Tag: video

Instagram: No longer just for photos

Clairemont InternBlog, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, Trends, , ,

When Instagram launched in 2010, it was a single feed stream of singular square photos. Over the years, Instagram added options for video, stories, IGTV, Guides, Reels and even shopping within the app. In the most recent update, Adam Mosseri, company head of Instagram, states that Instagram is “no longer a photo-sharing app.” 

Instagram’s goal has always been to keep users in the app for as much time as possible. The networking service’s research findings have shown entertainment as the number one reason people use the app by a long shot. To captivate users against the millennial audience on TikTok, shopping websites and other competitors, Instagram has evolved. Moving forward, they plan to focus on more video content, creators, shopping and direct messaging. 

To make the app more enjoyable for users, Instagram will also experiment with recommendations, or showing users content in their feeds that they are not already following. To make these recommendations more personalized, it is launching a version that includes personalized topics so users can hand select which topics they want to see more or less of. 

What do these changes mean for creators and businesses?

The Instagram algorithm favors content that contains the newest features and keeps users on the app. Instagram has seen the growth video is driving across all platforms and wants to lean into it more. Therefore, creators and businesses should shift content creation to video formatting when possible, preferably to reels and IGTV videos. 

If you are a business with the ability to tag shoppable products through Instagram, you should be jumping at the opportunity to provide your customers an easier way to shop while gaining an advantage in the app. Anytime Instagram launches a new feature, you should be implementing it to your social media strategy as soon as possible. 

Need help launching your own Instagram account for your business or organization? Reach out to us; we’d love to help!

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Beef Up Your Video Power

Cherith AndesBlog, Marketing, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , ,

Although videos are the dominate medium in marketing these days, it’s no longer sufficient to simply shoot and post good footage. Even hot fads like Facebook Livestream or drone b-roll alone won’t make the cut anymore. Savvy communicators must develop layered strategies to leverage video work by combining prevalent tools with rising cultural trends.

Image courtesy of Facebook

This doesn’t mean departing from your hard-earned techniques, storyboards or technical skills. Facebook 360, for example, secures twice as many views all the way through the entire video than traditional videos. That’s a tool worth exploring! But now, build on these successful tools by reframing each video project through an added lens. How can you take a new approach to the storyline and tap into your demographic’s way of thinking?

Video + Trend

Clairemont recently tackled a challenge with client Wendell Falls, one of the Triangle’s largest master-planned new-home communities, located 15 minutes from downtown Raleigh. With a fresh crop of new model homes, Wendell Falls sought to highlight its builders’ creations and engage millennial and Gen Y prospects, two key demographics. We recognized that a simple video tour wouldn’t do the trick. Visual walk-throughs are readily available online, and in essence, a slideshow could render the same effect.

Instead, we paired the project with a trend that is (still!) hot in the market. Research shows that more than half of millennials aspire to launch their own start-up companies, and Gen Y-ers have earned the title as the DIY generation. Entrepreneurism, hands-on approaches and self creation mark these demographic’s approaches to projects. Hence, we created a series of DIY videos in home design tips and techniques that featured the model homes at Wendell Falls as a backdrop.

Useful, Sharable, Visual

Working from home? Check out these tips to create a productive and inspiring home office (featuring the Dan Ryan Builders model home). Learn how to style a party-worthy porch or master your open floor plan with expertise advice from Homes By Dickerson. Here’s another favorite on spicy design tips!

The final product yielded a clean, engaging video that was both educational and (ding ding!) shareable. For those looking for quick and free design tips, we fit the bill And in a Pinterest-esque way, the videos provided content that you could pass on to friends, strategically helping to expand the social visibility of Wendell Falls.

What one thing do you want to highlight in your business? Drop us a line to partner on your next video project.

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The Making of a Milestone

Cherith AndesBlog, Clairemont Client News, In Our Community, , , , , , , ,

In the fall of 2008, 40 friends gathered in a small Pittsboro backyard to share a simple potluck and sample a fresh creation: the new North Carolina-bred pepper. This first Pepper Festival marked the start of a cultural and agricultural movement.

Since then, the Pepper Festival — hosted by client Briar Chapel — has blossomed into one of the largest chef competitions in the region, a spicy celebration of local food, music and culture that attracts more than 2,500 festivalgoers statewide.

The 10th Annual Pepper Festival represents a decade of partnerships and efforts that have championed sustainable agriculture. The proceeds of the festival benefit Abundance NC, a nonprofit dedicated to renewable food and fuels, and since inception, the festival has raised more than $150,000 to support approximately 200 farmers who would not otherwise be in business. 

The 10th Annual Pepper Fest embodies a legacy — the toil, passion and creative spice of a band of visionaries. Check out the key “ingredients” that are heating up this year’s event!

Looking to spice up your fall? Grab your tickets to the 10th Annual Pepper Fest!

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Dazzle Before Distraction

Clairemont InternBlog, Marketing, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , , ,

In an oft-quoted 2015 study, Microsoft revealed that the human attention span is now shorter than that of a goldfish. The small creature can remain focused for approximately nine seconds, while the average person stays focused for only eight. Public relations professionals must adapt to the changing media environment, constantly crafting creative ways to communicate their messages. Everything from word choice to timing can make or break the efficacy of your communication.

Tips for Emails

John Edwards, marketing consultant and CEO at Hosting Facts, unveils important tips for effective email communication. He points to a USC Viterbi School of Engineering study that observed 2 million users who sent more than 16 billion emails over the course of several months. Two findings include:

  1. Send Emails in the Morning

While most professionals check email throughout the day, the highest response rate comes first thing in the morning. Send a note early to catch the reporter when she first gets to her desk.

  1. Follow Up After 48 Hours

There is a 90 percent likelihood you will get a response to your email within 48 hours. If you don’t receive one after this time frame, you may not receive a reply at all. Follow up after two days to improve your chance at an answer.

Tips for Mobile

A 2015 study released by Deloitte concluded Americans collectively check their phones 8 billion times a day, and the average person reaches for his phone 46 times daily. It is vital to adapt your PR strategies for mobile considerations.

  1. Keep Email Subject Lines to Five Words

Pierpont notes that if recipients can’t read your entire subject line on their phone, they’ll delete your message. Google’s algorithm will truncate your headlines if it is more than 65 characters and eliminate additional subheads. Keep openers, subject lines and headers brief!

  1. Add Video

Fifty-nine percent of senior executives prefer to watch video instead of reading text if presented with the option. Consider relaying information through a short, eye-catching video.

Tips for Blogs

  1. Hubspot notes that B2B firms with blogs generate 67 percent more leads per month than non-blogging firms.

Encourage clients to produce their own content. Whether it’s a feature on management, opinions about the industry or tips about work-life balance, allowing potential customers to get a behind-the-scenes peek at the company’s personality can boost the website’s reach.

  1. Keep Age in Mind

Millenials are 247 percent more likely to be influenced by blogs or social networking sites. Think closely about your client’s audience when considering which platforms to focus efforts. If the client base skews younger, for example, explore Snapchat and Instagram.

Check out other tips to master your social media in 2017!

Written by Casey Moore, senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Clairemont’s Baby Mama

Sarah HattmanBlog, Oh Momma Monday, The Clairemont Team, , , ,

I am blessed, honored and grateful to work with such an amazing team. Nearly five months ago I told my colleagues that I was pregnant, and from that moment they have been incredibly supportive and excited for me. To better understand, look no further than our take on Starrkeisha’s Baby Momma Dance.

Baby Mama Play Button

While we won’t find out the baby’s gender until he or she arrives, one thing is certain – the Clairemont team likes to celebrate and dance. Have you seen our “Good to Be Alive” video?”

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