Social Vid Con 2016 is Coming to San Diego!

By Stephanie Liu
September 19, 2016
Events,Facebook

Stop what you’re doing and listen up – If you’ve ever wondered how you could use video to drive more traffic, leads and sales to your website, then I have great news for you.

Social Vid Con San Diego is happening on Friday, October 21st and it’s about all things social video: live streaming, under 60 seconds, no sound, creating, storytelling, measuring and analytics, advertising, choosing equipment, hiring an outside production team, and so much more. I’ll be there showing small business owners, entrepreneurs and agency folks on how they can use Facebook Live to get back the engagement we’ve all lost from Facebook’s frequent algorithm updates.

Did you know that Facebook updated its algorithm to give preference to LIVE video?

“Now that more and more people are watching Live videos, we are considering Live Videos as a new content type—different from normal videos—and learning how to rank them for people in News Feed,” wrote Facebook product managers Vibhi Kant and Jie Xu. “As a first step, we are making a small update to News Feed so that Facebook Live videos are more likely to appear higher in News Feed when those videos are actually live, compared to after they are no longer live.”

Wouldn’t now be a good time to start sharpening your video skills?

Now if you want to be left behind, go ahead and sit this conference out. But if you want to be on the cutting edge of what’s happening in the social media landscape, grab your ticket now because seats are limited.

Early bird tickets are only $177, so register before prices go up.

Save 25% off with PROMO CODE: Stephanie

Want to know who else you’ll see at Social Vid Con?

Social Vid Con 2016 Speakers

So if you want to create compelling, engaging, and converting video? This is the conference you want to attend. Need more convincing?

Here’s 5 reasons to attend:

1. Understand the power of live streaming
2. Learn how to measure social video

3. Discover how to best use Facebook Live, Instagram Stories, Snapchat, YouTube, and more

4. Master the elements of storytelling

5. How to determine when to hire a production company

HURRY! Early bird tickets are only $177, so register before prices go up.

Instagram: How to Block Negative Comments

By Stephanie Liu
September 14, 2016
Instagram

Psst…did you hear? Instagram released a new feature that allows you to auto hide inappropriate comments!

This is perfect for deterring spam bots that tout “free followers” or if you’re a Kardashian all of the LB (Like Back) comments that quickly sprout on the photos they post.

The Page Moderation feature on Facebook has helped me block negative comments on my clients’ Facebook Pages for years so I’m super excited to activate this feature for not only my clients but my Instagram account as well!

Here’s how you can active Instagram’s comment filtering feature within the app…

STEP 1: At the top of your Instagram account, click on the gear icon.

STEP 2: Scroll down to Settings then click on Comments.

STEP 3: From there activate the feature “Hide inappropriate comments” then start listing the keywords and or hashtags you want blocked. Click “Done” when you are finished.

Tah-dah!!! Now, comments posted on your images that contain any of the blocked keywords or hashtags you listed will be hidden.

Photo Credit: RunnerKimHall

How to Create A Content Calendar + Free Template

By Stephanie Liu
September 8, 2016
Video

Can you believe it’s already September?

That means it’s time to plan what YOU’RE going to post on your social channels. If you ever wondered how I create a stream of steady content for my clients, here’s your chance to get the inside scoop. Plus, you’ll get a free template too!

Swipe my Content Calendar Template here: http://bit.ly/2c0q7Gm

Instagram Stories: How it Blew Up My Email List

By Stephanie Liu
August 22, 2016
Instagram,Social Media

It seems that everyone is talking behind Instagram’s back and how it’s a rip off of Snapchat. It’s like high school all over again—hair flips and oh no she didn’t finger snaps included.

And I get it…

Look I’m pretty active on Snapchat so I see where these critics are coming from but you should know that I’m not a fan of negative talk and as a strategist, I like to keep an open mind of what new opportunities Instagram Stories has to offer.

So I’ll give you my two cents of Instagram Stories and the results I’ve had with my personal account so you can make an informed decision on what you want to do. Hold on to your mouse because this is going to be good…

10x More Views with Instagram Stories

Compared to SnapChat I had 10x more views on Instagram! I was blown away by that number and a little self-conscious because my life behind the scenes is usually unfiltered and unedited. But as I looked at Instagram Stories under a microscope, the jump in views totally made sense and here’s why…

Almost all of my family, friends and clients were ALREADY on Instagram.
They were already familiar with Instagram. And they were already familiar with the type of content I shared on my feed. So when I started posting Instagram Stories, there I was at the top of their feed egging them on to see what was going on behind the scenes of this mompreneur’s everyday life. And it worked. I got more views than I ever did on SnapChat AND more comments!

5x More Comments

I’m used to getting messages in my inbox from prospective clients and brands that want to partner with me (shoutout to Wood Watches by JORD, love you guys) but this time I was getting comments from people gushing over my sweet dance moves while stuck in traffic. People that normally gave me likes on my carefully curated photos and usually didn’t leave any comments were now responding to my Instagram Stories. The raw unfiltered me turned out to be more interesting than my super edited images.

And you know what else I noticed? All you entrepreneurs are going to love this… Stick with me here, it gets better…

137% Increase in Email Subscribers

Downloads of my lead magnet, The Ultimate Checklist of an Irresistible + Profitable Facebook Page skyrocketed!

Soon after I started posting Instagram Stories, a notification would pop up on my phone that I just got a new email subscriber.

And let me tell you, I don’t run any ads for my lead magnet. I used to but I don’t anymore. I’m busy working on new content but if people want it, it’s there on my website for free under Stephanie Liu Resources.

So if I’m not running ads, how do I know that it’s coming from Instagram? Because the bio link on my Instagram account is tagged with Google Analytics tags. That’s how I know. (By the way, if you’re not tagging your links on social, we need to talk. And when I mean talk, I mean-we need to get that shit taken care of right now.)

All that people could really do when they followed me on Snapchat was view my snaps and leave a comment. If they wanted to learn more about me they couldn’t click on a link to my site. To get people to go my site I’d literally have to say in my snap, “Go to my website heystephanie.com” or write over my snap with my website address and cross my fingers that someone was actually going to be able to remember the URL to type into their browser later.

Now imagine how annoying it would be to watch a snap and hear someone repeat their website address snap after snap. You sir, get a finger snap cause I’m out!

via GIPHY

But with Instagram Stories, if the user liked what she saw , she could just tap on my profile photo, view my feed and click on my bio link. And look even if she clicks the link, goes to my site and doesn’t give me her email address, I still win because my site has a Facebook pixel and I can retarget her later.

Are you seeing the possibilities yet?

Do you see the big picture?

Have you started thinking of how you can use Instagram Stories?

And how much did this all cost me? Zip. Zilch. Nada. All I had to do was be comfortable being in front of the camera and share my unfiltered POV on life as an entrepreneur. Imagine looking at your email list a month from now and seeing how it’s grown because of Instagram Stories? How amazing would that feel? Pretty amazing am I right?

So to all the Instagram Stories folks throwing shade, go ahead and continue to sit on the sidelines sipping that haterade because this gal, her clients and her tribe will be in the spotlight and going all in Instagram Stories.

Are you in?

Facebook Verified Pages and Why You Should Verify Your Business Now

By Stephanie Liu
August 17, 2016
Facebook

A part of my social media audit for new clients includes making sure that their business is verified on Facebook. Facebook Verified Pages come in the form of grey checkmark badges and are available for businesses with a physical location in the US, Canada, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

Why is the Facebook Verified Pages badge so important?

First off, it lets Facebook users know that this is the official Facebook Page for your business. And should that user try to contact you via your Facebook Page, she can be confident in knowing that she’s reaching out to the right Page. You don’t want your customers to accidentally message a fake account would you?

More importantly, businesses with the Facebook verified badge show up higher in search results. Yes, you read that right! Your Facebook Business Page will show higher in search results when a user tries to search for your business on Facebook. That’s a huge plus in my book!

So how do you get your Facebook Business Page verified?

That’s easy—stick with me and I’ll show you how.

Go to your Business Page ➡️ Settings ➡️ General ➡️ Page Verification

Enter the phone number associated with your business publicly, receive a phone call with your verification code, enter that code and you’re done!

Don’t have access to the phone number listed for your business? You can also verify by uploading an official document like a phone bill.

All you have to do is follow the steps above then click “Verify this Page with documents instead” at the bottom left of the window that appears then upload a picture of an official document showing your business’ name and address.

After you submit your verification code or business document, they’ll go ahead and review the info to confirm it matches public records. If everything is a-ok, you’ll receive a notification or an email regarding your status.

The Art of Facebook Lists: Your Solution for Strange Facebook Friend Requests

By Stephanie Liu
May 16, 2016
Facebook

Are you an entrepreneur that loves hanging out in Facebook Groups but feel uneasy when someone from that group friend requests you?

You’re 100% A-OK chatting with that person in the group but giving her access to see your personal profile…

Hmm, that’s a whole different story.

Deep down, you want the connection because you never know if it might lead to a new business opportunity but you also want to avoid potential stalkers.

Webinar: 4 Secrets to Boost Your Sales on Facebook

By Stephanie Liu
April 14, 2016
Facebook

Hey, hey! Mark your calendars so you don’t forget. The “4 Secrets to Boost Sales on Facebook” webinar with Marketing Melodie is just around the corner on April 29th at 12 noon PST. I’ll be joining as a special guest and dropping knowledge bombs on how to win with Facebook Ads. See you there!

How to Use Facebook Graph Search to Create Content Your Audience Wants

By Stephanie Liu
January 5, 2015
Facebook,Video

Are you looking for creative ways to discover what your readers’ interests are?

Imagine having access to a search engine that tells you exactly what your readers want to learn more about.

In this article, I’ll show you four ways you can use Facebook Graph Search to create content that your audience truly wants.

Social Media Marketer’s 10 Favorite Things

By Stephanie Liu
December 23, 2014
Social Media Resources

I use a lot of resources and tools to manage clients and their social media marketing initiatives but there are only a few that I refer to regularly. I like to think of these resources as “Agency tested – Stephanie approved.”

Life is too short to be stuck in an office all day which is why I make it my mission to work smarter. So without further ado, here’s my top ten list of resources for serious social media professionals.

1. Social Media Marketing Podcast. Hands down, this is my favorite podcast. Michael Stelzner releases a new podcast every week and makes it his mission to help listeners stay on top of social media trends with case studies and interviews with social media influencers. If you browsed the podcast app on my iPhone, you’ll notice a number of episodes I have saved throughout the year to reference again.

How to Overcome Writer’s Block

By Stephanie Liu
December 9, 2014
Agency Hacker,Blogging

For many bloggers, the worst part of writing is the beginning, when you’re sitting at your desk starting at a blank screen and a blinking cursor.

Writer’s block sucks. I know because I’ve been there before. It’s a frustrating feeling that can consume you and stop your creative efforts dead in their tracks.

Overcoming writer’s block is tough. So when I discovered Michael Koenigs 10×10 formula at Ignite Your Fire last Saturday, I had a breakthrough! I was so inspired that I wanted to find a quiet corner in the conference and start working on my 10×10 formula right away!

The beauty behind Koenigs’ formula is that it takes less than a day to start implementing it. It might sound too good to be true but when you see how simple the process is, you’ll be scribbling one idea after the other and waving bye to writer’s block.