Thursday, April 20, 2017

Ten Tips To Optimize Your IG Profile

Since Instagram’s acquisition by Facebook, we have seen the platform grow exponentially with its introduction of advertising — something I personally, as a user, am not a huge fan of. As a marketer, however, I can see Instagram marketing and advertising as a great way to optimize on my customers’ social experience to stay on the top of their mind. But before you can focus on advertising and inviting customers over, it’s important to clean up our own home.
Let’s start by discussing ways to accurately capture your brand experience on Instagram by optimizing your profile for #InstaSuccess
Instagram Marketing Optimize Profile

Create a Brand Brief to Guide Your Instagram Marketing

Before Optimizing your profile, backup and understand your brand. While this may sound silly, the reality is that most companies don’t have a clear unified brand image. The more unified your branding is internally, the more unified it will be when communicating with customers. Branding is critical to a company’s success because it helps set expectations and create a strong relationship with the right customers. 
Your brand brief should clearly define your —
  1. Personality: Who are you? What do you like, dislike, etc.?
  2. Values: How do you conduct business? These are keywords such as “Transparency” and “Fair Trade.”
  3. Mission: The “why” — why should people believe in your company and your products?
  4. Promise: What is your customer commitment? What is your value proposition?
Understanding these 4 key branding elements will help you create a consistent and strong brand image on Instagram.

10 Tips to Optimize Your Instagram Profile for Success

#1: Make Sure Your Bio Accurately Represents Your Brand

Your bio is your introduction. When someone is discovering your brand, you want to make sure you put your best (and honest) foot forward. To ensure you do so, make sure your bio is consistent with your brand brief. Stick to your brand voice and speak to your target audience!
Instagram Marketing Starbucks

#2: Carefully Pick Your Profile Image

Regardless of if you use your logo or something else, make sure your profile picture is sized properly for Instagram. Poorly sized profile photos look sloppy and take away from the credibility of your brand. I have also noticed that the most successful Instagram brands use their company logo as their profile picture. I highly recommend doing so because it (you guessed it) helps keep branding consistent.

#3: Don’t Use Hashtags in Your Bio

Your bio isn’t a poorly optimized Tweet in which you add a bunch of hashtags at the end. Don’t use Hashtags in your bio section because they aren’t clickable! The catch here is, if you want people to tag their photos with a particular hashtag, sure, you can list that in your bio, just don’t treat your bio like a Tweet. Kay Jewelers is a great example of how you can include a hashtag in your bio correctly! Also, check out this post for Instagram hashtag best practices.
Instagram Marketing Kay Jeweler

#4: Pick One Hashtag to Promote

Similar to a landing page, having a clearly defined CTA is important. Asking people to tag pictures with a hashtag is a CTA in itself. So, pick one hashtag and ask your audience to use that one. Providing your followers with multiple hashtags can lead to confusion and people picking one over the other. Stay in control!

#5: Make Content Discoverable

Don’t ask people to tag pictures with your Instagram handle, instead have them use a hashtag. This way others can search the hashtag and see all the pictures posted associated with it. If you ask followers to simply tag their picture with your handle, only you or that person’s followers will be able to discover the shared image. Use hashtags to ensure discovery!
Instagram Marketing Hashtags in Profile Bio

#6: Measure the Impact of Your Instagram Link

Before we talk about measuring, I want to highlight one big no-no: Don’t put a link in your bio section because those aren’t clickable. Use the designated URL sections to display and promote your desired URL.
Now that we have that sorted out, let’s talk about tracking and measuring success. To measure the impact of the link you share on your Instagram profile, I recommend using Google URL Builder. Fill in the necessary fields to create a trackable link. Once you do so, the link Google will spit out to you will be very long. Obviously, we don’t want to put a long link with publicly displayed tracking code in Instagram! Instead, shorten the link using Bitly and customize the link for branding consistency! Plug the shortened link into Instagram and voila! To learn more about using Google’s URL Builder, check out the Complete Guide here.

#7: Don’t Stick to One URL

Why are people always changing links on Instagram? Because they help bridge the gap between conversion and social. Sending people to different products, landing pages, etc. is all advantages of constantly changing your Instagram link. News channels use the link to send followers to new articles they want to actively promote. E-commerce companies often change the link to correlate with the product they are posting about. Think of the link as a CTA — your link between engagement and ROI.

#8: Stop Saying “Official”!

Don’t say “official account” — it’s so tacky. Instagram has the “verified” badge, so people already know you are the official account of your brand, no need to waste precious bio space to spell it out. The truth is, anyone can claim to be the official “Kim Kardashian” profile, but we can all easily figure out which profile actually belongs to her.

#9: Use Your Location as a CTA

When publishing an image on Instagram, you have the ability to customize the location. When published, the location shows up right below your handle and above the image you shared. While some companies like Carnival Cruise and AirBnb would benefit from actually listing a location, other companies such as Everlane don’t really care to list a location. Instead, they can use it as a CTA. Since you can manually type the location name without verifying if the location exists, companies can us that available marketing space as a CTA of sorts.

Location as CTA Instagram Marketing

#10: Don’t Take The Images You Share Lightly

The images your share on Instagram help create a brand experience. Don’t take this power lightly. Every image you share and comment you publish is helping you grow your company branding. Make sure you keep the image consistent with the brand brief you crafted. Starbucks does an amazing job of using Instagram as an extension of their in-store experience.

May The #InstaForce Be With You!

As marketers, we care constantly trying to bridge the gap between social media marketing and ROI. I hope that some of these tips help you get one step closer while also helping you become a more effective Instagram marketer.
With Instagram marketing growing quickly, especially for B2C companies, it is fun to find ways to fully leverage its full potential. So, if you have an tips you would like to share, please do so in the comments section below!

reposted by Skaz One (IG @skaz1official) http://skaz1hiphop.com/

Sunday, April 16, 2017

Search Engine Optimization Is Important!

5 SEO Tips For Musicians

So, you just created a website so your fans can learn more about you and your music, but you don’t know how to get fans to your website without paying for ads. As a musician with a website, you should practice different SEO (search engine optimization) techniques to make the website experience better for your fans and help you to gain new ones in the process. This is something many artists go through because they’ve never explored the world of SEO. SEO is all about generating organic traffic to your website, which can be done through optimizing your website and will improve your rankings in the SERP (search engine results page).

We’ve put together 5 SEO tips for musicians that can help you climb up the search rankings and gain more exposure.

1. Keyword Research SEO for artists is all about branded keywords. Branded keywords can include your stage name, album names, song names, lyrics, music style, performance dates, interviews and more. For example, there is a high search volume around Coldplay’s branded keywords. Even if no one is discovering these keywords in organic search, it doesn’t mean there’s not an opportunity. You can create original content around these search terms to better serve what your fans are searching for to enhance the fan experience. A good amount of keywords to strive for is between five and 10. The Google AdWords Keyword Planner and Keyword Tool are good tools to use to get started. The keywords you choose for this will be used within your META tags. Screen Shot 2016-02-05 at 12.21.34 PM2. META Tags META tags describe a page’s content and are only found within the page’s HTML. The keywords you discovered in the previous step could be plugged into your META tags. META tags also include a relevant title and description for your page and are shown when people enter a query into Google. This usually determines whether or not people will click on your link, so it is vital to be descriptive. Screen Shot 2016-02-05 at 1.05.49 PM3. Link Building Building up your backlink profile is very important when it comes to SEO. Your backlink profile contains every link that someone has ever shared of yours. Authoritative links are a must when it comes to a good backlink profile. These are links that have a high domain authority and are linking to your website. Exchanging links with high-authority websites, such as industry websites and relatable blogs, can be a part of your link-building strategy. Google uses backlinks to improve your search visibility. Anchor text is another major factor when it comes to link building. Making sure the link has keyword-rich anchor text is a great way to get a page ranking for a targeted keyword. According to MOZ, anchor text is the visible characters and words that hyperlinks display when linking to another document or location on the web. Here’s an example: 
Link Anatomy
Follow and no follow links are important to look out for also. For SEO purposes, all links pointing back to your website have to be “follow” links to share the SEO juice. Follow links also boost your page rank and help your page move up within the SERP. A no follow link is a link that does not boost your page rank or help your page’s ranking in the SERPs; search engines do not count no follow links.   You should be creating link opportunities through your content to build a great backlink profile. Link building can help increase your exposure among fans, and you can use social networks to build up your backlink profile. You can also use this as an opportunity to create relationships with other musicians and industry stars.
4. Fresh Content Creating new and unique content is key when it comes to SEO. Updating your site as often as possible will signal Google to crawl your site more. As an artist you have the advantage to create unique content that is only yours, but you have to put it into words because Google can’t interpret audio, video, and images. Creating content about upcoming shows, album releases and new merch can all drive traffic to your website, and putting together a content calendar can help you to manage everything from blog posts to social media posts.
5. Analytics Monitoring the traffic your website receives is very important. Knowing which pages get the most and least amount of traffic can help you better optimize your site. There are plenty of free analytics tools out there that can help you analyze your site. Now that you have the basic SEO tips, you can start optimizing your website, create unique content, and expose your music to new fans.

Originally from Music Think Tank Dot Com
Re-posted by Skaz One 7-15-17
Follow on IG @skaz1official
http://skaz1hiphop.com/

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Apple Music vs. Spotify


Artists Want To Know!



I've been reading many blogs and magazines on the the streaming and downloading of music over the past couple weeks.  I've noticed that many people want to know which platform is doing the best for streaming music.  They mostly want to know if it is Apple Music, Spotify or Tidal.

From what I can tell, the battle is really between Apple Music and Spotify, though many people like and use Tidal.  Tidal is still new and relatively unestablished, especially when compared to Apple Music.  Spotify has been around for a number of years now as well and this kind of makes Tidal the loser in this situation.  However there is no telling what the future is for Tidal, and one day it may very well be as big as it's competitors.

The consensus amongst the mainstream seems to be that Spotify is the best platform to stream music. This is often chosen over Apple Music or Tidal and many people choose to pay their monthly fee for unlimited listening.

Now, what does this mean for you as an artist?

- You should definitely get your music on Spotify if you do not already have it on there. @loyal.music_ on instagram is a good resource for this.

- If you already have music on Spotify, but are not promoting it, start promoting your Spotify artist page

- This should also tell you that your fans want to stream music more than they want to buy music, which means they are more likely to add one good song to a Spotify playlist, than to buy your entire album on iTunes.  Find that special single, and release it on Spotify and get those streams!

It is also important to remember that your music, as an underground artist, is always new to somebody.  If you are not on the mainstream radio and tv networks daily, then your music is always new to somebody.  It should be on every possible music platform that exists and you should be promoting it as much as possible on all platforms.  These are facts of the underground music scene and very important things to know as an independent artist attempting to "make it."  Be shameless in your self-promotion, hire a street team if you can and promote on all platforms.

Article By Skaz One (IG: @skaz1official)

Copyright 2017

http://skaz1hiphop.com/

Sunday, April 9, 2017

The Resurgence of QR Codes


This might be the only PMC post about QR Codes in 2016!

The undead are ugly. This is certainly true of the shambling “walkers” on the cutting end of Michonne’s blades. But these guys were ugly back when they were alive and popular with marketing departments. We’re talking about QR codes. 

Have you noticed chatter and articles about QR Codes recently? Go ahead. Check this column’s publication date. Yes, it is July 2016.

A few days ago, The Atlantic used a picture of a freshly graduated job seeker to accompany an article about how some people are fortunate to have their student loans paid by employers. The photo isn’t particularly relevant to the content, but it did prompt a question.

The Atlantic - QR Code - Print Media CentrWho is going to scan a QR code on a mortarboard? Other than very dangerous men, I mean.

We’ve all seen QR codes in impractical places. How many of us have driven behind buses or trucks with advertisements that included QR codes? How was that supposed to work? I remember laughing with Rich Scotti, the communications director over at eLynxx Solutions, about QR codes on websites. How do I scan a QR code if it appears on a website I’m viewing on my phone? And if I’m already on a website, no matter what device I’m using, why is the QR code there at all? Clearly “why” was never asked by the people who signed off on the examples in this vintage PMC post (2012).

Inappropriate placement, security issues, and the requirement for users to find and scan the code with a reader app (that would not necessarily work the first time) afflicted QR codes more than the aesthetic issues some of us go on about. But while they might seem to be trending towards obsolescence in consumer advertising, QR codes are still being applied in a few new places.


Last year, we saw the debut of the “Snapcode” or “Snaptag” which are QR codes developed specifically for Snapchat. I see less of this now, but there was a moment when all the people too cool to follow me on Twitterhad profile photos with their smug not-following-me faces inside ghosts set against a yellow background. Anyone who scanned their “Snapcodes” with the Snapchat app would then be following them on Snapchat. Adoption seemed decent back when TechCrunch covered this back in 2015, but I wonder how displaying the codes on huge LED screens worked out. Also, as reported by Fortune in May 2016, Snapchat’s camera can function as a general QR code reader.

Snapchat isn’t alone. Providers of messaging apps like Kik are developing ways to augment the realities of their users with bots working in concert with QR codes. If efforts like these result in QR codes becoming part of how these tools “pull the real world into” mobile devices, printers and designers will have reason to pay attention. But of course, that’s an “if.”

QR codes have also become part of the conversation around genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and food labeling. A bill to amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946is expected to be signed into law and require all bioengineered products to be labeled as GMOs. As discussed in an article on Wiredearlier this month, QR codes have been proposed as a means for food manufacturers to make details available to consumers. Wiredsuggests this could be a worthwhile application of QR codes, if the “linked webpage could relay the full complexity of the issues surrounding genetic modification—if companies actually disclosed everything and if consumers actually cared,” but some parties fear that the codes will ultimately obscure more than they reveal due to obfuscation by manufacturers or unintentional support for fearmongering. In any case, I’m inclined to think only a small subset of consumers will care enough to open a QR reader in the produce section. Then again, perhaps they’ll be using Snapchat rather than a dedicated reader.

Things have changed for QR codes. During their heyday in US consumer advertising, they were deployed too often without thought or art. And so they fell. Hype doesn’t last. Though diminished, they’re still around and there may still be places where it makes sense to use them. What about you? Have you observed recent applications of QR codes in new or unexpected places? And did it make sense?


Andy Solages_Print-Media-Centr

Andy Solages connects people and organizations with technologies to improve professional experiences and business results. Andy is a monthly contributor to Print Media Centr’s News from The Printerverse and a regular participant in #PrintChat on Twitter.

Treat yourself to more Andy: Twitter LinkedIn | andysolages.com


Re-posted by Skaz One

Follow on IG @skaz1official

Http://skaz1hiphop.com/

 

 

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Maintaining your Mental and Emotional State on Tour

Originally from IndieNation.com

"I have a love/hate relationship with touring. For all the incredible memories I have from years on the road, it was also stressful, exhausting and emotionally taxing. I've read hundreds of DIY music blogs about touring that emphasize the importance of self care but only begin to scratch the surface. We all know the value of proper nutrition and exercise but emotional health is rarely discussed in depth. After years of DIY touring, I have learned some very specific tricks on how to take care of myself in order to stay sane in the middle of insane circumstances. This begins with prioritizing and being protective of essential things such as rest, quiet time, connection and personal boundaries.

Our immune systems can easily become impaired when we’re not getting proper rest and in close quarters with the same people 24 hours a day. Although you’re constantly surrounded by people, it can be quite lonely at times. All these factors combined can be recipe for illness, fatigue, irritability, anxiety and depression.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m no saint. When I tour I drink a shit ton of coffee, consume more beer and tequila than the average person does in their lifetime and I even sneak off to have a little fun once in awhile. The point is not to take it all too seriously but to combat the craziness with a little peace so I can sustain this lifestyle.

Here are a few things I’ve learned in between downward facing dog and gas station coffee.


Quiet time: because nobody can be “on” all the time.

I'm an extrovert who loves meeting new people every night but I need a daily dose of “me time” beforehand. It’s up to you to decide how much alone time you’ll need and take it from there. Here’s where I fit mine in:

Somewhere between soundcheck and showtime there is inevitably going to be time to kill. Once I have everything set up with the venue, I usually step outside and take a walk around the block or find a private bathroom so I can get a few minutes alone before the night kicks off. With this time I warm up my voice, fix my makeup, say a little prayer and do a quick meditation. If you are a person who needs more alone time than that, take it! Chill in the car for a bit, take a long walk, or go have a drink alone at a neighboring bar or coffee shop.

Drives are another good place to have some quiet time to yourself. Take advantage of the long stretches of road to close your eyes or look out the window and be alone with your thoughts. This will provide some time to recharge, a little creative inspiration and space reflect on your experience. If you’re the driver, play some mellow music and just STFU for awhile. Think of this as putting some extra fuel in your energy tank. You’ll be glad you did it when you’ve hit hour six at the venue later that night.


Sleep is king!

Getting a good night’s sleep every night on tour is almost impossible but there are definitely some things you can do to improve your quality of rest. First and foremost, invest in a sleeping bag! Because you’ll usually be at the mercy of whoever is hosting you that night, you’ll rarely know what the accommodations are ahead of time. Having your own pillow, eye mask, ear plugs and whatever else you need will make you self sufficient and a lot more comfortable under any circumstances. If you’re traveling with a group and relying on people to put you up, don’t assume that they will always have enough pillows, blankets or even couches for everyone. Preparation is key!

If you’re a car sleeper, car naps are everything. I survive on them! To make your nap extra luxurious, sleeping bags and pillows can help create a comfy haven in the backseat of any car. If you can’t sleep in a moving vehicle, another way to sneak in a little disco nap is if your tour mates are doing an activity that doesn’t particularly interest you, it’s perfectly okay to excuse yourself for a 20 minute catnap in your parked car while they do their thing.


Party like a vet, not an amateur

Touring is fun. It’s a party every night, especially for your fans. Everyone in town is going to want to buy you drinks and smoke you out. This is all a part of the fun of the road but try to keep these things moderate and remember to drink plenty of water. Remember that you have to do it all over again tomorrow and the next night after that so keep that in mind. Imagine yourself waking up in the morning for another long drive and think about how you want to feel. This thought alone has kept me out of a lot of trouble over the years.

Your friends and hosts are probably going to want to stay up and hang out with you into the wee hours. If possible, try to do your catching up with them before the show or at the venue between sound check and your set. Be gracious after the show but try to retire at a reasonable time so you aren’t up all night. Your friends will understand and if they don’t, it just means they’ve never toured before.


Get some, but choose wisely

Another common temptation on the road is sex. You’ll have people trying to hook up with you a lot more than you may be used to. Talent is sexy and people will be naturally drawn to you. This of course is usually very flattering but it’s best to be a little discerning. Hooking up usually involves having to coordinate some extra logistics with your tour partners, potential residual drama and inevitably a lot less sleep. If you’re going to get yours, make sure the situation is safe and worthwhile. Get in a good shower first thing and set aside some car napping time the next day. Your tour partners will understand :)

On the plus side, hooking up on tour can be beneficial as well. Sex and intimacy are great stress relievers and can be really helpful for your your overall sanity. It can combat loneliness, boost confidence, give you a much needed break from your tour partners. Most importantly it can be a lot of fun! Let your partner for the night spoil you with a comfortable bed, a little massage and a good homemade breakfast. They know you’ve been working hard and you deserve it! You’ll reunite with your tour partners feeling like a million bucks.


Stay connected. The world is bigger than you and your tour outfit

Connection to your people back home is essential. While phone calls require a little extra effort, thank God for texting, dming, messaging and emailing! You might grow tired of your tourmates from being in such close proximity all the time and your conversations will tend to all revolve around the tour. Maintaining some outside connections will keep you grounded and provide a much-needed anchor. Let a few close, trusted friends know that you’ll need some extra support and ask them to check in on you from time to time. You’ll be grateful when they tell you about their work drama or the latest dating gossip. It will provide a welcomed distraction and much needed reminder that there’s a whole wide world outside of your tour.

Set aside some time every few days to make an actual phone call or skype date. Hearing your mom’s voice or seeing your best friend’s face will provide some comfort and connection and make you feel a lot less lonely.


Treat yourself!

There are a few easy indulgences that can make all the difference in your emotional and physical well-being. If you have some downtime and a few bucks try some of the following:

  • Find a cheap massage place on yelp or search the city’s local groupon site for cheap massage deals.
  • Get a pedicure (preferably somewhere with a massage chair).
  • Attend a local yoga class, get lost in a record or bookstore, find some nature and go for a walk or take in some culture at a local museum.
  • Try to stay in a hotel with a pool and a hot tub at least once a week. They aren’t too expensive in smaller cities, especially if you’re sharing a room. The beds will be more comfortable and you may even be able to do laundry. Bonus points if the place has a sauna and steam room. You will feel like a new human in no time!

Remember, touring should be fun but you still have a job to do. The whole point is to get on stage and kill it every night and have a good time doing it! Take care of yourself!"


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Bio:
Vocalist Corina Corina was born to sing. She was raised in Oakland by political activists who named her after an early blues classic. Now with roots in New York and the Bay Area, Corina Corina brings a fresh and melodic vocal hybrid to modern soul with a sharp hip-hop edge or as she calls it, #emosoul.

She first cut her teeth in the New York independent music scene by collaborating with artists such as Homeboy Sandman (Stones Throw), Angi3 (Tommy Boy), and internationally-acclaimed producer, Willie Green (Backwoodz Studioz). She has shared stages with hip-hop heavyweights Talib Kweli, Action Bronson, Masta Ace and Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire. Corina Corina’s self-released solo albums, “The Eargasm” (2012), and “The Free Way” (2014) were co-produced with Green, and touch on everything from gender inequality to self-love and resisting social norms. The latter was promoted extensively through a series of independently booked national tours and a successfully funded indie-go go campaign. She’s also released three EPs, and has produced and curated over 100 live events and musical series all over the country. In 2015 she signed with the Deep Thinka booking agency to expand on her prolific touring.

Corina Corina has recently released "Run the Blues," an EP tribute to Run the Jewels and is putting the finishing touches on her third solo LP "Hangover Music" and is recently signed on the be represented by The Baseline Group. As a writer, she continues to spread her messages of self-love, recovery, LGBT issues, DIY touring, being a woman in music, personal growth and more. She is a regular contributor for popular lifestyle blogs such as Elephant Journal, G.O.A.T. Hip-Hop, Stop the Breaks and Recovery Warriors.


Re-posted by Skaz One 4-6-2017
Follow on IG @skaz1official

Sunday, April 2, 2017

IG for Rappers

As an independent hip-hop artist promoting your music and brand online, using Instagram should be an integral feature of your marketing strategy. 
Not only is it one of the best links you can have with your fans, but it opens up so many doors for you to head through in terms of the progress you’ll make as an artist.
If you want to start growing a fan base, though, you need to know how to use this software in the right way.
The easiest ways to work with Instagram, though, usually include you having to put in the time and the effort – or the funds – to get spotted. We recommend that any and all artists that are working with Instagram try and include the following plans at all times to ensure they are working towards the right kind of plan in the long-term. 
So here are a few tips on how independent rappers can use Instagram to grow their fanbase: 
1) Always build a genuine demographic that you will follow, no matter what. By this, we mean making sure that you know who you want to hear your music and who you want to get involved in the process – this means that if you are looking to try and promote your music you should find the music others are interested in.
2) Start doing some basic posts about what you are listening to and make sure it fits in with the hashtags that your demographic are using – it all depends on your sound, but getting yourself in there with the big names in your industry always makes sense
3) Always follow someone, like what they post, and then comment on something they posted. It makes you seem interested and genuine, and removes the idea that you followed just for a follow; you followed the person because you want to engage which is a powerful change of perception
4) Try reaching out to some people using the same methods as above, who are actively looking for the hashtags you posted. This helps you not only interact but interact with people who may be interested in what you have to say in the first place. It might not sound like much but 100-200 of these a week will really make a big difference
5) If someone talks to you Instagram, talk back! Don’t ignore people as it makes you seem like a stuck-up celeb and this is not the image that grows followers. Talking back gets people interested and they’ll tell others that you spoke to them; it’s enough to get some people interested in what you have to say
Don’t let your follower count build up too much as if you are following too many people who just chat nonsense it can be hard to get the help that you need in actually expanding as an artist. 
Always use Instagram to build up a list of people who talk back and are fun to talk with instead of building up a list of people who never respond or aren’t really in your general demographic – doing this keeps you specific which will eventually build up that follower count.
Stick at it and you will see a big difference in the way you are perceived and the way that you tend to be seen by the community in general.

Re-posted by Skaz One April 2, 2017

Follow on IG @skaz1official

http://www.skaz1hiphop.com/