Zachary Walker Zachary Walker

Best Tools for Creating and Managing Social Media Content

Are you looking for ways to create and manage your social media content more efficiently? If so, you've come to the right place. In this blog post, I will share some of the best tools for creating and managing social media content.

Whether you're looking for a tool to help you create engaging content or a tool to help you better manage your social media accounts, I've got you covered. I'll share tools like Hubspot and Sprout Social, which are great for creating and managing social media content, and I'll also share some other great social media tools that will make your life easier. So, without further ado, here are some of the best tools for creating and managing social media content.

Tools For Creating Social Media Content

Creating social media content can be a time-consuming and arduous task. However, some great tools out there that can make the process much easier for you or your team. For example, social media management tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and HubSpot make posting content across multiple platforms easy. Additionally, these tools help to ensure that content is high quality and engaging. Your followers will see your latest blog post and any new videos or tweets you create.

If you're looking for a tool designed for creating social media content, I recommend using BuzzSumo. This tool provides an overview of the most popular pieces of content across all different types of social media platforms. It's an invaluable resource for understanding what's working well on social media, and how you can improve upon it.

There are some other great tools available that can help you publish and evaluate social media content. For example, Hootsuite allows you to schedule posts in advance and track their performance using analytics. This information can be used to improve your content strategy over time. Additionally, some specific tools like CoSchedule allow you to automate the posting of new content across all your channels. You don't have to spend time editing each post individually.

Overall, various tools exist for creating social media content. It's important to choose the right one for your needs, and research which ones are best suited for your organization's specific needs.

Other Tools Every Marketer Needs To Explore

Social media tools can be beneficial when it comes to marketing, and they can help you save time and money and create and manage your content more effectively. Here are seven of the best social media tools that every marketer should have:

1. Hootsuite

2. Buffer

3. Sprout Social

4. Canva

5. BuzzSumo

6. Charlie.ai 

Can't Miss Social Media Management Tools

Social media is essential for businesses of all sizes. Social media can help you build your brand, find new customers, and drive sales in today's digital world. There are many social media management tools out there, but which ones are the best?

In this section, I’ll share 5 of the best social media management tools any business should explore using. These tools will help you save time and money, while helping grow your social media following. So whether you're just starting out on social media or you're looking to scale up your efforts, these tools are a must-have!

1. Hootsuite 

Hootsuite is one of the most popular social media management tools out there. It offers users a suite of features that makes managing and growing your social media account easy. This includes tools for scheduling posts, real-time monitoring of your accounts, analyzing your performance, and more. Plus, it has a great reporting feature that lets you see which posts get the most engagement and why.

A preview of the Hootsuite dashboard.

2. Buffer 

Buffer is another great tool for social media management. It allows users to easily schedule posts, share content on multiple platforms at once, track analytics, and more. Plus, it has a great community feature that helps you connect with other bloggers and influencers who can help promote your content.

Buffer’s publishing dashboard, giving you better control over your content publishing efforts.

3. Charlie.Ai

Charlie.Ai is a new tool I've discovered and absolutely love! Charlie is an AI-powered tool that can be utilized for social media content, image generation, long-form content, and repurposing existing content. Charlie has been trained across many use cases. Anyone can use GoCharlie, from content creators, social media professionals, students, and copywriters. We believe GoCharlie is especially helpful to social media marketers, blog writers, and digital marketing agencies. 

If you're interested in making your content creation needs easier, definitely check out Charlie.Ai. For a limited time, you can pay a one-time price for Lifetime Access to Charlie as a reward for being an early user. I'll be writing more about Charlie in some upcoming blog content.  

GoCharlie enables content creators to create engaging Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn ads and captions with ease.

4. Sprout Social

Sprout Social is perfect for businesses looking to grow their following on social media quickly. It offers users drag-and-drop templates for creating compelling content, powerful analytics that show how people are interacting with your posts, built-in advertising capabilities, and more. Plus, its customer support is top-notch, so you can always get help when needed!

Sprout Social is social media software that enables brands to leverage the power of social to grow their business.

5. HubSpot

HubSpot is an all-in-one marketing and sales package designed to help businesses drive web traffic to their site more efficiently, help grow the marketing funnel, and eventually turn leads into sales. HubSpot has tools to help with SEO, social media, landing pages, marketing automation, blogging, and web analytics.

HubSpot is a CRM platform that’s both powerful and easy to use. Marketers can create impactful customer experiences.

To Summarize

Many great tools are available for businesses to create and manage their social media content. It's important to choose the right tool for your needs and research which ones are best suited for your organization's specific goals. Using the right tools can save time and money while ensuring that your content is of the highest quality.

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Zachary Walker Zachary Walker

How to Use Facebook Advertising to Grow Your Business

Are you looking for tips on how to create successful Facebook Ads? If so, you've come to the right place. In this blog post, I will share some of our top tips for creating successful Facebook Ads. By following these tips, you'll be well on generating more leads and sales from your Facebook Ads campaigns. So, without further ado, let's get started.

Facebook Advertising Tips For Success

It's important to have a clear goal for each Facebook ad you create to ensure that the ads are successful. For example, if your goal is to generate leads, then make sure that your ad includes a call to action such as "Click Here To Learn More." Too many ads with no specific goal can make people overwhelmed and not take action. Lean into Facebook's best practices and ad guides

Having more than one call to action can also cause your audience to become overwhelmed and not take any action. Try to keep your ads simple and focused so that people can easily understand what you're asking them to do. Additionally, try using different formats, styles, and themes to get the most engagement from your audience. This will help you stand out from the competition and increase the chances of generating leads or sales through your Facebook Ads.

Facebook ads can be very effective when done correctly, but they can also be challenging to manage if you don't have the right tools at your disposal. For example, if you have enough assets to run a carousel ad to better showcase how a product fits into a consumer's daily life, go for it. But don't feel you need to have that many assets to run an effective ad. Luckily, there are many free resources available that will help you optimize your campaigns and get the most out of your spending on Facebook Ads.

A tool worth evaluating is HubSpot's Facebook advertising checklist below to ensure you're following best practices for success on Facebook.

HubSpot's free Facebook advertising checklist is one of the best resources for optimizing Facebook ads. This checklist includes essential tips for designing successful ads, measuring results, and improving campaigns over time. By following these guidelines, you'll ensure that your ad campaigns are aimed at generating leads and sales instead of wasting money on ineffective efforts.

Facebook Ad Library: Understand How Your Competitors Advertise

If you want to improve your Facebook advertising efforts, look at Facebook's Ad Library for inspiration. The library contains a wide variety of resources, including templates and tools that will help you better understand your competition.

It's important to study your competition closely. This includes paying attention to things like their ad formats, copy, images, and videos, and how long they've been running ads. However, don't make too many edits to your campaigns. You won't be able to see how their campaigns are performing, and at the end of the day, what works for their brand, may not work for yours. 

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog! I hope you found these tips on creating successful Facebook Ads useful. By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to generating more leads and sales from your Facebook Ads campaigns.

What are some other tips you have for creating successful Facebook Ads? Let me and other readers know in the comments below! Want more social media and influencer news? Then be sure to visit my blog for more of my writing.

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Zachary Walker Zachary Walker

Digital Marketing News You Can Use In October

Let’s get right into the social media and influencer news you can use to start your weekend. We’re discussing some interesting blogging stats that will help your marketing efforts, why Reels continue to move the needle for brands, and how you can leverage Instagram Polls to foster engagement.

Looking for more social media and influencer marketing news worth using? You can read more of my latest social media updates and more deep dives on specific topics on my blog if you’re new to my website.

Blogging Stats Worth Your Time

If you’re a digital marketer, you’re likely not surprised that blogging and other long-form content is expanding in popularity and usefulness. Eighty percent of bloggers said that blogging produces outcomes in a recent survey. But what are some effective blogging techniques that you can use?

The type of blog post you're creating matters a lot. When thinking about the blogging content that drives the most value, includes “how-to” articles, lists, and eBooks. Gated content like a guide or eBook, that requires readers to provide an email address, is a great strategy to build out your marketing funnel.

I’ve talked about influencers plenty on my website and during my talks, but influencer partnerships are not just for social media. Collaborating with subject matter experts (SME) or influencers is a terrific strategy to boost the number of people who read your blog.

Whether you're conducting a one-on-one interview or presenting a panel of SMEs, integrating a variety of talking points from your influencer/s will increase its readership.

Click here for more tips for blog writing

Data Says It Pays To Publish Reels 

It's no secret that videos are the most popular type of social media content, and brands are looking for ways to include Reels in their content strategies. According to Emplifi data, nearly half of the businesses on Instagram published at least one Reel in Q2 2022, up from 30% in Q2 2021. So why is it crucial for marketers to keep developing their social media strategy to include video-focused content using tools like Reels?

According to Emplifi data, for Q2 2022 alone, the median engagement rate on Reels was nearly 40% greater than on typical videos. Reels are far more shareable than typical feed posts, and the Instagram algorithm still prefers this type of content over others.

As Reels continue to be the most engaged post format on Instagram as we end 2022, find ways to make them part of your overall content strategy. To read more about how it pays to post Reels, click here.

How To Leverage Instagram Polls To Drive Engagement

On Instagram, we strive to have our clients create "engagement first" content. And brands can do that by utilizing unique features like Boomerangs on Stories, as a great way to foster engagement. 

Another unique feature to interact with our client's audience on Instagram is to leverage Poll Stickers within Stories. On Later's blog, they highlight five ways brands can do that. Some of my favorite tactics include:  

  • Promote a Blog Post, Article, or Guide 

    • Have our clients previously published a blog post? Using the Instagram Poll sticker, brands can make a fun quiz about the subject. After highlighting parts of the blog, we can then utilize a Link sticker to drive traffic to our client's website. Not only is this a clever tactic to increase traffic to our client's website, but it's also a unique way to introduce bite-sized information to our client's audience. 

  • Gather Feedback from Your Community 

    • A fun and informal method to find out what our client's audience wants is through Instagram polls, where we can then ask our followers for their input by doing everything from gathering opinions on a potential partnership, new products, or even campaign ideation.  Brands can give their audience a sense of control and let them decide what their favorite brands should publish next. 

If you’re looking for more social media and influencer news, visit my blog. Until next time!

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Zachary Walker Zachary Walker

How To Leverage Social Media For Your Business

As a social media marketer, staying up-to-date on the latest marketing trends is important. And one of the biggest trends right now is social media influencers. An influencer is somebody with a large social media following who can influence their followers' buying decisions.

You're missing out if you're not using influencers to market your business on Instagram. This blog post will show you how to turn your Instagram following into profit. I'll give tips on using Instagram to market your business, create engaging content, and explain why authenticity is so important. By the end of this post, you'll be ready to start using Instagram to make money for your business.

Instagram insights dashboard.

The Rise Of Social Media Influencers

The rise of social media influencers has dramatically impacted the advertising landscape. Social media platforms have allowed for the creation of content that is more authentic and engaging than ever before. This has led to an increased demand for social media influencers, who can create content that stands out from the pack.

There are several different types of content that social media influencers can create. They can write about products, they can post videos, or can make blog posts. The most important thing for social media influencers is to be authentic and engage with their followers. By doing this, they can build trust and credibility with their audience.

The demand for social media influencers will only increase in the future. They can create more authentic and engaging content than most brands can, which leads to increased demand for their services. Social media platforms are also constantly changing, so there is always new content that can be created. The most important thing for social media influencers is to be genuine and engage with their followers. By doing this, they can build trust and credibility with their audience.

How To Use Instagram To Market Your Business

With over 500 million active users, Instagram is a powerful marketing platform that can be used to promote businesses of all sizes. In this section, I will outline tips on using Instagram to market your business.

First and foremost, it is important to understand that the majority of Instagram users are female. This means that you should focus your marketing efforts on targeting this demographic. Additionally, Instagram users are mostly between the ages of 18 and 29. This is a young age range with a high potential for buying habits and brand loyalty. Additionally, there is a higher percentage of urban dwellers on Instagram than rural dwellers. This suggests that businesses targeting an urban audience should invest more time and resources in marketing on this platform.

Lastly, one of the most significant benefits of using Instagram for marketing is its visual nature. On Instagram, content performs well when highlighting an individual or brand's 'best of' moments. Instagram as a platform is an excellent medium for thumb-stopping creative, while relying less on hard-hitting product messaging, otherwise known as Reasons to Buy or RTBs. Images are easily shared and can be embedded into other websites or blogs without needing any additional coding or formatting skills. If you have good photography skills, using Instagram as your primary marketing channel may be a better option than other platforms, such as Facebook or Twitter.

How To Create Engaging Content For Instagram

When it comes to content on Instagram, video is king or queen. Consumers are three times more likely to engage with video content than any other type of content. Plus, live video is the most engaging form of content on Instagram – meaning that viewers are much more likely to stay engaged with your account and even share your videos.

To make the most of this opportunity, use Instagram Stories to give your audience a behind-the-scenes look at your business. This way, they can see what goes into making your products or services. Additionally, use influencers to help promote your brand on Instagram. They have a large following and will be able to reach a wider audience than you could alone.

To create engaging content for Instagram, think about what your audience wants. If you focus on video content, ensure your videos are engaging and well-made. Live video is a great way to keep your audience engaged by giving them a behind-the-scenes look at what you're doing. Also, use influencers to promote your brand on Instagram. They have a large following and will be able to reach a wider audience than you could alone.

The Power Of Visual Storytelling On Instagram

According to a study by the Content Marketing Institute, consumers are bombarded with an average of 5,000 marketing messages a day. Of those 5,000 messages, only 10% are read. The power of visual storytelling can capture someone's attention and interest in just a few seconds. Instagram is the perfect platform for visual storytelling because it's incredibly visual.

To be successful on Instagram, you need to produce high-quality, compelling content that tells a story. This doesn't mean you have to use traditional photography or video; you can also use graphic design and illustrations to tell your story. Additionally, it would help if you thought about how your visuals will engage and inspire your followers. For example, do you have images that illustrate your key points? Or do you use visuals that help interestingly tell your story?

Visual storytelling is an essential aspect of Instagram marketing, and it can be very successful if you use it correctly. To start, try to produce high-quality content that tells a story. This doesn't mean you have to use traditional photography or video; you can also use graphic design and illustrations to tell your story. Additionally, think about how your visuals will engage and inspire your followers. For example, do you have images that illustrate your key points? Or do you use visuals that help tell your story in an interesting way?

The Importance Of Authenticity On Social Media

The importance of authenticity on social media cannot be overstated. Consumers are more likely to engage with content that is genuine and relatable. This is why genuine influencers who share their authentic experiences are so successful. They can build a following of engaged individuals interested in what they have to say.

Marketing campaigns that feel like real life resonate with consumers much more than those that feel contrived or inauthentic. For example, suppose a brand releases an ad campaign for their product that features people doing everyday activities. In that case, this will feel more authentic than if the brand released an ad campaign featuring actors or celebrities. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok have built followings by featuring raw, personal, and unfiltered content. This type of content is very engaging for consumers because it feels like it's from someone they know and trust.

As social media platforms become increasingly popular, brands need to consider the importance of authenticity when creating content. By being genuine and sharing personal experiences, influencers can build a following of engaged individuals interested in what they have to say. This type of engagement is crucial for marketing campaigns as it feels more authentic than contrived or artificial content.

While social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok have built followings by featuring raw, personal, and unfiltered content, other platforms like Twitter can be just as successful with curated content. Brands should think about how their audience prefers to receive information before deciding which type of content to produce. Overall, authenticity is one of the most important factors when creating engaging social media content.

Why TikTok Continues To Grow

TikTok is a mobile app that has quickly become one of the most popular and widely used apps on the planet. It is estimated that TikTok has over 200 million active users, with an additional 500 million people using it at least once a month. This growth can be attributed to several factors, including its potential reaching ability and user-friendly design.

TikTok is unique because it allows users to create short videos typically composed of three to five minutes in length. These videos are then shared via social media, or sent as direct messages (DM) to other users. As a result, TikTok has the potential to reach a much wider audience than traditional mobile apps.

One of the ways you can use TikTok for marketing purposes is by creating content specifically designed for this app. For example, you could create video ads or promotional content featuring your product or service. Additionally, you can use TikTok to market your business directly to consumers. For example, you could create sponsored stories featuring your brand or products, or make regular appearances on popular TikTok channels and communities.

Ultimately, what makes TikTok so successful is its simplicity and appeal – it's easy for anyone to use and share their videos with friends and family members!

To Wrap Things Up

Whether you're a social media marketer or a small business owner, staying up-to-date on the latest marketing trends is important. And one of the biggest trends right now is social media influencers. An influencer is somebody with a large social media following who can influence their followers' buying decisions. You're missing out if you're not using influencers to market your business on Instagram. 

This blog post showed you how to turn your Instagram following into profit by using TikTok, creating engaging content, and being authentic. These tips will help you get started using Instagram to make money for your business. So what are you waiting for?

Until next time! If you’re looking for more social media and influencer news, visit my blog.

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Zachary Walker Zachary Walker

5 Things To Consider For An Effective Social Media Content Strategy

Whether you're savvy with social media or just know the basics, I always like to say that Social Media is a blend of art and science. Requiring not only the ability to understand "how" well a piece of content performs but also "why" it performed the way it did.

And as social media best practices continue to evolve and user behavior on these platforms shifts, brands are constantly looking to establish themselves in the social media space.

Often, the companies behind these social media platforms define what successful content is. It feels like dozens of changes have happened to the most popular social media platforms this year alone. Companies like Meta are deciding what content to feature in-feed, like recently prioritizing Reels to keep up with TikTok's overall growth.

Brands must commit to putting their audience first on social media. To do that, embrace the unique functionalities on each social media platform, understand how your audiences use those platforms, and what place your organization has in the lives of that audience.

Organizations must become uncomfortable and shift their focus away from what is best for them and toward what is best for their audiences. These actions are noticeable, welcomed, and memorable to users on social media. So much so that if it resonates with your audience, THEY are personally invested in sharing, discussing, and acting on your content. And now you have something of value, an engaged audience.

  • Find Your Niche And Lean Into It

An effective content strategy is to find and hone in on a niche. For instance, only pictures of cheesy foods like Grilled cheese, gooey Pizza, and mozzarella sticks heart desires, posted on Instagram. Folks that follow channels like that fit neatly into a particular niche, cheese pull-related videos. 

Most content creators and brands have trouble understanding this concept. If you're posting branded content one day, meme content the next day, and a screenshot of a relevant news article another day, your content strategy lacks coherence and inconsistency.

For two reasons, you must regularly create and post content that leans into that niche:

  1. Because content on social media is searched by category when not in-feed, and 

  2. Because posting consistently helps your brand or profile get identified by the algorithm as having an affinity towards that niche. 

Developing your content niche requires the discipline to identify what content works best for your brand or organization and to work within these constraints.

  • Leverage Another’s Audience to Help Grow Yours 

Trying to reinvent the wheel wastes precious time, no matter how many tips, tricks, or methods you may have come across online. So when it comes to audience building, find ways to leverage someone else's audience.

That could entail joining a podcast as a guest or panelist, doing an Instagram Live session, or writing a guest article on someone else's blog or website. Ideally, someone who has already developed a sizable fanbase. On social media, you can also tactically leverage the same hashtags your favorite brands and influencers use to show up next to their content authentically. 

Too many people spend unnecessary hours tweaking their content because they feel it is lacking. However, don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Brands with nearly unlimited marketing budgets can't create perfect content, so don't put that unfair expectation on yourself. 

The goal is that over time, these individuals you've been interacting with over time recommend your content to their audience. They are essentially putting you in directly front of their followers.

  • Start Viewing Content Creation as a Skill, Not an Art

Don't get me wrong; content is art. And it creating engaging content typically involves putting together a well-thought-out story rather than coming up with an original one. Although content requires artistic skill, I truly believe social media is a beautiful blend of art and science. And content is often a success as the result of hard work, actual knowledge of the brand, and the skills to create engaging social media content. You are in for a painful letdown if your goal is to use social media content creation as a vehicle for artistic or creative expression.

But what I think is essential is understanding that content creation is a skill that needs to be consistently used to stay sharp. Having an artistic eye is important, but I know some creative people who can't turn that into content. 

In other words, producing content efficiently is to devise a system that works for you and stick to it. Good content creators can recognize the various aspects of content creation, whether at an agency or for a brand. But more importantly, they are adept at putting those aspects together consistently for their monthly content needs. 

  • You May Not Truly Know Your Audience

It is logical. We all think we know our audience and what makes them tick. We're in the metaphorical trenches, day in and day out, often hearing directly from the people we're looking to reach. But where we usually get tripped up is the breadth of knowledge we think we have on our audiences.

When thinking of content creation, your typical audience looks to you for the same kind of material that initially attracted them to follow you. But as you explore new types of content formats or buckets, stay humble. Here's a good example, you may create a piece of content that speaks to a specific cultural moment or meme format that reaches more users than you typically do. Any followers from that particular post may explicitly be looking for more of that meme-style content. 

You must fight against the impulse to double down on fads or other content formats that aren't sustainable (I'm looking at you, TikTok). Instead, build on what is effective and continue producing content that has proven to move the needle for your team or business. 

Once more, creating content is labor-intensive, not a blank page for your ideas.

  • Take The Long View.

Remember, it's essential to set reasonable expectations and know that social media and content marketing is a long game. You're not going to put one post out there and instantly achieve your marketing goals. Like any good relationship, it's all about communication over time. Success should be measured in years, not months. If you're not new to social media or content marketing, continue to refine your skills and take a learner's mindset.

The majority of content creators (myself include) consistently publish content. Not only to refine our skills, but to grow our audiences. 

Brands must become uncomfortable and shift their focus away from what is best for them and toward what is best for their audiences. These actions are noticeable, welcomed, and memorable to users on social media. So much so that if it resonates with your audience, THEY are personally invested in sharing, discussing, and acting on your content. And now you have something of value, an engaged audience. 

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Zachary Walker Zachary Walker

Social Media News Worth Knowing in October

Let’s get right into the social media and influencer news you can use to start your weekend. We’re covering TikTok's positioning itself to take on Amazon, Snapchat’s unique audience compared to other social platforms, and strategies you can implement to increase engagement.

Want more social media news worth using? You can read more of my latest social media updates and more deep dives on specific topics on my blog if you’re new to my website.

TikTok is Copying…Amazon?

We've talked about TikTok in previous blog posts, often focusing on how companies like Meta, Google, and Spotify try to incorporate replicas of the app's distinctive features into their platforms. But now, we're seeing TikTok looking to take on Amazon.

As they move forward, TikTok is turning the trend on its head and establishing the foundation to compete with each of those companies. Here's how:  

  • Search: Young generations use TikTok, not Google, to find restaurants or recommendations. And TikTok is already enhancing its search functionality to match that need.

  • Music: According to 63% of TikTok users, the app is the first place they go to get new music. TikTok is now discussing with record companies to quickly grow its music platform, Resso, internationally.

  • Commerce: This Axios article reported earlier this week that TikTok is establishing product fulfillment facilities for eCommerce and has Amazon in its sights.

 Snapchat's Unique Audience

When businesses create paid advertising campaigns or even manage organic social media accounts, Snapchat may appear to be an overlooked channel. Even though the platform is frequently ignored, Snapchat has a power that no other social media platform can match, thanks to its distinctive audience.

When examining Snapchat users between the ages of 16 and 24, Forbes and GWI found that:

  • 70% of users do not use Twitter every day. 

  • 63% do not use Facebook every day. 

  • 42% of daily users do not use TikTok every day. 

To target a younger audience, brands should evaluate if Snapchat is a better fit for their campaign than other youth-oriented social media platforms like TikTok.

Tips to Increase Social Engagement

Nowadays, everything in the digital world revolves around engagement, and it is more crucial than ever to monitor if and how users engage with your content. Fortunately, here are 10 strategies for encouraging engagement with your digital and social media content.

One of the best methods to increase interaction is by incorporating question boxes into your posts or stories. Mainly, if it is a subject that people are passionate about. Alternatively, you can invite questions from your audience to gauge their level of interest.

Giving away free stuff and promoting engagement with free stuff is another fantastic strategy. Who doesn't enjoy free things, after all? A giveaway is an excellent approach to highlight a company and market its goods. The user typically needs to like, follow, and comment on the post to enter a prize. By taking these actions, you can boost engagement and expose your work to a larger audience.

The importance of engagement levels will only increase as the digital world develops.

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