The power of the hashtag (#) has taken the social media world by storm.

Once known as the “pound sign” or being synonymous with a game of tic tac toe, the hashtag has been morphed into a global symbol that links unique communities together through the use of a single word or phrase.

Video ads have certainly proven their power on Instagram according to a report released by Brand Networks from a study done on more than 2 billion Instagram advertising impressions.

The fashion industry especially has fared well with its use of video ads. According to BN Video, ads account for 71% of the fashion industry’s ad spend, driving 90% of its impressions during the first three months of 2016.

From Facebook to Twitter to Snapchat, brands now have more ways than ever before to connect with their target audiences. With hundreds of apps being launched everyday, determining the inherent business value of emergent social media platforms is not only difficult, but can also be time consuming for marketers.

However, before marketers begin to jump to the next new social media platform, they should do their research and have a clear understanding of their target audiences’ wants, needs, and preferred modes of communication to determine if the platform they want to adopt is the right fit for their business objectives. Given consumers’ growing demand for personal interaction with brands and influencers; and increased interest in real-time promotions and offers, marketers must look for new social apps that encourage consumers’ always connected lifestyles.

Making an impact on social media is harder for brands now than it ever has been before. Every social media channel is filled with people trying to make an impact and resonate with potential clients. A recent study from the Journal of Consumer Research has found that people who are active in social media are likely to be influenced by the opinions of those they follow on those social media channels. For marketers and business owners, this means that connecting with trend setters who have a large amount of followers is more important than ever.

These connections and the resulting endorsements can be much more profitable than conventional methods of advertising, which typically cost much more than advertising online. The potential reach of social media trend setters can also be much farther than a television commercial or newspaper ad. The right social media post can go viral, resulting in invaluable exposure for the brand.

In order to inform their buying decisions, modern consumers are interested in finding out what others are saying about specific brands and products. Social media offers a platform for them to do this as well as one where marketers and customers can interact. Social media listening is also called social media monitoring and is the process whereby your customers’ conversations about your company and product are assessed. Ways to use social media for customer insight range from paying attention to comments in customer support forums to the use of various software tools for gathering feedback from Twitter and Facebook.

Social media’s benefits include the fact that it allows access to a global audience and provides insight quickly enough for marketers to take effective action. Social media and the technology for listening have been in existence for some time, but many companies have failed to take advantage of it. Below is a look at how social media listening can be beneficial.

Social Media Marketing strategies assume a crucial role in any digital branding campaign. Many people use social networking sites to position themselves as thought leaders. The return on investment with Social Media is huge, because there is no cost associated with creating accounts. The only investment needed is time to monitor and deploy – and a solid social media strategy.

Someone once said, “it’s not your customer’s job to remember you, it’s your obligation to make sure they don’t have the chance to forget you”.  As the online landscape continues to change, making your mark and achieving greater sales is more challenging than ever. With the drive to attract and retain consumers becoming more competitive, PR firms are working harder than ever to strengthen the relationship of companies with their consumers.

Being visible in a competitive market is all very well, but without strong strategies and innovative campaigns, converting potential consumers to loyal customers is unlikely. Using integrated, media savvy PR campaigns can make a tangible difference to your sales, bringing results and rewards to all parties: you, your brand and your customers.

People frequently rely on the convenience of mobile devices to search for businesses and make purchases. Make sure that when they search for your product or service, they can easily find you and purchase what you sell. Mobile use offers unique opportunities to attract and win over customers. Here are five easy ways to utilize mobile marketing for your business.

Optimize your website to load quickly and effortlessly on mobile devices. Internet is slower on mobile, but customers still expect speed. Thankfully, Google Developers has a tool called PageSpeed Insights that will list possible issues on your website and tell you how to fix them.