Welcome to our weekly recap of our blog and Marketing Mix podcast! Last week we had several marketing highlights we want to talk about! In last week’s blog, we talked about TikTok entering the advertising market and how it’s impacted brands’ marketing strategies. Unlike other social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook, not many companies have jumped on the formal ad train yet and it’s a fairly new tactic. This is good news for marketing professionals because there’s little competition and you can make your marketing dollars stretch a little more on TikTok. We suggest using TikTok ads if you’re targeting a younger demographic, predominantly those between the ages of 16-24 years old. TikTok currently offers three types of formal advertisements: brand takeovers, in-feed native ads, and hashtag challenges. Each offers a unique opportunity for businesses and creates different types of engagement with users. If you have the budget and time to do them correctly, we think they’re worth investing in. On our weekly Marketing Mix podcast, we welcomed Samata Shah of Kopri Promotions to discuss the importance of promotional products to brand your business. Shah mentioned that the most important goal of giving promotional products to customers is making sure it’s a good reminder about you and your business. It also needs to be long-lasting. So, instead of just handing out a business card, try offering your customer a gift or ‘swag’. Some examples of this could be a tote bag, t-shirt, stickers, or even a hat with your logo on them. However, it’s important to be mindful about which products fit your business best and the quantity you purchase. With every business, you must change and grow. Shah says in the past year she’s taken her manufacturing closer to home and implemented more direct shipping, so customers didn’t have to come into the store during quarantine. Because the business was able to adapt and not stay stagnant, it was able to thrive during the pandemic. It’s always important to make sure your business is changing with the times and growing. Lastly, Samata suggests new, small businesses have at least 4 starting promotional products, such as business cards, branded apparel, or car decals. You should use these products to spread the word about your business. Leave a lasting impression on your new and potential customers! As always, if you would like more information on digital marketing or social media strategies to help with your business, we would love to have a conversation with you. Fusion One Marketing is a full-service digital marketing company headquarters are in Birmingham, AL.  Fusion One specializes in Local SEO, Social Media Marketing, Pay Per Click, and Website Designs. Fusion One Marketing was created in 2011 with its main focus to help small and medium businesses navigate the digital marketing world. Our goal for businesses is simple “More Calls –More Businesses”.  For any questions about this info or services we provide, please contact us for your Free Digital Consultation.