bio, too. Pair this information with a professional headshot or a fun behind-the-scenes photo and you’ve got yourself several posts for the new year, depending on how big your team is. 

Oh, I almost forgot – you’ll want to reintroduce your company’s mission, as well. This will remind people how your company can help them and others. 

A social media challenge

I double-dog dare you (HA!) to challenge yourself on social media in the new year. Do those things you were scared to do in 2021. 

Do a few things come to mind? 

Maybe you hate being on camera, so you’ve shied away from Facebook/Instagram live or Instagram reels. The new year is a time to try new things! This is actually one of my goals for the new year, so we’ll be in this together! 🤗

Here’s a few other things to try:

• Share one social media story a day (Monday – Friday).
• Start tagging your location and/or people in your posts. Posts that have a location or person tagged in them get more engagement. 
• Spend 20 minutes a day engaging (liking/commenting) with your target audience’s posts.   

Master batching content

One problem business owners have is that they forget to take time out to post each day. This problem can be easily solved by planning in advance and batching content.

What I mean by “batching content” is blocking out a few hours one day to plan all of your content at once. I like to plan one month worth of content at a time. 

Sit down and come up with a social media theme for the month, and plan social media posts around the topic you chose. Next, you’ll write the post captions, choose relevant hashtags, and then come up with post images/graphics. 

Once the content creation is finished (which is the hard part), schedule the posts using scheduling tools. Facebook offers its own tools that allow you to schedule Facebook and Instagram posts. Look into Facebook’s Creator Studio or Business Suite. You can also use third-party scheduling tools, like Buffer or Hubspot.

Final thoughts

There ya have it! These four social media strategies are sure to be a great start for your new year plan. 

And if you’d rather someone implement these strategies for you, feel free to reach out to me via email, Tonya@LikeItMarketing.com or visit our “Let’s Chat” page here. 

As always, thanks for reading, y’all! 💙