Who are you? What do you do? What differentiates your company? These questions may sound familiar because they are the cornerstones to building your brand. If these question already have answer then the first phase of social media marketing pre-production is complete. This blog works as a beginners guide to building an online brand via Facebook and Twitter.

Facebook and Twitter effectively expedite the brand out reach process by marketing and advertising across multiple platforms. Why? Mobile media apps and widespread access to WIFI encourage brand awareness by providing people continuous access to the Internet. Facebook and Twitter are accessible and credible marketing and advertising resources for businesses.  Fastcompany.com sites that 189 million users of Facebook and Twitter are mobile app users.  According to HongKiat.com, over the past 2 years, the percent of mobile media Facebook and Twitter users has risen exponentially. Fastcompany.com notes that 93% of marketers use social media for business. Considering that the fastest growing age group for Facebook and Twitter users ranges between 45 to 54 years of age it is safe to say that people of all ages are tapping into the mobile market.  Social media is no longer a tool for younger generations to communicate but an integral tool for modern day marketing and business practices.

Business accounts can link Twitter and Facebook posts together allowing for cross platform communication with consumers and prospects in real-time.  Friend or follow existing clients, prospects, relevant industry members, or influencers aka popular Tweeters and Facebook accounts, interesting bloggers, and supporters who will build company credibility and spread a brand name. Diversify the content by including quotes, current Events, questions, industry articles, or personal experiences that invites feedback. The goal is to invite people to “like”, “retweet”, “repost”, and share content while demonstrating knowledge about the industry and audience. Video Clips, pictures with clients, and “checking-in” at meetings or events is another approach to social media advertising.

With Facebook and Twitter status updates, trending topics, news feeds, and mobile media applications, businesses can respond to the current aches and pains of a target demographic. In a consumer driven market, personalizing each consumer’s business experience is vital for building brand loyalty and differentiating the business from the competition.

The post Tips to Building A Brand Identity on Facebook and Twitter appeared first on McElroy Films.

Youtube, the number 2 search engine on the web, continues to make creating and leveraging SEO driving content accessible for all users. In the past, Google algorithms relied on tags, descriptions, and video titles to track and rank popularity. Though this is still very much the case, SEO viewers and consumers also drive what makes topics popular. Do your research. Find out which companies are successfully marketing and trending online.

When planning out what to include in a video write-up consider using words that will draw in a specific target audience in addition to drive SEO. Consider the following information. What are you sharing with your audience that is unique? Who is your audience? Is this content timely? How many people are you sharing your video content? Where are people sharing and viewing? Are you engaging with your audience? What type of following do you have on existing Youtube and media channels? What are common words, questions, and side topics that people could also relate to your brand or product?

Many people believe that effective SEO tagging is centered on the words tagged in the write-up rather than the content itself. This is a common misconception, albeit the wording may initially attract viewers and search engines, the content and quality re-affirms the competency of your business. Luring in audiences with misleading tag words and phrases will not foster brand loyalty. Give your audience a reason to come back for more. Be seen as the authority in your field. Whether you’re selling a service or product, make sure your content is valuable and innovative.

Additionally as important, frequently update your content. Google indexes the relevancy of content based on dates published in real time. There is a reason why blog sites and news outlets are the most frequently indexed sites on the first page of Google. Remember to upload your videos in a timely manner. Try to shoot for one video a week, and then gradually increase to two or three. I know this sounds crazy but you’ll start to see results in a matter of weeks!

Our company can help you achieve your video SEO goals. We’ve done it for many companies in the past. Please check out our full gallery of video content or give us a call.

The post Video Search Engine Optimization (VSEO) appeared first on McElroy Films.

In a few days, I’ll have the distinct, but sobering, honor of blowing out 30 candles on my birthday cake. Don’t get me wrong: That doesn’t mean I’m old! Yet, it reminds me of how quickly and how much you can accomplish when you’re focusing on the things you love. Yes, that means my wife and two boys, but also working everyday to produce and shoot videos for dozens of companies and non-profits continues to fulfill me. I’m working for myself, with a great team, and I’m having fun all the while. It was thirteen years ago that I decided on a video production career; a decision made while attending a program at the New York Film Academy.

In my high school years in Groton, MA, I had the opportunity to help shoot some documentary-style videos for non-profits connected to my church. They were amateur, to be sure, but I was having fun: It was work, especially for an untrained kid, but it didn’t feel like work. That’s when I decided to see if this hobby was worth pursuing and signed up for an intensive program at the NYFA.

Even before ‘small class size’ was the mantra of every educational institution, the NYFA made sure to limit the number of students so we all could get the individual attention we needed to excel. Then, almost immediately, the instructors threw us right into the thick of things and we learned by ‘doing’. I remember marveling at the 16mm Arri cameras they brought out. These were real ‘movie’ cameras compared to what I was used to. We were taught to load and unload the film, focus, determine exposure . . . it was so much information, but it stuck as we held the camera in our hands as each function of the camera was described.

We learned basics like composition, perspective, and depth of field: All things I had never thought about before. Later, we were given courses in lighting and editing what we shot. Before you think too hard, there was non-linear editing back then, but the NYFA had us cut our films on flatbeds with tape and scissors. Archaic? Maybe by today’s standards, but that experience really helped me appreciate the edit and helped me understand workflows, both manual and digital, that I would run into in the future.

Before I knew it, the program came to a close. I went home and picked up my camcorder, but now I didn’t just see a box with a lens, batteries, and DV tapes: I saw a tool. A tool that I could create just about anything I could dream up: An extension of my imagination. And so, I continued working for the non-profits, but this time paid attention to composition, lighting, and so forth and by the time high school ended, my calling in life was clear. Thirteen years later, I have the New York Film Academy to thank for helping me find my passion.

The post Entrepreneur Talks New York Film Academy appeared first on McElroy Films.