Week # 13B: FaceBook Ad

As I mentioned in my previous post about Facebook Ads, I'm still questioning about it BUT unfortunately that I have no other choice to just do everything I can to promote my business.  Then Facebook Ads would be the best choice to promote through social media platforms since I'm familiar with it.

There are 3 formats to do Facebook ads depending on which areas the ads will show on the feed.
1. Right column (on the side of the feed): this one is the cheapest one but seems like a real commercial ad that might not get much attention from the audience.
2. Desktop News Feed: this would be something that I consider to use and together with the mobile news feed as well.
3. Mobile News Feed

If I'm going to pay for the ads on Facebook, I will definitely have to use "visual" ads to draw attention from the audiences. At the beginning stage (the first couple months), it would be something fun but not a hard sales ads since I want to just introduce about Gin Arai and let them know what we're doing.  The ads have to make us different from other meal-kit delivery companies out there. 

Talking about the target group, I probably start to promote locally first in order to learn the system and make sure everything runs smoothly.  Due to a tight budget, it would be a trial period for us to study how the ads run and what we gain customers from using Facebook ads.  After a while and hopefully having some money, we will expand more to target the whole California and at this point, we will go crazy to promote our business to the real customers.

I can't wait to see how the ads would help us grow our business!

Week # 13A: Social Media Advertising

I've been seeing some social advertising from Blue Apron, Plated, Sun Basket, and Marley's Spoon.  Since they are big players in the meal-kit delivery service industry, they have planned out their ads professionally and very attractively to reach audiences.  

Their ads have either images or a short video to draw attentions.  I think the most effective way to reach the audience is using videos since people have many choices and posts to read on their feeds.  Videos would get them to stop and watch even a couple seconds, it's already good enough. 

Moreover, they also have a clear call to action, for example, "Sign Up Now", "Buy Now and Save 20%", or "Get Your First Box...Free!" button.

Comparing with traditional ads, social media ads have been questioning whether they are really working the ways they're supposed to.  When it comes to make a decision if I have to buy social ads to promote my business, I have to ask myself this question over and over again.  I know it's hard to boost my business if I only rely on increasing "organic" reaches.  Whether "paid" ads work or not, I don't think I have many choices to do except only jumping on the same wagon as others do to promote their business with "paid" social media ads.  

Week # 12B : Project research activity options

  

As we know that Google+ is important to increase SEO for the business, however, I'm not sure how I can use Google+ to endorse or even introduce my business to any groups in Google+.  I personally don't use Google+ at all and I'm too worried about time limitation I have to manage all social media platforms.  I would rather keep them only main social media that I use them for sure as effective and productive tools.

Most of the companies use Groupon to drive more traffic to their businesses but there are many downsides, for example, only one-time buyers, too many customers all at one time, and low margin at the end.

Week # 12A : Other Social Media Tools

For all four additional online marketing tools, I believe that using Google+, Yelp, and Google Maps would help me grow my business.  Google + and Google Maps are great tools since it would help my SEO.    

However, with a time constraint, I'm afraid that I won't be able to update or keep track every social media that I have.  At the beginning stage, I would rather focus only 5 main social media platforms which are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.   

Week # 11B : Blogs commented on

Blogs commented on:

- Tiffany Frutiger

- Abdul Saltani

- Joshua Pheneger

Week # 11A : Email Newsletters

Since Gin Arai is a brand new business, I would plan how to use newsletters by using a timeline as a phase of a business cycle to help us organize and plan what content we will send out to clients.  Luckily, I have been teaching Thai cooking classes around San Diego area for 7 years so I have a list of email contact information of my students who took classes with me.  Therefore, I will have them as a group of existing customers who know me well in person.  The followings are the contents and timelines on what I plan to use newsletters effectively:

At the beginning, I will use email as a relationship building tool.  Since I already have a great relationship with these existing clients, the content will be an introduction email about Gin Arai, let them know why I start this business and how they will get a benefit from Gin Arai.  Moreover, I will encourage them to connect with all Gin Arai's social media platforms. 

After a while, the content would be drive sales tools that promote products, promotion, or a special sale by having a call to action on the email.

For other information, we may send out the content to update our weekly menu, food pictures, or other video links as well.

I will start signing up for my competitors' newsletters to learn what they do to see what I like and don't like about and what topics or contents they send out their newsletters.  This way definitely will help me understand more how e-newsletters work and make a decision later on how often I should send it out.