Are you using Instagram to its fullest potential?

If you have a visually striking product or brand (and even if you don’t!) and you’re not on Instagram, you’re missing out on one of the biggest visual trends on social media today. And considering that images are often the most engaging aspect of social posts, that’s saying something.

Whether you’re new to Instagram marketing or you’re struggling to find the ROI of your photos, we’ve got a four-step process to help you kill it with Instagram marketing.

Step 1: Pre-Campaign Data and Insights

If you want to find success on Instagram, you’ve got to do more than just publish beautiful photographs. Your strategic thinking should begin well before you post a single image.

Before launching an Instagram campaign, consider exploring all of your available data and insights. What do you know about your audience? Who are they? What is their browsing behavior like? Where do they shop? What is their lifestyle?

If you are using a social insights platform, you should be able to apply what you know about your audience on other channels, like Twitter or Facebook, to your Instagram marketing to give yourself a great head start.

Step 2: Campaign Execution

Now it’s time to launch your campaign: Snap photos, create captions, insert hashtags and engage your audience.

Be sure that your bio is completely filled out, and that you are posting fresh, new content on a regular basis. Whether you’re running a one-off seasonal campaign or a long-term brand awareness campaign, you’ll need to keep your presence active in order to be successful.

Some tips for great Instagram photos:

• Set your smartphone camera settings to “square” if available, so that all the photos you snap will be Instagram-friendly
  
• Drive traffic to your website by always including a URL in your caption
  
• Plan your Instagram photos in tandem with other posts across your social networks
  
• Encourage your community to share photos of your product, using a branded hashtag
  

Step 3: Post-Campaign Measurement

After your campaign, or (better yet) at regular intervals while it’s running, you’ll want to capture metrics that show how successful your efforts have been.

Examples of Instagram metrics:

• Number of comments
  
• Number of likes
  
• Number of followers
  
• URL clicks
  
• Branded hashtag mentions
  

What you measure will be determined by the goals of your campaign. Is it to drive traffic? Measure URL clicks. Brand awareness? You might want to look at comment sentiment and hashtags.

Step 4: Analysis

No social media strategy is complete without analysis. During your campaign, be sure to check in on the metrics you’ve decided to measure, and see whether they’re indicating growth.

You can analyze the demographic and psychographic makeup of your audience; the reasons why certain images performed better than others; what time of day gets the most engagement and more.

Analysis is a key component of a great Instagram strategy, as even not-so-successful campaigns can teach you what works and what doesn’t. By feeding this information back into your strategy for the next campaign, you’ll be in a better position to reach and engage your audience with your beautiful photos.

Try applying these four steps to your next Instagram campaign to better connect your content with your audience, and get the most out of your branded visuals.

This article was originally sourced from Business2Community here and was written by Pam McBride. 

As I've blogged about before, I see social networking for businesses as encompassing four quadrants: public social media, social CRM to collect data, social software in the workplace (intranet) and externally facing social software (an open online community). As I detailed in that post, there are many opportunities for companies to leverage multiple social networking elements, especially through an online community.

Publicly facing social sites, like an open community, are especially powerful and offer businesses the ability to interface with customers ‘where they are,’ to monitor what's being said about your brand on those sites and to incorporate that feedback into your organization's overall communications strategy. This transparency not only helps you create a better product, but ‘helps members and customers help themselves’ by allowing them to ask and answer questions as a community.

Culture Matters

Although these are powerful tools, it’s easier said than done to get an online community started. Unfortunately, you can’t just set one up -- even if it’s on an awesome platform -- and expect everyone to hop online at once.

That’s where culture fits in.

In order for your organization to reap the benefits of a community, the culture needs to evolve away from the traditional command and control way of doing business -- a mentality generally at odds with new collaborative platforms and technologies -- to one that’s more collaborative and open. It's one thing to launch a community, or establish a company presence on a public platform, but it's another to effectively integrate it into all aspects of an organization’s operations. In order for an organization to effectively deploy community across the board, the organization must, itself, become social as well.

How do you create a social culture?

I wish this was an easy, simple task, but it can take time to create a culture that readily accepts an online community -- and knows how to use it. But the good news is it can be done.

Much smart commentary has already been written about the cultural changes necessary for a business to become "social." For instance, I enjoyed this post, in which the author laid out a straightforward path for creating the culture you want.

Here’s a quick recap:

1. Decide what your goals for community are. Why do you want to start a community? Is it to connect members with each other so they can share knowledge? Or to reduce customer service costs by allowing customers to help each other? Knowing your goals will help you streamline the community’s purpose and pitch the idea in a meaningful way to future participants.
   
2. Assess your organization’s current culture towards collaboration in general, as well as social networking. Do people already collaborate naturally, or is your organization siloed, with independent working? If your community launched today, how well received would it be? Knowing what your current culture is like will help you plan the community’s launch and educate your organization so they use it.
   
3. This wasn’t mentioned in the post, but I think it’s important. When you finally launch your community, start small. Although you’re excited and want everyone involved, sometimes it’s better to start off with the few and dedicated rather than a large mix of people, many of whom are ambivalent or even detractors. As these first members begin creating a strong community culture, bring more people into the fray, and they’ll catch on more quickly than they would’ve otherwise.
   

Don’t forget about buy-in

Creating a social culture is just part of the puzzle, though. It’s important that you get buy-in from the organization as a whole -- they need to be excited about the community and see how it will benefit them as well. When pitching the community to people in your organization, tie it in with their goals. How does a community help them achieve their five year vision?

This article was originally sourced from the Higher Logic website here and was written by Andy Steggles. 

Have you ever had the situation where Board members have tried to directly instruct staff, or have questioned senior management decisions outside of the Board meeting, or have taken partial control of staff functions?

Have you viewed this as appropriate and advantageous to the organisation, or disruptive, annoying and interfering? Or maybe even both?

We come across this quite often when we are working with nonprofit Boards and senior executives. We have had late night telephone calls from Directors regarding their concern about management techniques, asking advice about what the Director should do if management isn't doing what the Director expects. We have had emergency meetings with CEOs when they are ready to resign because a Board member has been "interfering". We have seen numerous emails where senior executives complain bitterly about the Board becoming involved in "operational" matters. We have talked with many Boards about their concern that management is not managing. And the list goes on.

There is not always a clear case of inappropriate interference by the Board or Board Members. 

On the one hand, Directors have the right to access everything that goes on in the organisation (with some exceptions mainly related to privacy laws), as in the end, the Director is ultimately responsible. It is also appropriate, prudent, and necessary that a Board member take an interest in the operations and management of the organisation, and that they have conversations with staff and ask questions outside of Board meetings.

On the other hand, the Board members are not staff, and have not been retained to develop operational implementation of strategy. Board members seldom have the specific skill sets required to implement the operational strategies, which is why skilled staff have been hired.

So, what can be done to satisfy the Directors' need for knowledge and accountability, and the executive leadership and staff’s need for operational autonomy?

To read the full article please click here. 

This article was sourced directly from the Strategic Awareness Essentials website here. 

All Queenslanders can now take part in one of the state’s biggest health care surveys, which runs from 9 November to 24 December 2015. The CheckUP Health in Focus survey provides an annual snapshot of primary health care in Queensland. With an overwhelming response in 2014 from the general public, we are again pleased to announce we are opening it to all Queenslanders for 2015, in addition to GPs, specialists, practice managers, nurses and allied health professionals.

Have your say today to help improve health care for the future, visit www.checkup.org.au/hif

This information was directly sourced from CheckUP. 

A bid to standardise trading hours across south-east Queensland will cost jobs, an industrial relations commission has heard.

The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission began hearing an application by the National Retail Association (NRA) to "harmonise" retail hours in the region today.

CEO Trevor Evans said the current trading hours were put in place 20 years ago and were out of step in an age of modern retailing solutions and online shopping.

"At the moment it's split up into somewhere between 15 to 20 different zones, all with different rules, that's a nightmare and very confusing for both customers and retailers," he said outside court in Brisbane.

"So our hope is to get as close as we can back to one set of rules for south-east Queensland."

The NRA wants stores to be allowed to open from 7:00am to 9:00pm from Monday to Saturday across the region with the exception of Brisbane City, the Gold Coast entertainment precinct and the Fortitude Valley and Hamilton north shore.

Mr Evans said it would create jobs and increase consumer certainty, and the impact on independent retailers would be minimal.

"While there are one or two small businesses that would see these rules as a competitive advantage; i.e. they're forcing their competitors to close and their customers to come to them," he said.

"The fact is that this is about much more than just groceries.

"These laws impact all the tenants of shopping centres and shopping strips which are forced to close as soon as the larger stores and the anchor tenants are forced to shut."

Queensland's independent retailers at risk: MGA

The move will cost jobs, independent and small business representatives say.

Master Grocers Australia (MGA) represents 485 independent retailers in Queensland who say their businesses will be at risk if the action is successful.

MGA advocate Colin Dorber said the move would be damaging to independent retailers and their staff.

"The granting of this application hurts independent retailers it forces husbands and wives for example to terminate staff and then start working 60-70 hours a week to survive," he said.

"It takes employment out of smaller independent stores and based on the evidence the NRA are giving, won't necessarily create new jobs for people in Coles and Woolworths.

"The bottom line is it really hurts and it's not necessary.

"There's only a limited pie and Coles and Woolworths want that pie to be all theirs."

The Commission also heard from Professor Joe Branigan, the co-author of a report into the economic impacts of deregulating retail trading hours in Queensland.

His report estimated that up to 2,000 jobs could be created if deregulation was brought in across the state.

Mr Dorber questioned the survey method and details of the report findings throughout the afternoon.

The matter is set down for four weeks.

This article was sourced directly from the ABC News website here and was written by Kathy McLeish. 

The Australasian Investor Relations Association (AIRA) is proposing a “fast track” proposal to speed up the release to market of important financial results announcements and other price sensitive information during profit reporting seasons.

The initiative arises because more listed entities are issuing profit results, annual reports and other important performance announcements through the ASX before daily share trading commences.

AIRA’s Chief Executive Ian Matheson said today: “We have had a preliminary conversation with the Australian Securities Exchange about developing a fast track system to operate during interim and final results periods because of concerns that releases could be delayed by the large amount of other, non-sensitive announcements.

“A poll of our members shows that 69% of respondents are lodging their financial results to the ASX between 7:30am and 8:30am to give stock market analysts and investors more time to assess the results before trading commences. This is a critical period of the day, and some companies experienced delays in the latest reporting season.

“The survey also showed that 90% of those surveyed received acknowledgement of receipt back from the ASX within 20 minutes. The larger companies – particularly those in the ASX50 – attract considerable analyst coverage, and it’s important the analysts’ can provide informed responses to their clients as soon as possible before the market opens. That makes for a more orderly opening and is in the best interests of all investors.”

A fast track system would prioritize ASX releases so that the most time sensitive ones were made public more quickly. Less sensitive releases on issues such as substantial shareholdings, minor capital changes and change of directors’ interests would be sidelined until the peak period ebbed.

AIRA’s survey also found that, apart from more companies reporting first thing in the morning, larger ones were also releasing their financial results earlier in reporting seasons. Some 21% said they had already advanced their lodgment date or planned to do so next year. Also, 43% said they had changed their timetable or would do so next year to include release of their annual report with other financial announcements. One benefit of this is that it gives proxy advisers a longer lead time to research their recommendations on voting.

To read the full media release please click here. 

This media release was directly sourced from the Australasian Investor Relations Association (AIRA) website here. 

The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) and the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Australia (IAB Australia) have jointly launched best practice principles for online advertising which is in the style of editorial content, commonly known as Native Advertising.

The Native Advertising Principles are a consumer protection tool for advertisers to reference, aimed at ensuring readers can readily distinguish between what is paid-for advertising versus editorial content in the online environment. They bring together the guidance of both the AANA and IAB Australia at a time when brands are increasingly delivering editorial-style content in digital formats.

“We are delighted to have been able to work with IAB Australia to deliver these Native Advertising

Principles. They will help ensure that people know when they are viewing independent commentary and when they are viewing paid-for content in the form of native advertising,” Simone Brandon, Director of Policy & Regulatory Affairs at the AANA said. “Responsible, respected and innovative marketing is at the heart of what our members stand for and these principles will help guide advertisers so that they are transparent and ethical in how they communicate about their brands online.”

Alice Manners, CEO of IAB Australia commented: “The rise of native advertising and storytelling by

brands is fundamentally shifting the way in which we, as an industry, need to consider advertising.

The Native Advertising Principles are an important addition to the IAB Australia’s Advertising Playbook and the AANA’s Code of Ethics and we expect they will provide valuable guidance to

advertisers and publishers alike.”

The Native Advertising Principles will require advertisers to provide consumers with a prominently

visible cue so they immediately know the content is paid-for advertising – for example, these cues

could be the use of the brand’s logo in or around the content or the use of a different design, font

or shading to clearly differentiate it from the editorial content.

“With the increasing potential for blurred lines between editorial and paid-for advertising, it’s timely

that these principles are being launched to provide guidance to advertisers and publishers about

how they should guarantee transparency for consumers,” said Matt Tapper, Managing Director

Global Markets, Lion Beer, Cider and Wine and new Chair of the AANA Board.

Ed Harrison, IAB Australia Chairman and CEO of Yahoo7 said: “Native advertising is a strategically

important format for our industry, particularly in our drive towards monetising mobile. Its ability to

provide a seamless consumer experience is exceptional, but its success will ultimately be defined by ensuring the advertisements are clearly delineated and defined for consumers.”

This media release was directly sourced from the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) website here. 

The Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) has welcomed today’s Government announcement of a final reform package for retail life insurance.

“The Government’s final response to proposals by The Hon Josh Frydenberg MP on 25 June and the FSI Report, is a sensible outcome that will help ensure the sustainability of the industry,” CEO of the FPA Mark Rantall said.

Mr Rantall commended Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Small Business Kelly O’Dwyer for consulting and listening to the profession and addressing industry concerns that arose from the earlier June announcement.

A key area of concern for business sustainability had been the new retention (‘clawback’) provision of three years for commissions. As a result of combined representation by the AFA and FPA, the provision will move from a three to a two year clawback period.

The Government has announced that these changes will apply across all channels, including personal advice, general advice and direct life insurance.

Mr Rantall said “The FPA supports the need for a model that enables financial planners an appropriate amount of time to transition. We believe that the staged approach to the new commission structure achieves this.

“The FPA also believes that expanding education, strengthening enforcement and removing other conflicted payments, including volume rebates and payments, is necessary to the overall package of initiatives.”

The Government also announced that the industry will have responsibility for widening Approved Product Lists, through the development of a new industry standard.

Mr Rantall concluded: “Today’s announcement is a sensible outcome, and one that will help ensure the sustainability of the industry. We are deeply committed to supporting members through these changes and encourage members to make use of The FPA Life Insurance Advice Guide. This comprehensive resource can be accessed in the FPA Member Centre.

The final reform package will start on 1 July 2016. The Government has said that ASIC will undertake a review of the reforms in 2018, to assess whether the implemented measures are operating as proposed.

This media release was directly sourced from the Financial Planning Association of Australia website here. 

Chairman of beyondblue Jeff Kennett said today’s announcement by the Turnbull Government is a defining moment for mental health care in Australia and he commends Health Minister Sussan Ley for having the courage to instigate structural reform by dismantling a badly-integrated system in favour of building a regional one that works for people closer to home, wherever they live in Australia.

“It’s about time someone had the guts and foresight to overhaul the system to focus on the needs of people rather than providers. We need to get the maximum bang for our buck by spending taxpayers’ dollars where they have the greatest impact.

This is exactly the kind of leadership we need to help the three million people who at any one time have depression or anxiety, and the hundreds of people who attempt to take their lives or the seven who die by suicide every day in Australia – and their families.

Today’s theme of national leadership with a focus on regional planning and delivery is broadly what individuals and families have been demanding, and what the National Mental Health Commission has recommended.

Although while still silent on detail, beyondblue supports in principle the Government’s redirection of funds to the Primary Health Networks (PHNs) because they are best placed to understand local needs, and to deliver and monitor performance and outcomes for their communities. The introduction of low-intensity early intervention services is extremely welcome and beyondblue’s successful NewAccess program proves this works. We look forward to assisting the PHNs in any way we can.

However, we do have some reservations about the level of support the PHNs will need to help them adjust to their rapidly increasing responsibilities. This will demand exemplary governance and having people with personal experience of mental illness and suicide at the table to ensure they understand the complexities of mental health issues in their communities.

beyondblue has long articulated the need for a single and easy entry point to the system for people with mental health conditions. Today, knowing where to start too often depends on who you know. We think using technology and a central phone line is essential. We look forward to hearing more about how the new mental health digital gateway will direct people to the help they need promptly and compassionately.

Everyone in Australia should know who to phone or where to go to get help if the need arises, just as they know what to do if they have a physical injury or illness. It should be exactly the same for mental health problems.

We also applaud the greater focus on protecting and building resilience in children. In particular, we are encouraged by the move to replace the current myriad of school mental health programs by a single initiative serving the early years through to high school to end confusion for teachers and parents.

We congratulate the Government on its new approach to suicide prevention and the commitment of additional funds to provide team-based support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are at greater risk of psychological distress and suicide than the broader Australian community. beyondblue’s Way Back Support Service trial, which supports people who are released from hospital following a suicide attempt, is proving to be very successful and we look forward to working with all tiers of government and the PHNs to see how well this would fit into a stepped care model.

Finally, we commend the Government’s commitment to addressing stigma as a barrier to people getting help.

We look forward to seeing the detail on all the recommendations and we stand ready and willing to help deliver this innovative and ground-breaking reform package.”

This media release was directly sourced from the beyondblue website here. 

Australian Red Cross is delighted to announce the appointment of Judy Slatyer as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Born and bred in Australia, Judy is an international leader with a distinguished career spanning roles in the Not For Profit, private and government sectors as well as a passion for humanitarian and environmental advocacy.

Since 2008, she has been Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) International, based in Switzerland … one of the world's largest conservation organisations, with 6,500 staff working in over 100 countries.

Her career also encompasses more than five years as CEO of Lonely Planet Publications based in Melbourne and ten years with Telstra, where her most senior role was Chief of Consumer Sales for Telstra Retail.

Australian Red Cross President Michael Legge said Judy had an outstanding track record and was ideally suited for her challenging new role.

"I am confident her diverse background of experience and perspectives will underpin her success as our CEO" said Mr Legge.

"Last year Red Cross celebrated our Centenary of service in Australia and Judy is the ideal person to lead us as we continue to respond to rapidly changing humanitarian needs in our second century of service to the Australian community and beyond" he said.

Judy will start with Red Cross on Monday 29 February 2016. In the meantime, Australian Red Cross Blood Service CEO Jennifer Williams has kindly agreed to continue in her interim, extended role as CEO of both organisations.

This media release was directly sourced from the Australian Red Cross website here.