Social Media Glossary: GHI

https://giphy.com/embed/3otPoOoPY7KVLW5Cr6

via GIPHY

The internet is a mystery to so many, but it doesn’t have to be. People love GIFs, use hashtags, and share images everywhere they go. What about you? If the lingo has you lost, then let me help. I’ve already covered the ABCs and other DEF-initions in the start of a social media glossary. How about I tackle a few more letters today.

G

GIF – GIF is an acronym for Graphics Interchange Format, but I’ll excuse you if that means nothing to you. A GIF is a short looped animation clip, often featuring a bit of dialogue to make a point, like the one above. They are a simple graphic often used to convey emotions, for example, happy, sad, confusion, thumbs up, sorry, and so much more. They are a staple on Facebook, Twitter, and most phones, and believe it or not, have been around for over 30 years.

Google Ranking – The all-important Google ranking is the driving force behind any social media platform in today’s day and age. Typically when people perform a Google search, there are hundreds of thousands of hits. Most people don’t look beyond the first page or two of those results for the answer to their question though. So if you want your business discovered, you ideally want to make it onto the first page or two of that list. If you fall on page 245 of a Google search, you just won’t be seen. Figuring out how to improve your Google ranking in those search parameters is the key to a good marketing platform. While there is potential for a whole plethora of posts on that topic, the basics of improving your Google ranking is to be active on social media, to create regular and good quality content, to utilize appropriate keywords for your industry, and the list goes on from there.

 H

Hashtag – Before it was a hashtag symbol, # was the pound or number sign. Twitter took it from a symbol to a very powerful search tool way back in 2007 and by 2014 even the Oxford English Dictionary had recognized it’s significance. When you add # before a word or string of alphanumeric digits, you create a searchable term. For example, #ldnont is a popular hashtag tied to London, Ontario. Adding that hashtag to a tweet, Instagram or Facebook post makes it instantly searchable and related to something having to do with London. Anyone can create a hashtag by adding the #, but when people pick up a popular one, your message can be seen by that many more people. Try it and don’t see if you get more hits on your posts in the future.

Header – Look way up to the top of any page you come across. Is there an image up there? There should be, as the header is your first chance to make a big impression on your visitor. While you can find them in any document, on social media pages, they provide an excellent opportunity to get your message across quickly and effectively. Think about that for a second. Your header can include a call to action, your brand logo, your company motto, or other message you quickly want your visitor to see. Make it compelling, so that those visitors want to see more and are inclined to peruse more of your content. It is a simple marketing tool, but the header deserves your recognition as a part of your marketing strategy.

I

Images – While I am a wordsmith by trade, I am very much aware that images are key in any social media strategy. The first thing that people see when they look at a post is the image. Posts with images have better reach, better interaction, and better recall. It should be noted that original images are that much more effective, as compared to stock photos as well. So whether you are sending a tweet, writing a blog post, or publishing a Facebook post, think about what image might highlight your text most effectively. The rise and popularity of photo-based apps like Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat just don’t lie.

Insights – Social media strategies, marketing, posts, and more. What does it all mean? How do you measure it? With insights on Facebook and Instagram, you get a bigger picture of how your social media strategies are doing. You can look at demographics of who is interacting with your page and posts according to age, location, and gender. There are details about what times and days your highest reach occurs. Insights also show which kinds of posts perform better. This helps when it comes to deciding what posts to publish or boost in the future, ultimately giving you the tools to improve your social media presence. On Twitter, those insights are found under Analytics and have similar functions to help you analyze your social media strategy and whether it is working the way you intend it to.

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Is the image getting any clearer for you now? Are there any terms you still need defined to help you wade your way through the world of social media? Drop me a line in the comments and I will do my best to help unmuddy social media marketing for you.