by Victoria Stoklasa, CEO

The "selfie"--a self portrait taken with a smartphone--has quickly become a major part of the social media experience. Whether on vacation, at work, or just lounging at home, people are sharing their selfies. With the creation of the selfie stick, a monopod that extends a smartphone beyond normal arm reach, some people think the selfie phenomenon has gone too far. I, however, am a selfie apologist. We even have our staff selfies here on our website. Let me explain why selfies are better than you might realize.

It's easy to assume that people who post selfies are vain and seek attention.  In reality, people with low confidence post selfies, too. "There are very few people who are completely confident," said cultural studies expert Jon Stratton in Bunbury Mail. "It's people looking for their friends to confirm they look good. You want that reassurance, we all want people to say positive things about us." So, snapping a photo of your new haircut is good for you--it shows that your community of friends and family like and respect you.

The BBC reported that selfies are part of how we present ourselves to the public. Dr Aaron Balick explained, "A selfie is an expression of an active online identity, something you have some control over. You might take lots [of pictures], but you'll publish the ones you like - even if they are silly or unflattering." Whether you're a celebrity like Kim Kardashian or a recent college graduate looking for your first job, posting selfies allows you to tailor your public image.

Technology has made taking and sharing photos a breeze. Bim Adewunmi said in an article for The Guardian, "The photographs of my youth were deeply considered affairs – was it worth using up a 24-exposure FujiFilm roll on a photo that might not even be in focus? No such worries with a cameraphone." You don't have to lug a huge camera with you on vacation, nor do you have to take turns having your picture taken in front of monuments--just reach your arm out and hold your friend close as you pose together.

What are your thoughts on selfies--are they great, or are you over them? Leave a comment and let us know!

By Victoria Stoklasa, CEO

Bon Visto Media is a small business that manages social media for other small businesses. As a result, we understand the needs and concerns of our clients, because we’ve been there—we’ve lived it. That’s why we want to share the tools that we’ve used to succeed…not just in social media, but in business management in general. (If you have a favorite tool that we didn’t list, and you think it’s a total sin that we didn’t mention it, leave a comment!) 

Have you ever posted a link to your company Facebook page and expected an image to automatically attach to the post…only to have nothing but white space and text? This is because Facebook doesn’t understand the content on your link. Using the Debugger helps Facebook scrape information from your link and recognize that there are images on the page you’re attempting to share. Simply copy and paste the link into the box on the Facebook Debugger page and click “Fetch new scrape information”. You may need to click this button a few times to get all the information scraped.

Businesses always have a wealth of checklists…not just for individual employees, but for projects as well. Asana is a project management tool that seamlessly combines the two. Everyone involved in the business signs up on Asana, and they can be assigned to different projects. If Betty, Sue, and Bob join Asan, Betty and Sue can be assigned Project A, Sue and Bob can be assigned Project B, and so on. You can then view individual checklists as well as project checklists. Asana is an elegant, user-friendly tool that can help you breathe easy as you collaborate.

I’m lucky to be a graphic designer by education and intuition, but not everyone has that skill. That’s why Canva is such a valuable design tool. It offers many drag-and-drop templates for multiple design needs—Facebook ad images, invitations, flyers, and so on. Canva also offers an online design school to learn tips and tricks to make your images stand out. Plus, you can purchase stock photos directly from Canva to insert into your designs for a little extra sparkle.

What tools does your business use? Have you used the ones we listed above? Leave a comment and let us know!

By Victoria Stoklasa, CEO

When employees speak well of their workplace, it is an indicator to others that their company is good. After all, don't we all want to work at an awesome company? (I mean, I already work at an awesome company, but that's beside the point.) A business that uses employee advocacy on social media can promote a company culture of open communication, cohesiveness between employees and management, and satisfaction in the workplace. Here's how you can develop employee advocacy in your own agency.

To develop an employee advocacy campaign, a company should first approach their employees and address the importance of sharing via social media. Express that social media is an easy and fun way to connect with potential customers, and how employees can change how the company is viewed. You can also include case studies of successful employee advocacy in other organizations--for example, this case study about Microsoft--to show how your employees' efforts can make a difference. Consider developing incentives as well, such as promising that any employee who brings in a new client via social media receives some sort of finder's fee. 

Once your employees understand why you want them to advocate for the company on social media, it is important to give them the "how" behind the "why". Communicate with your employees what outcomes you expect from employee advocacy. The best way to do this is by developing a written policy on employee use of social media. Answer question your employees might have: How often should they post? What is acceptable content to post? How should they respond to any replies?

Launching an employee advocacy strategy on all your employees at once can be overwhelming on both sides--you have too many posts to monitor, and your employees have no examples to base their work on. Before thrusting your strategy on your organization as a whole, identify employees who are active on social media and have a pattern of being early adopters. Run a soft launch with these "rock stars" and allow some trial and error as you perfect your plan. Then, you can safely present it to the rest of your employees.


Has your company tried employee advocacy? What advice do you have? Leave a comment and let us know!

By Victoria Stoklasa, CEO

This week, rather than our usual how-to style of blogs, I want to share a story with you...

Let me preface this story by explaining that, when I'm not managing social media, I spend my time being a giant dork. (Okay, honestly, I'm a giant dork at work, too.) Last week, my dorky demeanor ended up being to my advantage.

One morning, while working on a couple of projects for clients and growing hungry, I tweeted this:

"I'm not sure what I'm hungry for: leftover margherita pizza...or ADVENTURE!"

See what I mean? Incredibly dorky. I published this silly, harmless tweet and moved on with the rest of my day.

Later, when I checked my email, I saw that my pizza tweet had gotten a response...from Papa John's.

@vickystoklasa Get fresh pizza, Victoria! Get half off your entire order with online code #TWEETDCT50: papa-johns-20.centive.me/280984854"

Wait, what? Had I seriously just received a 50% off coupon for a dumb tweet about leftover pizza? Apparently, yes. Papa John's decided that my inane post was worth a response, and they wanted to make my situation better by offering me a fresh pizza rather than a leftover one.

Well, when people are kind enough to offer, I am kind enough to accept. My husband and I ordered a large "The Meats" pizza with garlic dipping sauce and, with the coupon code, only paid 50% of our bill.

This online encounter was a solid reminder that social listening is not only ideal for a business--it is essential. Obviously, it pays (literally) to listen to chatter beyond a business's immediate sphere. Branching out to key words and phrases on social media can help a company address issues, solve problems, and build a tribe. 

My advice to Bon Visto Media's blog readers is this: Try, just once, branching out your social listening. You don't have to go as far as developing a coupon code, the way that Papa John's did. Just respond to some posts that are relevant to what you do. Then, watch and be amazed by the response. 

What are your results of this social listening experiment? Let us know in the comments!

By Victoria Stoklasa, CEO 

On April 4, 2014, Bon Visto Media gained our first client. I was, admittedly, pretty terrified. As the founder of the company, I had no idea of what success (if any) I would have with a social media management company. But with each new client who hired us, our footing became surer, and our expertise grew deeper. So, where are we one year later? Join us in your preferred method of time travel--TARDIS, Delorean, hot tub--as we look back on the past year.

When I initially set out to start this business, I contacted my longtime friend Jenn Halbhuber to work with me on development and operations. Although she was unable to stay on board due to an intense personal and professional schedule, she was a key figure in the creation of Bon Visto Media, and I am grateful for that. I am also grateful for our current team. Jeff has brough creativity and insight (and sarcasm) to the process of content creation. Hilary’s boots-on-the-ground attitude assures me that she can always handle whatever research task is thrown at her. Don, who originally joined us as an intern, has juggled the hectic task of managing money with effortless grace. And of course, I’ve loved working with and educating our interns: Amanda, Taylor, David, and the aforementioned Don.

You may be wondering, what’s next for Bon Visto Media? (You also might not be wondering that, but I’m going to tell you anyway.) Our goals for our second year, while modest, will form the foundation we need to stay in business for years to come. Along with maintaining the high-quality services we give our current clients, we intend to develop new contracts (either long- or short-term) with businesses that value progress, innovation, and bettering the world. Additionally, we look forward to bringing on a new member to our creative team this year. 

We are excited to see what happens during year two. To keep up to date with our goals and progress, please continue to follow this blog. And, of course, follow us on your favorite social media platform!

By Victoria Stoklasa, CEO
 
When Trevor Noah was announced as the new host of The Daily Show, replacing the retiring Jon Stewart, the internet erupted. The excitement led to the discovery of some less-than-savory posts on his Twitter account. Arguments fired back and forth: "He's a racist and an anti-semite!" "He was just young and stupid and making jokes that fell flat!" Whichever stance you might take, we can all learn from Noah how to prevent and manage social media fiascos. 

One of Noah's big problems with his Twitter was that he was still developing his comedy--he didn't have a clear idea of his act and message. When a company knows what they want to say to the public, it becomes far easier to develop a content strategy that has little chance of offending. Before getting on any social media platform, sit down and develop your company mission, vision, and goals. Then, ask how social media will foster these. Do you want to deliver bare facts? Create heated conversations? Uplift and inspire? Knowing what you want to say and how you want to say it will help to maintain consistency and show who a company really is.

Rather than handing all social media management immediately to a single person or an outside company, it is beneficial to approve any posts that might be scheduled. In his New York Times article on the Trevor Noah controversy, Guy Branum wrote, "The glory of Twitter is that it’s unmediated and direct, but the absence of gatekeepers also means that everyone is free to put their worst work up as easily as their best." Serving as that gatekeeper, at least for the first few weeks or months, ensures that your company image and message will both sound how you want and remain consistent.

Amid the controversy, Noah tweeted, "To reduce my views to a handful of jokes that didn’t land is not a true reflection of my character, nor my evolution as a comedian." Comedy Central also came to Noah's defense, saying he "is provocative and spares no one, himself included." Regardless of whether a company stands by its comments or issues an apology, the issues must be addressed. Sweeping it under the rug and hoping the issue will go away all but promises that it will not go away as customers start to demand answers. Remaining silent unintentionally shows that the business doesn't care.

What do you think of Trevor Noah's tweets? Should he and Comedy Central have handled the situation differently? Let us know in the comments!

By Victoria Stoklasa, CEO

If you haven't watched Garth Brooks's video announcing that he is finally on Facebook, you should. In fact, you should watch it twenty times in a row, so you can fully absorb all it's glory. We'll even provide the video for you to watch. Go ahead...I can wait.

Whether or not you're a fan of Garth's music, it's hard to deny that there are certain things about this video that are just off. This is our goal: We want to teach you everything that is wrong with this video, so that you and your company won't make the same mistakes.

Garth comments in his video that he wants to post "cool stuff, slick stuff, neat stuff" on his Facebook page, but that he also wants to post "raw stuff, like this [video]. This is just who I am." Here's the thing: The video doesn't actually feel raw. It's obviously a rehearsed script. That makes the entire experience feel insincere. Our advice to Mr. Brooks would be that he shouldn't be afraid of going off script. His fans love him and are devoted to him, and they would be overjoyed to feel as if he is really letting them into his life

This video has moments that make Garth Brooks feel less like a country music superstar and more like that creepy guy at the country music bar. The rehearsed delivery makes it feel as though he's feeding the viewer pick-up lines like, "Did it hurt when you fell from Heaven, angel?" When he says that Facebook is "wiping the walls out between you and me, and I really like that," it goes from being inclusive to being invasive. We would have loved to see him change the rhetoric so that it's less about putting himself into people's lives, and more about how he's letting others into his life. (Don't even get us started on how this video takes place in a dimly-lit hotel room.)

As much as we might be ripping this video apart, it isn't a complete failure. One of the comments Garth makes is that a friend told him to "think of [Facebook] more as a conversation." At Bon Visto Media, we wholeheartedly agree--there's a reason that social media has the word "social" in it. If he takes this to heart, then Garth Brooks could be incredibly successful on Facebook. This would mean being accessible, genuine, and responsive to comments. 

What do you think of Garth Brooks's video? Let us know in the comments!

By Victoria Stoklasa, CEO

Have you ever visited the website ClientsFromHell.net? This site accepted submitted stories about freelancers and specialists who work with companies who make work miserable. Here’s an example of one of the posts from Clients From Hell:

Friend: "You’re seriously going to charge me for your art? But we’re friends!"
Me: "The only art I don’t charge for is when it’s a gift, so…"
Friend: "Eh, fine then. I’ll just wait until Christmas."

Pretty terrible, right? Well, you might be surprised how easy it could be to accidentally become a terrible jerk when you outsource work. Here is our advice for the best way to work with outside sources.

Have a strong idea of what you want your outsourced professional to do before you contact them. Make a list of what your company does, your mission with the outsourced material, your ideal client persona, and so on. This will save time and help your outsourced workers get their boots on the ground right away. Also, make sure you are clear on instructions—for example, how many prints you need, or what the copy of advertisements should be. Clarity will prevent having to send work back for fixes.

Would you want to work with a company that says it can deliver what you need, when in reality it can’t? That’s why you should match your clarity with a healthy heaping of honesty. Be up front about your expectations, your budget, and your deadlines. Plus, be honest about the things you don’t know—whether it’s missing details on your end or jargon that the specialist uses.

One of the biggest reasons companies outsource work is because they need a specialist who can do what the company cannot. For example, companies who don’t have the time, manpower, or expertise to manage their social media would come to Bon Visto Media. This is part of the reason why it’s important to respect outsourced workers—they tend to know what they are doing. Be open to whatever suggestions they might bring to the table, since it’s usually based off of years of experience.

Along with the need for a specialist, another big reasons that companies outsource work is that it saves them time so they can focus on the operations of their business. If you expect your outsourced work to arrive on time, it only makes sense that you should be on time as well. Help freelancers and outside businesses meet their deadlines by getting all information to them early and often.

It sounds obvious, but to some terrible clients, it’s not: Pay for what you receive! You would want to be paid for your work for your company, and so would freelancers and outside companies you work with. When you outsource work, you are paying for more than just the final product—you’re also paying for the labor, the personalization, and the expert touch that only a specialist can provide. 

Have you had a client from hell? Do you have advice that we missed? Leave a comment and let us know!

By Victoria Stoklasa, CEO

We’ve all experienced “necessary evils” when managing businesses—filing complicated paperwork, negotiating contracts, or doing detailed taxes and financial reports. Well, if these are necessary evils, we at Bon Visto Media would call paid advertising on social media a “necessary awesome”.

Many platforms recognize that they are being used for business promotion, and they’re trying to put the “social” back in social media. Not only that, but the owners of these platforms know that companies will pay top dollar to advertise on social media because it provides a captive audiences and allows for users to share company content. A notable example of changes to social media is Facebook, which changed their algorithms so that news feeds are more likely to show posts from individuals’ profiles rather than companies' like pages. If a company wants to get seen, paid advertising is nearly inevitable.

Fortunately, paid ads on social media deliver results. Want a real-world example? Contently.com reported that Castrol Moto’s social reach went from 2.7 million to, once they started paying for ads, 14 million users. The effect is evident: Even if you just spend a single dollar each day, you’ll see more activity on your social media platforms...more likes, follows, comments, and so on.

There are no hard, fast rules about the best social media platform for advertising—it varies from industry to industry, and from company to company. We’ve talked in a previous blog post about knowing which platforms your audience is using, which is a crucial first step in deciding where to spend your dollars.

If your company is present on multiple platforms, don’t limit your ad spending to the obvious choices. While Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are obvious choices for ad placement, less common options can reap benefits if you want to reach a niche market. For example, Pinterest is a great platform for advertising to moms, since 80% of their users are female. Content curating websites offer an alternative solution—StumbleUpon, for instance, offers full-page native advertising in which your entire website becomes the ad.

Have you had success with social ads? Or, do you have questions? Leave a comment below!

By Victoria Stoklasa, CEO

One of the fun services that Bon Visto Media provides for clients is graphic design. We develop beautiful, engaging images for our clients’ prospective customers to click and share. One of the key elements of our graphic design is typography—the way the text looks in an image. As we’ve created images this past year, there were ten typefaces that we kept going back to. Here are our top ten fonts of 2014.

No, not the Lana del Rey song…although, this looks like how she would write. This script does have a youthful and feminine feel to it, making it great for communicating heartfelt messages.

The name of this font is awkward and unwieldy. But dude, look at how great it is. Most bold, black typefaces are too overwhelming, but the hollow stripe in the middle of each stroke gave the letters a much needed brightness. It’s almost jazzy!

There’s been a lot of love in the past few years for what I like to call “Where the Wild Things Are” typefaces, and Passion Tea was quite popular at Bon Visto Media. The gentle curve of the letters made it stand out from most wiry handwritten types and gave it a little more whimsy. (The fact that it’s named after one of our favorite beverages helps, too.)

Every time I look at this typeface, it makes my heart flutter. Couldn’t you see this on the cover of a children’s fantasy picture book? The curl and upward turn of the serifs deliver a bit more charm and magic than you would expect from a typeface.

We saw this style of typeface EVERYWHERE! It wasn't just in our designs; it was everywhere else, too! And why wouldn’t it be? It’s feminine, clean, and pleasant. If you want to class up your design while still being contemporary, a bold script was the way to do it in 2014, and Thirsty Script was our favorite.

While most people say Helvetica is the best go-to font, we want to make a case for Bebes Neue. It has the versatility that all designers crave—this is the sort of typeface that looks good big or small, bold or thin. Plus, it's tall, lending it an air of masculinity.

This slab serif font is one of our favorite ways to make a statement. It’s bold without being overwhelming, and it’s structured while still allowing for the implication of movement and energy. It’s the perfect combination of elements to make it one of the most exciting typefaces we’ve had the pleasure of working with this year.

What were your favorite fonts of 2014? Did we leave off your favorite? Leave a comment and let us know!