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Social media has become an important tool for companies when it comes to marketing their brand and gaining new customers. A popular feature across all social media sites is the ability to post polls to the public. These polls can ask anything you want them to, including offering customized feedback instead of choosing an A, B, or C answer.

Free Feedback

Any Philadelphia Marketing Company out there would love to receive feedback on products and services for free. Well, that’s now possible with social media polls. If your company recently launched a new service, create a poll asking for feedback and wait for the responses to roll in from your followers.

Generate Content

A big advantage of using social media polls is the content they generate. When your company publishes an article it only happens once. But, when your company creates a poll it publishes twice. The first is the poll itself and the second publication shares the results of the poll. No article offers that.

Increase Traffic

Not only does your Philadelphia Marketing Company get two pieces of content from one poll, but it can also acquire increased traffic to the company blog. It’s possible that your blog receives a 20 percent increase in traffic due to a simple social media poll. Research shows that 20 percent of readers will vote in a poll and 15 percent of them will share the poll. This can result in a 2 to 3 percent share rate for the page.

Understand Customers

A live poll on social media helps companies understand their customers. You will receive instant feedback from your customers, which can lead to having a better understanding of what it is they crave from your company. This can help you develop stronger marketing campaigns in the future.

Contact Neff Associates to discuss your company’s social media marketing campaigns.

Social media phenomenon Snapchat has introduced an addition to its app called Snap Map, which allows users to locate one another on an interactive map in real time.

“Snap Map lets you share your real-time location, which your friends can view on an interactive map that’s precise enough to show not only which street you’re on, but whereabouts you are on that street too,” said a Snapchat spokesperson.

Although the app’s new feature is innovative and exciting to some, others have already expressed grave concern about the privacy issues that Snap Map could present.

Snapchat offered this warning to its users about its new feature.

“Snapchat has introduced a new tracker in the update where you can view the exact location of your friends. It can give you the area, town, and street and if you zoom in enough, it shows the house on the street layout.

Please Share this to make people are aware, snapchat has a lot of young users on, if your children are on please check that they have their location set to Ghost mode, that way no one can see where they are. To do this make sure app is the updated version and go to selfie mode on the camera. Then zoom out. It will give you the option of changing to who can see your location.”

However, despite the need for a warning, Snap Map is a feature that Snapchat users can opt out of or perhaps never us at all.

“The first time you enter Snap Map, you choose who to share your location with. We won’t show you on the Map before then!” Snapchat Support tweeted out shortly after Snap Map’s release.

Snap Map gives its users ultimate control. The settings within the app can be configured for location-sharing for all friends, a select group of friends, or no one at all.

Snapchat released this statement about Snap Map and its features:

“We’ve built a whole new way to explore the world! See what’s happening, find your friends, and get inspired to go on an adventure! It’s easy to get started — just pinch to zoom out and view the Map! You decide if you want to share your location with friends, or simply keep it to yourself with Ghost Mode. If your friends are sharing their location with you, their Actionmoji will appear on the Map. Actionmojis only update when you open Snapchat. We hope you enjoy the new Map as much as we do!”

A Snapchat representative also confirmed that is users choose to share their location on the Map then their location will be updated every time they open the app. Their friends can tap on a user’s Actionmoji on the Snap Map to find out when their location was last updated. The last location is automatically deleted if users don’t open the app for more than eight hours.

Instagram users have mixed feelings about Instagram’s new update- Instagram Albums. A similar backlash occurred when Instagram Stories were introduced early August 2016. This backlash was due to users’ belief that the new feature was too similar to Snapchat Stories. Now, with  150 million users recording Instagram Stories daily, this component is here to stay. On February 22^nd, Instagram announced that you can now create “Albums”; an upload of up to 10 photos and videos at once. This feature has only been public a short time, but people have already expressed their negative feelings about it. We decided to take a closer look and found a number of advantages to posting Instagram Albums:

Allows You to Post Multiple Pictures If You Can’t Choose One

Instagram’s approach to introduce Albums was to mirror a common occurrence in a user’s life, which is the desire to post multiple pictures from one event. Instagram created a fictional post of a girl hosting a surprise party. The “hostess” wanted to share all of the fun moments that occurred during the “surprise,” which wouldn’t be portrayed accurately without multiple photos from throughout the night. This can easily happen to you. You’re enjoying a night out with a few close friends and take a few memorable photos. Can’t choose just one? Instagram Albums solves this problem by allowing you to showcase your entire night in one post.

Reduces an Overabundance of Posts from One Account

It happens all too often. You’re scrolling down your Instagram feed and see numerous pictures posted by the same user. “Overactive Instagrammers” are not everyone’s favorite social media friend because their overflow of posts can get repetitive and irritating. In doing so, you risk losing followers. With Instagram Albums, multiple photos and videos can be condensed into one clean post. Your thumbs won’t cramp anymore from scrolling so quickly through the redundancy!

Allows You to Post Developed Content

Whether the post is for a personal or business account, sometimes one picture can’t say enough! Now, the first photo that appears in the Album can act as a summary for the entire post. The subsequent photos or videos can act as support that helps develop your post in a more strategic manner. Ultimately, this gives the audience a better idea of your post’s collective message.

Social media is constantly advancing. Especially in the last few years, the tool has made great strides. Creators go above and beyond to come up with the latest and greatest additions to popular social media platforms. The most engaging new advancement is the live stream feature on both Facebook and Instagram. With this component, users can broadcast video, see how many viewers are tuning-in, and read viewer comments all in real time.

Since Facebook Live’s launch in April 2016, the technology has changed the way brands can interact with their consumers. According to Social Media Today, people watch Facebook Live videos three times longer than pre-recorded videos. Not only will the video play in real time, but when the live stream ends, the video can still be reacted to and shared for more views and interactions. Facebook Live’s website outlines tips on how to get the most of your live content. For example, write an intriguing description to capture your audience’s attention and help them understand what your upcoming broadcast is about before streaming.

Instagram Live Stories premiered only seven months after Facebook Live, however the two possess different qualities. Unlike Facebook Live, Instagram Live Stories can only be seen during their recordings and cannot be shared, only liked and commented on while the broadcast is live. Instagram produced its live feature this way on purpose so users “can feel more comfortable sharing anything, anytime.”

Being live creates urgency. The audience feels the need to pay attention because the content is happening in the moment. While live features are popular amongst media organizations broadcasting political, musical or sporting events, novice users are slowly but surely experimenting with live streaming on the palm-sized screen. To learn more about the power of social, connect with us today.

Anyone that works in the business knows that the advertising world is an ever-changing industry. While print and out-of-home advertising always remain industry standards, new and innovative forms of advertising are on the rise. According to Business Insider, in 2016, 56% of advertising budgets were spent on native advertisements and are expected to grow to 74% by 2021. Native ads differentiate from regular ads because they blend into the digital marketing environment they are posted in.

Native advertising is less aggressive than traditional advertising because it approaches consumers on a personal level rather than blatantly selling them a product or service. Through native advertising, brands have the opportunity to exhibit their personalities more organically compared to conventional advertisements.

Businesses can practice native advertising in a variety of ways, from a simple sponsored Facebook post, to a cooking tutorial using the brand’s product as an ingredient. ‘#Relatable’ is an ongoing trend in social media. If content is remotely relatable to users, they are more likely to interact with your brand’s content, resulting in increased engagement and reach.

A major benefit of using native advertising is social media metrics. After an advertisement is posted, consumers can like, comment, tag friends and share the content. Neff Associates, as an agency, can subsequently give our client a measured amount of success specified to each post.

The number of ways that native advertising can be executed multiplies by the day. If you can create quality content while incorporating your brand, your advertising campaign will be recognized and rewarded.

At Neff Associates, we work hard to provide our clients with the best branding and marketing services. Our industry expertise and undying commitment, keen attention to detail, and unbeatable creativity have allowed us to deliver the greatest results for our clients. We are proud to announce that our hard work and commitment have been recently recognized, as we’ve been the recipient of several awards and acknowledgments that have earned us bragging rights as a leading Philadelphia advertising and branding company.

Best Places to Work by Philadelphia Business Journal

In conjunction with Quantum Workplace, Philadelphia Business Journal has named Neff Associates one of the best places to work in greater Philadelphia for 2016. The contest is based on employee engagement surveys that are developed and updated regularly by experts in survey research methodology and organization psychology.

Philly Happening List, Public Relations Agency Winner

Neff Associates has been named to the 2016 Philly Happening List, under the category Public Relations Agency. The Philly Happening List is Philadelphia’s people’s choice competition, recognizing the amazing people, organizations, events, and businesses that make living in Philadelphia so special.

Top Advertising Agency in Philadelphia by Philly2Philly.com

Neff has been recognized as one of the top three advertising agencies in Philadelphia by Philly2Philly.com. The publication wrote:

“Neff Associates is a top notch advertising agency that utilizes a synergistic, full-service approach to the world of marketing. As a team of web design and development experts, the Neff Associates are pleased to provide clients with innovative strategies which result in the production of a shockingly original website. This ability is increasingly important in a world where millions of websites populate the Internet. To truly stand out, business owners need to cultivate a unique online image that expertly demonstrates the dynamic, distinct nature of their brand. The Neff Associates designers and developers put this process in motion by using graphic design elements in unique ways so that the template, colors, background, and icons on the client’s website stand out and draw attention to the client’s brand.”

One of the Fastest-Growing Digital Ad Agencies in Philadelphia by ReportGarden

ReportGarden named us one of the fastest-growing digital ad agencies in Philadelphia. The agencies were hand-picked by the ReportGarden team based on user reviews, employees, work culture, client satisfaction, leadership, and innovation, as well as other relevant factors.

To learn more about our advertising and branding services, please visit us online at www.neffassociates.com.

Much like Snapchat’s Story feature, Instagram recently rolled out InstaStory, a feature that lets users upload images and videos that appear in a slideshow format for 24 hours. Others can view your story at the top of their feed but once they disappear, they won’t appear on your profile or in their feed.   You can send the person a private comment but there are no likes or public comments.

While InstaStory is almost identical to Snapchat, it offers businesses another opportunity to market their brand, without having to garner followers on a new platform. With 500 million monthly active users, Instagram is among the top social platforms. It’s also considered the single most important social network by American teens. Instagram’s networks’ per-follower engagement rate for top brands is 58 times higher than on Facebook and 120 higher than on Twitter, statistics show.

With Instagram’s massive following, businesses can get great value from InstaStory. Usually, the general rule of thumb for Instagram is to post one photo a day, but InstaStory makes it acceptable to share images and videos more frequently. This allows you to get more touch points with your followers. Typically, an Instagram user may spend just a few seconds viewing your photo on their feed, but as InstaStory can feature more than one photo, it captures their attention for longer, keeping them engaged and interested. And, because the stories appear at the top of the feed, your message won’t get lost or overlooked.

How to Create an InstaStory

To create a story, simply click on the “+” in the upper left corner of your feed.  You will be brought to a camera. Like with Snapchat, click the circle to take a photo or hold it down for video. Click the left button to adjust the light setting or the right button to switch to a front-facing camera. You can also upload a photo or video from your camera roll if it was taken within the last 24 hours.

After taking your photo or video, you can draw on your Story but clicking the pen icon in the top right. There are different colors and pen options to choose from. You can also add moveable text or emojis by tapping the “Aa” button, or swipe right for filters. When you’re finished, tap the check mark and your story will be visible for 24 hours.

To learn more about using InstaStory and social media to market your business, contact our advertising agency in Philadelphia.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock these past few weeks, you’re probably very familiar with America’s latest obsession: Pokémon Go. Attracting everyone from nostalgic ’90s kids to teens, and even some middle-aged adults, this new Pokémon app has everyone running wild.

In case you’re unfamiliar with how the game works, players use their phone’s GPS to turn their ordinary world into a virtual world of Pokémon.  The GPS tracks their movements and uses real locations to prompt players to search in the real world to find Pokémon. You’ve probably seen groups of people walking through your community streets and parks in search of Pokémon, as well as hitting up local establishments that have been dubbed as “gyms” or PokéStops. Players visit gyms to battle other trainers, while the PokéStops provide users with the tools they need to locate and catch Pokémon.

Pokémon Go has amassed a massive following since its release and shows no sign of slowing down. As a local business owner, you can tap into this hot trend to promote your brand. Our PR agency in Philadelphia is sharing a few ways you can incorporate Pokémon Go into your marketing efforts.

Find the Nearest PokéStops or Gym

Players need to visit gyms and PokéStops in order to play the game. Players are usually found congregating in these areas, turning a once quiet location into a hot spot. Find out where the closest PokéStop or gym is in relation to your business. If your business is being used as one of these prime spots, then you’re already in luck. You can promote your business as a gym on social media, and you’ll have tons of people at your door, if you don’t already.

If your business isn’t one of these hot spots, you can still capitalize on them. Create a promotion that encourages players to visit your business after hitting a gym or PokéStop. For instance, if you own a restaurant locked a few blocks away, create a promotion inviting players to refuel at your eatery for 20% off a select item. You can promote this promotion on social media, as well as in your email and text marketing. Don’t forget to post a sign in front of your door.

“Lure” Customers to Your Location  

To play the game, users wander around in hopes of finding and capturing Pokémon. Lucky for you— players, and businesses, can buy “Lures”, which lure more Pokémon to a PokéStop for 30 minutes. This increases the number of Pokémon at that location, thus attracting crowds of players.  Lures can be purchased with Pokémon coins or for a few dollars. Before throwing Lures, let your customers know when and where you’ll be setting them up so they know exactly when to come by.

Promote Your Products with Pokémon

If you look on social media, you’ve likely noticed people posting pictures of Pokémon in funny places. Your business can take pictures of Pokémon with your products for subtle promotion. For example, if you operate a clothing store, you can snap a shot of a Pokémon sitting on top of a clothing rack. Or, if you have a pizza shop, take a screenshot of these cute creatures next to your food. Taking pictures of Pokémon serves two benefits. It lets players know that there are Pokémon at your location to drive them to your business. Second, it gets them thinking about your business and products.

By getting creative with your marketing strategies, you can utilize a growing trend to drive more people to your business.

‘Did you see their Instagram?‘ said (insert name of everyone you know here).

Instagram has taken social media by storm, ever since its launch back in October of 2010, and has grown to be one of the most popular mobile photo-sharing social networks ever. From the very beginning, it was obvious that Instagram was going to be a hit because it accumulated over 1 million users in just two short months after its launch. Fast-forward to September 2015, and Instagram toppled 400 million users! It goes without saying that the social network is extremely popular and has a cult-like following where users can transform their mediocre mobile photos into an artistic, almost-professional looking image by using filters.

Instagram has gone through some changes throughout the years, where the most notable was being acquired by Facebook in April 2012, which summed up to a deal approximately worth $1 billion in cash and stock. Since that time, Instagram users upload roughly 80 million photos per day, which certainly brings the total upload count into the tens of billions.

Among all the changes that have occurred during the relatively short lifetime of Instagram, many users were up in arms over the recent algorithm change that rearranges their photo feed from chronological order to a feed that prioritizes their relevant interests. It follows suit after Facebook made the same change some time ago to prioritize status updates based on the users’ interest. While many Instagram users are less than thrilled with their ‘new and improved’ photo feeds, there’s something else that puts the icing on the cake…and that’s the new logo.

Going Viral

Instagram debuted the new logo on May 11^th, 2016 that sent shockwaves across the internet. People tweeted, posted and ranted about their distaste for the new logo and that brings up the question: is the re-design a marvel or a mistake? We’re not quite sure if Instagram chose the right logo and branding services to re-design the logo but only time will tell if they will revert back to their original skeuomorphic icon of their beloved camera that everyone is asking for.

According to an Instagram blog post, they ditched the old camera icon for the new ‘flat design’ symbol to symbolize the growth in popularity of the photo-sharing service and it “reflects how vibrant and diverse your storytelling has become.” Whether the real intention of the updated logo was to truly reflect the changing times of the service, it really comes down to this reality: they’ve got everyone’s attention.

The updated logo definitely strummed up a massive amount of media attention that can really only benefit Instagram. The attention has given Instagram an even brighter spotlight that increases their brand awareness and you got to hand it to them, it was a smart tactic. When brands make dramatic changes, it can work towards their advantage. While that’s not to say that a brand has to reinvent the wheel, but when they can come up with a creative way to get more exposure, it can really go a far way in terms of awareness.

However, it’s important for brands to strategically think about the changes they are planning to roll out. While in many cases a new look can refresh the brand, it can also affect consumer perception and trust. For instance, some users cited the new Instagram logo as ‘basic’ and ‘cheap,’ which of course can lower brand value. In fact, Advertising Age published a poll asking users to vote which Instagram logo was better and 69 percent of the respondents preferred the original one. But once again, the main take away is that Instagram boosted their attention and awareness.

Things Are Getting Bubbly

While Instagram is making waves on the social network scene for their re-branding efforts, it should be noted they aren’t the only ones trying to convince consumers to check them out. In a time when cola sales are dwindling, Coca-Cola is also on a path to re-branding themselves in an attempt to stay relevant and push soda sales. The company is rolling out newly designed labels on cans and bottles of Coke that follow their “One Brand” strategy.

The new designs aren’t completely off-the-wall like Instagram’s logo, but it’s a noticeable change that might confuse consumers who are looking for a cold beverage in the coming months. For instance, majority of the cans and bottles will feature large red disks with a swoop of color (black, silver, green, etc.) to designate the specific flavor. Coke says it’ll make it easier to tell the difference between the flavors but the dominating red disk in the design doesn’t seem to follow their statement because it essentially blurs them all together.

Is Your Brand Evolving?

If your company is evolving, it could be a good time to re-brand yourself in order to meet your customer’s expectations. Perhaps your company has grown to offer more services/products or you’re doing things completely different than when you first opened your doors. Whatever the case may be, re-branding doesn’t have to be a scary transition but you have to choose the right logo and branding services to see success. With that said, the branding professionals at Neff Associates can help you succeed!

Neff Associates is very excited and proud to announce the launch of our newly designed website! Our entire website is more intuitive and easier to navigate, which features an uncluttered layout to make it more responsive. As a leading  advertising and branding agency in Philadelphia, we wanted to give our clients an opportunity to know us better and with this new design, you’ll get all that plus so much more! Our goal with the redesign is to provide our visitors with an easier way to learn about all of our services and solutions.

Feel free to click around and browse the website when you get a moment. You’ll come across aesthetically-pleasing pages with crisp lines, vibrant colors and fast load times. Additionally, no matter the device you are using – laptop, tablet or smartphone – our responsive design is suitable for all mobile devices and screens. While there are so many noticeable changes and features in the redesign, we still offer the same fantastic services because that’s what our reputation is built off of.  Let’s take a moment to review everything we can offer your business!

Branding Services – We understand the importance of company branding and we provide comprehensive branding services to create, maintain and promote the awareness of your brand. 

Public Relations – For nearly 30 years, Neff Associates has built up hard-hitting PR strategies that are backed by several awards and recognitions. With our PR strategies, your company is in good hands!

Advertising Services – We think outside the box and incorporate the most effective advertisements to ensure your target markets and audiences are consuming your message through both digital and traditional advertising mediums.

Social Media – The Neff Associates team is very sociable and we can provide you with cutting-edge social media campaigns to connect with your customers and extend your reach.

Media Buying – Media buying is an integral resource for every client campaign and our team carefully analyzes and evaluates all initiatives to ensure the media platforms complement all specified advertising needs. 

Websites – Last but not least, Neff Associates design and development team creates impressive websites that are responsive and visually stunning.

Check out the rest of our website and reach out to us because we’d love to make your brand more successful!