News for the Week of 2.18 

New Twitter Timeline Feature

Twitter users and marketers will be happy to see the latest update, which allows them to view the best Tweets first.  Most Twitter users follow hundreds, if not thousands of people, and this enhancement ensures the best Tweets won’t be missed.  Users can easily turn this feature on in their settings by selecting ‘Show me the best Tweets first,’ and from there, when they open Twitter, the Tweets they’re most likely to be interested in from all the people they follow will show up at the top of their timelines—in reverse chronological order.  Users won’t lose any of the other Tweets, as the rest will simply be displayed underneath the initial display.  Twitter hasn’t announced exactly what drives prominence in the algorithm for this latest update, so no one is really sure what will drive a Tweet to be in the “best Tweets” list.  Keep your eyes on the potential of this functionality to help businesses learn what types of interactions and engagement will drive Tweets to the top of user timelines.  For your dealership, it’s important to remember to interact regularly and provide valuable content they will want to Retweet.

Twitter First View

Marketers can now share their brand stories across Twitter via First View, which offers exclusive ownership of prime Twitter real estate for 24 hours.  Promoted video occupies the top ad slot when users first logon to Twitter, and when marketers take advantage of First View, they are able to tell their stories in this ad space for 24 hours, achieving a significant audience reach.  Initially rolling out to managed customers in the U.S., First View will continue expanding and eventually be available globally.  Whether it’s on Twitter or another platform, it’s important to reach consumers via the mediums they gravitate toward.  92% of mobile video viewers end up sharing videos with others, and 64% of consumers are more likely to purchase products after watching videos about them.  Video is powerful, so it’s important for dealerships to keep this in mind when planning their marking.

New Facebook Video Ad Features

Users can now welcome automated captions and added reporting and buying options for video ads to Facebook’s extensive bag of tricks.  The addition of automated captions is a big deal for the social media giant, as extensive studies have been done which show users who are surprised by unexpected volume from feed-based ads react negatively—both toward the advertiser and toward the platform.  Consumers want the choice to either opt in or out for sound.  By being able to easily add captions to video ads, consumers can read what’s going on without being inundated with sound during their mobile experience.  Additionally, Facebook is offering more reporting and buying options for ads to allow advertisers to better understand how people are engaging with their videos.  New metrics have been added that allow advertisers to view the number of people who have viewed videos with sound.  Dealerships that are already working with video can benefit from this enhancement.  Keep your consumers in mind and caption your mobile video so on-the-go users can opt out of sound and still engage with your brand.

Foursquare + Delivery.com = Convenience

Foursquare and delivery.com have joined forces, along with Button, to offer consumers the convenience of delivery directly from Foursquare.  Available to consumers in all of delivery.com’s 36 serviced cities, this latest pairing offers fast and simple front-door delivery.  Users can open the app, search for what they want, and tap to have meals, alcohol, and groceries delivered.  A nod toward today’s convenience-loving consumer, this gives us a glimpse at the future of service and hints at options other industries can potentially deliver.  For dealerships, it’s a great time to take a look at both your technology and the ways you can use it to increase convenience for consumers to boost your business.

New Google+ Web Preview Updates

Google+ has begun work to update and roll out improvements on its new Google+ Web Preview.  Google+ has been listening to feedback, and they’ve begun with 102 bug fixes, as well as completing updates to allow users to search for members in a Community, approve or reject comments Google+ has flagged as spam, and upload multiple images at once to a post.  As users continue to send suggestions and ideas, Google+ has promised to keep working on further enhancements.  Dealerships, be sure to maximize your visibility by maintaining your online presence, ensuring your profiles are up to date, and providing key business information for potential customers.  Don’t get lost in the crowd; instead, be sure you stand out on Google+ by engaging your followers and providing relevant content, visuals, and responding to reviews.

Tip of the Week – Join the Conversation Marketers

As marketers, businesspeople, and salespeople, our jobs revolve around getting people’s attention.  And we all know how busy people are.  They are overwhelmed with working, playing, driving, exercising…pretty much doing everything except focusing on what we’re trying to sell.  So we’re left with figuring out how to get shoppers to notice us, and that’s ok—if we do it well.

There was a day when interruptive marketing was just about the only thing consumers saw, however businesses have figured out they’ll make more progress with shoppers if, instead of making them stop what they’re doing, they join consumers in their conversations and interactions.  Brands offering a seamless, more enjoyable experience that is authentic are more likely to gain the attention of busy shoppers who crave engagement.

In order to become a part of the conversation with your audience, consider some of the following and work toward putting your dealership’s most authentic foot forward:

• Quality counts. While your presence is important, remember consumers are inundated with content, so be sure if you’re asking for their attention, it’s for a good reason.  Offer quality content, feedback, and valuable insights that will be appreciated, and you’ll end up being a customer favorite.
• Speak their language. In addition to finding out what customers are interested in, it’s a good idea to perfect your storytelling skills and find ways to make your dealership messages truly resonate for shoppers.  Straightforward ads and hard sells don’t stick with consumers nearly as well as stories that show them how your products can impact their lives.
• Know your message. Social media is the place where you really need to hit your message and be accurate, because whoever your audience is, they are listening.  They’ll know if you goof, and they’ll tell everyone about it.  The really good news is, however, if you’re authentic and honestly try to fix an issue, your followers are likely to be supportive and spread the word about your good will.
• Be fun. Consumers are overwhelmingly interested in video, visuals, and interactive content—so do your best to give them what they’re asking for.  You can stay true to your brand and add plenty of fun elements in at the same time.  Chances are, you’ll end up garnering plenty of engagement when you step up your fun quotient!
• Remember where you are. Facebook isn’t Twitter…isn’t Google+…isn’t Instagram.  Do a little homework and be sure you’re posting content that works effectively for each specific platform.  You can get quite a bit of traction and re-use some of your content, however, you may need to update it or tweak it for various platforms in order to achieve the best results.

Above all, have a good time getting to know your consumers and be sure to join their conversations and engage with them in a natural way.  You’ll find this helps you gain more ground, earn trust, and get more people through the doors of your dealership than stiff me-to-you advertising that interrupts and distracts consumers.  When you find ways to seamlessly make yourself a part of their natural conversations, you’ll end up being a valuable connection they’ll be more likely to turn to when it’s time to buy.