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Embrace Powerful Women in the Workforce This International Women’s Day

Today, March 8, 2017, we celebrate International Women’s Day. This celebration started in 1909 to pay honor to the International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union strike of more than 20,000 workers fighting for fair pay and safe working conditions. Over the years, we have certainly reached many important accomplishments for women. When we acknowledge International Women’s Day, we’re paying tribute to women throughout history who have fought against a discriminatory majority. These women have set an example for their kids and have broken rules rather than break their values. Today, we celebrate mothers, writers, scientists, daughters, coders, students, activists, and sisters.

But we do more than just celebrate our female mentors and historical figures. We also acknowledge that we still have work to do. We still have rules to break and statistics to change in order to stand up for the things we value most. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a typical woman working full-time all year in the United States in 2014 earned only 79 cents for every dollar earned by the average man working full-time all year. The pay gap becomes even greater for African American women who earned only 64 cents for every dollar earned by a white non-Hispanic man and only 56 cents for every Latina woman working full-time.

While the pay gap persists, women are also persisting at a rapid pace. This is especially true in the tech industry. By 2024, the National Center for Women and Information Technology predicts that there will be 1.1 million computer-related job openings expected in the United States. With 57 percent of 2014 female bachelor’s degree recipients and 56 percent of women in 2015 taking Advanced Placement (AP) tests, women are leaning in and hungry for more.

At Search Influence, we owe much of our success to the hardworking women on our team. Our staff is comprised of 70 percent women, and 66 percent of our senior management team is female. Additionally, the company’s co-founder and Chief Operations Officer, Angie Scott, remains a passionate advocate for women in the workforce.

“I truly enjoy being a working mom and want the other women that are out there that have the same feelings to be comfortable that they can do it all. We all know that moms are serious, playful, organized, and in charge—isn’t that who you want to be in the workforce with!” said Scott.

Since the company’s start in 2006, Angie Scott, in conjunction with co-founder and husband Will Scott, has fought to create a company culture built on equality and accommodation for working parents. The company offers a private breastfeeding room in the office for new mothers and allows for flexible working schedules when parental responsibilities come up.

“Search Influence supported me 100 percent through my transition to motherhood,” said Erica Salm Rench, Production Manager at Search Influence. “I was able to balance work and family during those first critical weeks and months that I transitioned back into working life. I also nursed my baby for 14 months and visited (still visit) him regularly at his school, which is just a few blocks away.”

Unfortunately, we still have more work to do in our industry and in our home state of Louisiana. The average overall for women working in the technology industry sits at only around the 20 percent mark. Additionally, according to a recent analysis from WalletHub, Louisiana was ranked 48th for working moms, based on key metrics like accessibility and cost of child care, percentage of families in poverty, female unemployment rate, average length of workweek, and more.

Still, we persist. We look to positive trends in the workforce that show signs of a changing environment, like a 2016 survey from Thumbtack Journal of 20,557 female entrepreneurs across the country that ranks Louisiana 7th in the country for women starting their own businesses. Moreover, the study found that women in the South are optimistic about their professional opportunities. 21 percent of women surveyed in Louisiana believe that the local government does enough to support small businesses owned and operated by women.

We also look internally, at our own powerful and passionate female co-workers, like Alison Zeringue and Paula Keller Scott, accomplishing great things. From becoming a new mother to building our sales team from the ground up, the women at Search Influence and in New Orleans are accomplishing important, meaningful work.

“You have to wake up each day believing it will all happen, it will be ok, and that you can take on anything, and then, just do it,” said Scott.

So, this International Women’s Day we hope to ignite both optimism and passion in our community. We remember that the juggling act of motherhood and career is not so much about balancing as it is about embracing. Embracing the mess, embracing the obstacles, and embracing each other. Scott has learned this firsthand during her career.

“I blend my balance—work comes home, family comes to work (literally…remember, I co-own this business with my husband), and I don’t cut off either one just because my environment is changed,” added Angie. “In other words, if my kids have to hear about something I am challenged with or am updating my husband on regarding work, then so be it. I think it will make them a better business person when they grow up!”

March 8, 2017
What You Can’t Do On LinkedIn: Hacking LinkedIn and Getting Results
Hypertargeting. Automated bid management. Ad scheduling. We take for granted these social media advertising features available on platforms like Facebook. But, what do you do when these “advantages” are not available on other sites, like LinkedIn? Here at Search Influence, we decided to design some experiments to see if we could manually hack these features within the LinkedIn advertising platform.

Targeting Options

We all know how great Facebook’s targeting is with purchase behaviors and in-market audiences backed up by actual third-party data. There’s no way that LinkedIn can touch Facebook in this realm, right?

According to Business Insider, LinkedIn is gradually increasing its user base, even as other platforms like Facebook and Twitter have seen decelerating growth. What LinkedIn has to offer is the opportunity to reach one of the fastest-growing groups of business-minded professionals when they are in “work-mode,” browsing for new career opportunities, exploring professional affiliation groups, and researching industry-specific content. In fact, Buffer reports that 60% of LinkedIn users are interested in seeing industry-related content with company news as a close second. So how can you capitalize on this information-hungry audience?

LinkedIn offers the opportunity to target all levels of the professional hierarchy, from young company influencers, performing research and reporting on their findings, to higher-level corporate decision-makers looking for their next business partnership. The targeting opportunities on this platform are specifically geared towards a professional audience. With these options, you can:
- Target specific Companies by name and narrow in your Job Titles to reach the exact people you want to hear your message,
- Use specific Degrees or Skills to seek out only the users who meet your qualifications or
- Sift through Member Groups to find people with similar or desirable professional or educational affiliations.
With all of these occupation-oriented targeting options, LinkedIn offers advertisers the ability to closely align your social engagement goals with your company’s brand and mission to reach users who are demanding industry-relevant content.

Ad Scheduling

Facebook offers ad scheduling, and while it’s not as granular as other platforms, such as AdWords, which allows you to schedule your ads in 15-minute increments, it still provides a heightened level of control over when your ads are shown.

Unfortunately, LinkedIn does not afford advertisers these same features, so we took it upon ourselves to apply manual ad scheduling to see if the benefit was worth the time. Research has shown that the best time to publish content on the LinkedIn platform is Mondays through Fridays, during business hours. Makes sense, right? Target working individuals with work-related content during work hours.

Our online advertising team put this premise to the test. Many of our clients suffer from budgets that are too small to run ads for the duration of the month. When you factor in LinkedIn’s $10 daily minimum and the fact that the platform allows you to spend up to 20% more than your daily budget on any given day, and you most often will, this effectively makes the minimum daily spend $12. If we extrapolate that figure across a 31-day month, an individual campaign needs AT LEAST $372 to run. To be most effective with our clients’ monthly spends, we wanted to capitalize on the users who are most likely to engage with the content, i.e. people who are on LinkedIn during the weekdays.

We implemented a “Weekend Pausing” test for a few of our clients. This test included Sponsored Updates campaigns, and we ran our test from November of 2016 through December 2016, pausing on weekends and holidays when users are least likely to be browsing the platform with intent.

We began by establishing baseline performance for each of the clients and decided that our main metrics for measurement would be engagement and cost per engagement.

So, what did we find? One client saw a 28% decrease in cost per social action and an 18% overall decrease in spend for a 14% overall social action increase. One client spent 23% less budget and received 63% more social actions for a cost per social action that was 53% less than the baseline. However, when we looked at overall engagement, which includes clicks as well as social actions, we saw an overall engagement decrease of 13% and a 39% decrease in engagement rate, refuting the idea that LinkedIn users are most active during weekdays. An extended period of testing would be required to investigate the full impact of weekend pausing on LinkedIn engagement rates.

Bid Management

Other platforms offer automatic bidding options to get you the lowest cost per result. Facebook does this across all of its placements, including Instagram and the Audience Network, to achieve the lowest average cost per result. There are also manual bidding options on the Facebook platform for those advertisers who want a little more control.

Luckily, LinkedIn does provide some competitor bidding data so that you can make an informed decision when setting your manual bids, which is the only option available on this platform. Previously, the consensus for LinkedIn bidding best practices was to bid as high to the top of the bidding range provided by LinkedIn in the Bid & Budget tabs of the campaign manager as the client’s budget allows.

What we were curious to test was whether we could maximize clicks and decrease overall cost per click by strategically bidding down, towards the middle of the bidding range. Our online advertising team devised a test across multiple clients in various industries with different budgets. Since our goal was to maximize clicks and engagement, we chose clients with Sponsored Updates campaigns. We established baseline metrics for each of our client’s prior performance and began strategically lowering and raising our bids from the top of LinkedIn’s provided range to the bottom in predetermined increments each day.

Once our bids were set towards the lower bound of the range, clicks and impressions significantly decreased. After moving up and down the range a couple of times, we hit a “sweet spot” right around the middle of LinkedIn’s bidding range where performance was optimized. We discovered that bidding around the middle of LinkedIn’s bidding range resulted in an average click increase of 39%, an average CTR increase of 14%, and an average CPC decrease of 30%. Through the manual manipulation of our bids, we were able to generate more engagement for our clients at a lower price!

What Can You Do With LinkedIn?

While many advertisers might suggest channeling efforts from LinkedIn to Facebook, I suggest rethinking the platform’s purpose. What our experiments have revealed is that if you can devise a strategy that considers the platform’s utility as a connector of business-minded individuals, and you’re willing to put in the effort to manually optimize your campaigns for the highest level of budget efficacy, you can churn out excellent results.

If you have strategic questions about using Linkedin or need support getting started with Linkedin advertising, contact a member of our team.
March 7, 2017
Meet Angie Scott, Co-Founder & Chief Operations Officer, Search Influence

This blog is part of a series Search Influence is doing in anticipation of International Women’s Day on March 8th. We love to tout that 70% of our staff members are women and 66% of our senior management team are women, too. Far above the 20% average seen in the technology industry.

As the Chief Operations Officer and co-founder of Search Influence, Angie Scott can’t help but laugh at the idea of a typical day at the office. Each day brings a distinct set of challenges to tackle. Since the company’s founding 11 years ago, Angie has grown quite comfortable with a constantly changing schedule and to-do list.

“The thing I love about my day is that there is no such thing as a typical day,” explained Angie. “[It] could be anything from management of the company and teams in general, to negotiating with partners and vendors to overseeing Accounting and HR.” It’s not uncommon for her work days to extend into the p.m. as she works with her husband and Search Influence co-founder, Will Scott, to hash out new solutions to make the business run more efficiently.

As a working mom, it’s vital to Angie that these solutions include creating a workplace environment where employees don’t have to choose between a career and parenting. As a result, Search Influence offers added flexibility for parents when the inevitable challenges come up. From leaving early to pick up a sick kid from school to having a comfortable and private area to breastfeed for new moms, the culture at Search Influence was built around the realities of parenthood.

“I truly enjoy being a working mom and want the other women that are out there that have the same feelings to be comfortable that they can do it all. We all know that moms are serious, playful, organized, and in charge—isn’t that who you want to be in the workforce with!” said Angie.

A big part of cultivating this environment is Angie’s honest approach to the “balancing act” of juggling motherhood and business. With so many moving parts, she has learned that the best approach to reducing stress is to simply embrace the natural ebb and flow of life rather than focusing too much on the perfect balance.

“You have to wake up each day believing it will all happen, it will be ok, and that you can take on anything, and then, just do it. I blend my balance—work comes home, family comes to work (literally…remember, I co-own this business with my husband), and I don’t cut off either one just because my environment is changed,” explained Angie. “In other words, if my kids have to hear about something I am challenged with or am updating my husband on regarding work, then so be it. I think it will make them a better business person when they grow up!”

Angie credits much of her inspiration and growth to her father. Growing up, she watched him work his way up from climbing poles with the local phone company to becoming the manager at CenturyTel for the entire state of Alabama.

“My dad not only told me to work hard but also showed me what that meant from a very young age,” said Angie. “By that, I don’t mean 12-hour days, seven days a week. What I mean is that he taught me to never give up, never hold back, and to do whatever it takes to succeed—all while having a great attitude, because he held his values very close.”

These values remain a big part of Angie’s driving force, both professionally and personally. Keeping family close, she hopes to pass on these same ideals to her children. With this in mind, she always makes time for quality, uninterrupted family activities, from a bike ride outside to just hanging out at home with a board game.

She offers this same advice to any working woman: “Life brings a lot of changes, but your family doesn’t change, so look to them for help, support, mentorship, and friendship.”

March 6, 2017
Meet Paula Keller French, Director of Sales & Marketing, Search Influence

This blog is part of a series Search Influence is doing in anticipation of International Women’s Day on March 8th. We love to tout that 70% of our staff members are women and 66% of our senior management team are women, too. Far above the 20% average seen in the technology industry.

With a degree in marketing from E. J. Ourso College of Business at Louisiana State University, Paula Keller French has always been big on planning ahead. Now, as the Director of Sales & Marketing with Search Influence and moving into her seventh year with the company, she eagerly stays focused on turning her plans into reality.

“Currently, my priority is creating our sales department from the ground up, including creating processes and training, coaching our new team, and hiring new sales executives,” said Paula. “My team’s goal is to play online marketing matchmaker by identifying the right marketing solutions to match business goals to help companies in almost any industry optimize their potential, with a heavy hand in medical, legal, tourism, manufacturing, and home services.”

Paula plays a key role in this transition. With her leadership, the sales team has experienced steady, strategic growth already this year. In the midst of this major project, she also just returned from speaking at two conferences on the West Coast.

“I love telling others about the great results you can achieve for clients with online marketing,” she explained.

Amidst all of these moving parts in her career, Paula still makes time for the important life moments. Another credit to her ability to plan ahead, she also relies on supportive friends and family to keep the scales balanced.

“When we have an invite on the table, I try to always say yes, even if that means I need to jet from the office at five every once and awhile,” she said. “If I plan ahead on my work, then those days are not usually a problem. I don’t mind doing some work on a free weekend if it means I get to take advantage of midweek fun!”

For Paula, fun usually consists of cooking and cocktails or getting out for a spin class or tennis game. Of course, as a newlywed, she also enjoys spending a free afternoon with her husband, Brent, most likely sipping white wine, eating boiled shrimp, and taking in views of Lake Pontchartrain. Family and friends always stay at the top of Paula’s priority list. In fact, she attributes a lot of her motivation and influence to her two sisters, Antonia and Alison, as well as her mom.

“Most prominently, they taught me to be positive and kind towards loved ones and strangers alike,” she said. “I’ll always remember my mom baking pies for the team at the tire repair shop for Christmas 2005, when she became a way-too-regular customer as a result of all the construction debris in the streets post-K. I was amazed at how much she went out of her way to thank them!”

Paula holds her relationships with her friends nearly as close. With a best friend she’s had since she was five years old, she remains thankful for the influx of supportive women in her life both personally and professionally. In fact, those relationships have had a tremendous impact on her identity today. So what would she tell a younger version of herself looking back?

“Keep up with your friends and don’t let anything come between you. I’ve had some fantastic friends over the years that I’ve lost touch with, from neighborhood buds to schoolmates. I would tell 8-year-old Paula to hold on to them and keep pushing to maintain that relationship.”

March 1, 2017
Freelance Friday: Time Management Tips for Freelancers

This blog is part of our Freelance Friday series, where we discuss everything and anything related to freelancing. If you are a freelance writer and are looking for additional work, consider applying at Search Influence.

Freelancers often need to be jacks-of-all-trades. And with so many balls in the air, strict time management is a necessity. So, how do you get it all done without letting work overtake your life?

Here are 10 time management tips for freelancers:

Make a Schedule and Stick to It!

This may be the most obvious time management tip, and it is certainly the most important. We have talked about making schedules before and avoiding burnout—quite a lot actually. There are tons of time management tools and apps that can help you stay on schedule. Keeping a detailed, editable calendar (we like Google Calendar) is essential. But don’t discredit good old pen and paper, as analog to-do lists (such as bullet journals) are making a comeback in a big way!

Don’t Take on More Than You Can Handle

Under-estimate and over-deliver should be every freelancer’s motto. There is only so much you can do in a given day. As long as you stick to your schedule and analyze your own productivity, you should have no problem knowing exactly what you can and cannot do. Use this information to negotiate deadlines and plan your day.

Estimate Your Time Generously

This goes hand-in-hand with the previous tip, and it goes not only for negotiating deadlines with your clients but also how you schedule your day. You should know approximately how long it will take you to complete a task, so give yourself a little more time to ensure that it is done properly or provide a buffer in case something unexpected comes up. Any leftover time can be put to good use elsewhere.

Make the Most of the ‘In-Between Time’

Get out of a meeting a few minutes early, or have some time before your next phone call? Use that time to tackle small tasks on your lists, check email, or double check the rest of your schedule to make sure it is still achievable overall.

Compartmentalize

Most people procrastinate to avoid doing tough tasks. Tackling hard tasks with a full head of steam will always benefit you most. Deal with something once, and do it now. Afterward, it is off your mind and you can turn your full attention to the next (easier) task at hand. Easy tasks can start your day on a positive note or fill in times when you may feel stuck.

Gain Ground Early in the Day

They say the early bird gets the worm. Well, the early freelancer gets the work done on time. Take care of some easy tasks first. Completion (and the sense of accomplishment that comes with it) can increase your energy and establish a positive mind frame. Combined, these boosters will help set the standard for consistent forward motion on the rest of the day’s tasks.

Prioritization

Prioritization can be tricky, with lots of factors figuring in. There are hard tasks and easy ones, pending due dates and long-term projects, ones that pay more and ones that are more personally beneficial. Decide what is best for you on that day. Deadlines are typically the most important. As mentioned before, knocking out a few easy tasks first thing in the morning is always a great way to get started, but don’t fall into the trap of avoiding harder, more time-consuming tasks.

Limit Information Intake

You can never have too much information. Unfortunately, you don’t have the time to collect all of that information. After a while, a lot of research starts to yield repetitive results. So, sure, you can continue searching for that new nugget, but when you are staring down the pipe at an encroaching deadline, it may not be the best plan of action.

Same goes for daily activities. Avoid scheduling 3–4 meetings or phone calls in a row. While that may seem like an effective way to schedule things, it won’t necessarily help in the long run. After you sit back down at your desk ready to work, how well are you going to remember everything from that first meeting?

Eliminate Distractions

Everyone knows that distractions can come in many forms, especially for a freelancer–emails, social media, family members, pets, TV, your perfect comfy bed, etc. The tricky part is avoiding these dangers while working. There are a ton of apps to help you work distraction-free. But ultimately, this comes down to self-discipline. As a freelancer, you and only you are accountable for yourself. Don’t let anything distract you from that.

Don’t Overwork Yourself

Work is important, but it is not the only thing. Working late into the night or through your lunch break may be needed to hit that deadline, but it will often catch up to you in the end. If you are tired or burnt out, your work will suffer and often take longer to complete, which compounds your issues.

February 24, 2017
Meet Erica Salm Rench, Production Manager

This blog is part of a series Search Influence is doing in anticipation of International Women’s Day on March 8th. We love to tout that 70% of our staff members are women and 66% of our senior management team are women, too. Far above the 20% average seen in the technology industry.

After working in a full-time position, simultaneously earning an MBA from Tulane at night, and planning her wedding in the course of two years, it would be an understatement to say that Erica Salm Rench is a master of multitasking. Now, in her third year as the Production Manager for Search Influence and a working mom, she continues powering forward at rapid pace, both professionally and personally.

“Back then, I still felt like I had more ‘spare’ time than I do now as a working mom. Motherhood changes the game,” she explains, describing the time she gets to spend with her 2-year-old son, Ricky. “The time between picking up Ricky from school and before his bedtime is pretty sacred to me; then, I take the opportunity to catch up on work odds and ends post-Ricky’s bedtime when the need arises.”

Now pregnant with her second child, Erica can’t imagine a day leaving the house without her phone and diapers in hand. She is thankful to work in a supportive environment and that Search Influence allows her to reach her professional goals without sacrificing her commitment to family.

“Search Influence supported me 100 percent through my transition to motherhood. I was able to balance work and family during those first critical weeks and months that I transitioned back into working life. I also nursed my baby for 14 months and visited (still visit) him regularly at his school, which is just a few blocks away,” she said.

Along with supportive family, including her husband, Tyler, Erica also attributes her professional motivation to a true pioneer, Sheryl Sandberg.

“I love that [she] started such a relevant conversation about women in the workforce. She takes workforce equality a step further by encouraging women to take matters into their own hands by way of encouraging an understanding of why climbing the corporate ladder might look a little different for a woman, and empowering women to leverage the strengths of our gender,” reflected Erica.

In her role as Production Manager, Erica hopes to embody Sandberg’s message. As the department lead, she oversees more than 30 employees within the company, while also managing projects, setting production goals, and keeping the pulse on team initiatives. Every day brings a new set of challenges and engagements, which is what Erica enjoys most about her job.

With all of this on her plate, she always keeps a positive outlook, reflecting on some of the most simple yet powerful advice she’s received: “Envision what you want to achieve and where you want to be, then execute.”

When she’s not busy at work and being a mom, she still manages to sneak in the occasional downtime for hobbies, from running and spinning to painting and crafts. Remembering a time pre-pregnancy, she also can’t resist a good meal with friends and family—especially if it included sushi, wine, and soft cheeses! And of course, as a child of the ‘80s, it would all be topped off with the perfect Madonna track, “Vogue.”

February 23, 2017
Meet Alison Zeringue, Director of Account Management, Search Influence

This blog is part of a series Search Influence is doing in anticipation of International Women’s Day on March 8th. We love to tout that 70% of our staff members are women and 66% of our senior management team are women, too. Far above the 20% average seen in the technology industry.

Since her start in 2011, Alison Zeringue has played a key role within the Account Management department at Search Influence. Before her start at Search Influence, she earned her B.A. in Communication from LSU and worked at a nonprofit called Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana, a cause for which she remains a passionate advocate.

Now, as the Director of Account Management, she continues to provide vital support to her team and the growth of the company. Her days at the office start early with some peaceful preparation before she leads the department morning meetings.

“I’m typically at my most productive and creative in the mornings, so I use that uninterrupted time to work on large projects that require big picture thinking, strategic planning, etc.” she said.

Once her workday ends, she is usually dancing, baking, or crafting. She also loves spending time with friends and family, and she credits her dedication and drive to her biggest supporter—her mom.

“The person I admire most is my mom. She is an incredibly strong person who’s been through a lot in her life, but she remains the anchor, holding our family together! She had a successful career as a nurse, is the mother of five children, has demonstrated what a successful marriage looks like, and meanwhile, has been the caretaker for family members in need of care,” she said.

A new mom herself, Alison can see firsthand just how hard her mom worked. Along with her family, she is happy to have great inspiration at Search Influence, watching her co-workers master motherhood and careers.

“I anticipate it being challenging, but judging from the great examples set by my kickass coworkers who are also moms, I believe Search Influence will be supportive of my personal and professional goals—just as they are now!” said Alison.

To balance the work/life routine, while also juggling first-time pregnancy, Alison always tries to make time for some zen when she leaves the office. While she knows that the “perfect balance” isn’t always attainable, she relies on the support of family and co-workers to make it through the give and take.

“I balance work and life by fully unplugging when I can, rather than trying to stay connected 24/7,” she said. “In order to do that, you need a personal productivity method and to understand your own habits and traits, like when you are most productive, so that you can prioritize appropriately. It doesn’t always work out quite that seamlessly, of course, so I have a home office setup, which helps me to get some privacy and focus when I need to put in some extra hours from home.”

Of course, the occasional spa day always helps her unwind, too. Especially as the baby bump makes toe touches pretty much impossible, she’s eager to get one last pedicure in before the big arrival day. As she prepares for the next phase in her life, it’s the perfect time to reflect on her biggest life lessons thus far. So just what would she tell her 8-year-old-self today?

“Keep being yourself, girl! Don’t be afraid to try new things—mayo is really not all that bad and, believe it or not, someday you’ll love brussel sprouts,” Alison reflected with a laugh. “Take risks every once in awhile and get into some more trouble!”

Speaking of spa days, do you know a hardworking woman like Alison that deserves recognition? Search Influence is giving away a day at the spa to the hardest working New Orleans woman. If you know an amazing woman who either owns her own business or works 40+ hours making a difference at a New Orleans business, please click here and nominate her. A winner will be announced on March 8th, International Women’s Day.

February 22, 2017
Up Your Social Media Game With This Handy Reference Guide: The When, How, and Where of Social Posting

Another year, another seemingly endless parade of social media posts gone by. If you haven’t jumped on the social marketing bandwagon yet, 2017 is the year to begin because things are continuing to go up and up. Here are some highlights.

79% of Online Adults Use Facebook

The Pew Research Center has done a lot of work tracking the social media usage of American adults. Of all platforms, Facebook has a staggering reach among adults across demographics.

Of these Facebook users, 76% check in every day and use Facebook as a way to learn about the news, local businesses, trending topics, and more. Facebook is truly on the way to becoming all pervasive, even among adults aged 65 and older.

57% of Consumers Are Influenced by Online Information

More than half of internet users surveyed said that they are influenced to think more positively of a business after reading positive reviews or comments about the business online. This means that creating a space for customers to give reviews and interacting with these reviews has tangible benefits and can convert potential customers that are lurking in the background of your social media.

Social Media Ad Spending Has Hit $35.98 Billion – and Keeps Climbing

Businesses are learning the advantages of using social media to market to their customers and using that knowledge to their advantage. Social media advertising is becoming the new normal, and we have abundant experience creating campaigns that convert. Contact us if you are ready to get started with paid ad campaigns for your institution or business.

Sources:

http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/11/11/social-media-update-2016/

http://webbiquity.com/social-media-marketing/47-superb-social-media-marketing-stats-and-facts/

http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/11/11/social-media-update-2016/

http://coschedule.com/blog/best-times-to-post-on-social-media/

https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Social-Network-Ad-Spending-Hit-2368-Billion-Worldwide-2015/1012357#sthash.eESedQLL.dpuf

https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Facebook-Twitter-Will-Take-33-Share-of-US-Digital-Display-Market-by-2017/1012274#sthash.0WToy3rM.dpuf

February 14, 2017
Freelance Friday: 8 Tips for Boosting Productivity When Working From Home

This blog is part of our Freelance Friday series, where we discuss everything and anything related to freelancing. If you are a freelance writer and are looking for additional work, consider applying at Search Influence.

Workforce productivity is a key metric tracked by most businesses. In an office setting, you can use innumerable tools to track productivity and often have at least one manager (if not multiple) on your back making sure your numbers are high.

But what about freelancers? By design, we all know there are more distractions and temptations at home than in the office. Without the structure, supervision, and accountability of office life, freelancers are vulnerable to diversion, lulls, and even apathy. Freedom and flexibility are the great advantages of freelancing, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of productivity.

So, how can you ensure that your productivity is maximized, even while working from home? It all boils down to this: Treat freelancing as you would any other office job. You have to manage yourself and your schedule effectively.

The fact of the matter is that freelancing full-time is a real job. You may think you already know this from experience, but unless you structure your daily schedule to mirror a normal job, it never truly will be.

Freedom and flexibility are the great advantages of freelancing, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of productivity. Change your mindset–doing this will ensure maximum productivity.

Here are 8 easy tips to boost productivity when working from home.

1. Create a dedicated workspace.

Working from the couch is just a distraction waiting to happen. Create a space specifically dedicated to working in your home, preferably an office. It certainly doesn’t have to be a cubicle, but rather, a comfortable, stress-free area where you can get work done and where others know you are working so that they do not disturb you.

2. Maintain a regular sleep schedule and get started early.

Getting an adequate night’s rest is important for everyone, freelancers included. Starting early kicks off your day on the right foot and will help you get more work done. Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you should stop mid-afternoon for a power nap. Get to bed early, wake up well-rested, and stay refreshed.

3. Shower and get dressed.

Rolling out of bed in your pajamas is fine for the weekend, but not for a workday. For most, a shower helps to wake you up and getting dressed puts you in the right mindset. Getting ready for work at home should be no different than getting ready for work at an office—at least the commute is shorter.

4. Structure your day into attainable blocks.

We all like accomplishing things, especially small, work-related goals. If you structure your day into blocks dedicated to a specific task, you can move seamlessly from one to the next and still get a feeling of accomplishment after completing each step. This way you can also hold yourself accountable and monitor your progress more efficiently. Scheduling and organization are a must!

5. Take regular breaks, but limit them.

Regular breaks to stretch, clear your head, or eat lunch, can recharge you and promote better work afterward. There is a reason why companies are legally obligated to give their employees breaks. You—as a company of one—are entitled to those same mental and physical health benefits. But as both the employee and boss, you have to make sure that time is used effectively. Taking a nap or running errands for extended periods of time are not efficient breaks.

6. Avoid distractions.

Admittedly, this may be the toughest one to accomplish. Distractions are everywhere at home. From TV and social media to the dishes and laundry, there is a never-ending list of things that seem more important or fun than doing your work. This is where discipline and accountability play a major role. Unplug the TV, download an app that limits your social media usage, and know that household chores can be done at more appropriate times (but let’s be honest, you weren’t really going to do the dishes or fold the laundry, were you?).

7. Set a clear end time.

You may not officially work from 9–5, but quitting time is important nonetheless. When working from home, it is easy for your work life and personal to blend, but having a firm start and end time will go a long way in preventing this. Knowing that you are stopping at a certain time, will encourage you to get the work completed in time so that you are not forced to work “overtime” (without the time and half pay). Making plans after work is a great way to make sure you stick to this.

8. Communicate expectations with anyone who will be home with you.

Though freelancers may typically work alone, that doesn’t mean they live alone. Whether it is a roommate or a family member, make sure they are aware that you are working and should not be disturbed. Ultimately, it is on you to ensure that others respect your work schedule. To do this, you have to respect it first. Set aside your personal life when working from home and maintain your productivity.

January 27, 2017
Want to Grow Your Medical Practice? Here’s 4 Ways Facebook Ads Can Help

The world is filled with many ways to advertise a product or service. Simply hoping that your message makes its way to the perfect target audience certainly isn’t the best practice to ensure that your medical advertising efforts are a success. For medical professionals, it may be particularly tricky to target those individuals in your practice’s geographic reach, specialty area, or even other physicians looking to refer their patients to another trusted healthcare provider. Though it can seem nearly impossible to reach the perfect audience through traditional mediums like television or radio, Facebook is continuing to provide proven results for advertisers in the medical realm. A rich and unique resource of user personal interests and behaviors, Facebook is truly a health care advertiser’s dream!

Whether you’re a specialist or a general family doctor, Facebook has the right tools to not only narrow down your ideal patient but also present your service in a way that truly connects these individuals with the personalized healthcare you can provide them.

Here are 4 ways to use Facebook ads to your advantage:

1. Use Facebook Display Ads to portray real people and satisfied patients in your ads.

Facebook Display Ads can be the perfect way to send your audience to important areas of your website using striking images and creative calls to action. When using these types of ads, appealing to more potential patients is key. Using photos of real people and happy patients not only shows the success of your practice but makes ads more relatable to the audience. Finally, Facebook allows you to utilize their call-to-action buttons to tell users exactly what you want them to do when they see your ad. Consider using “Contact Us” or “Learn More” to drive potential patients to convert to actual patients!

2. Use Facebook’s ‘Detailed Targeting’ to your benefit.

Facebook comes equipped with a number of targeting options that can be extremely helpful in identifying individuals that fit your target demographic. Everyone needs to see a doctor at some point, right? How about targeting people who have recently moved into your geographic area who might be looking for a new physician? You could also try targeting women who have recently become pregnant or seniors who might make more regular trips to the doctor.

3. Referrals are your friend.

Targeting other healthcare practitioners might not seem like the most effective idea at first, but using Facebook’s ‘Detailed Targeting’ to show your ads to other physicians or important referral sources always helps to keep your name at the tip of their tongue when talking to their staff and patients. Likewise, we all know that people seek advice on health care providers from their friends and family. It might be beneficial to target the connections of people who currently follow or Like your page. These tactics can only help drive more business!

4. Don’t forget about HIPAA!

It is always important to remember to follow HIPAA rules and regulations. When writing Facebook ad copy, never imply that you have knowledge about a sensitive health condition. Also, never collect or share personal information such as phone numbers or addresses. There are many successful ways to use Facebook ads to grow your practice that still align with HIPAA’s guidelines.

January 26, 2017