Have an Egg-cellent April & a Happy Easter!

With Easter comes the school holidays in Victoria this year so egg-citing times in our house for the two weeks ahead. The Easter break is a great way to kick off the April and the school holidays so I hope each of you get some time to enjoy a little bit of down time and some time out from the daily hustle! If you work for yourself then I hope you can schedule in a break, at least over Easter, and recharge the batteries! Schedule posts where you can and plan your content ahead of time, as it will free you up to enjoy some down time.....it's been a busy start to the year!!

Following is the full list of significant dates for April. To cover a good range of topics, I have also attempted to include some International Dates that might align with businesses. Please use this list where you can to assist with SM content and utilise trending hashtags!


30 March - 2 April        Easter
31 March - 9 April        National Youth Week
1-10 April                    NSW Seniors Week
1-30 April                    Supermarket Free Month - SUPPORT LOCAL
1 April                         Daylight Savings Time ENDS - NSW, ACT, SA, VIC & Tasmania
1 April                         April Fools Day
1 April                         National Smile Day
2 April                         Easter Monday
2 April                         World Autism Awareness Day
2 April                         International Children’s Book Day
3 April                         Easter Tuesday (Tasmania)
4 - 15 April                  Commonwealth Games - Gold Coast, QLD
4 April                         World Stray Animals Day
7 April                         World Health Day
8 April                         Orthodox Easter
10 April                       World Homeopathy Day
10 April                       National Siblings Day
11 April                       World Parkinsons' Day
11 - 22 April                Nature Play Week
12 April                       International Day of Human Flight
14 April                       Garden Releaf Day
14 April                       Baisakhi-Sikh Festival
15 April                       MS Melbourne Cycle
15 April                       Youth Homelessness Matters Day
18 April                       World Heritage Day
22 April                       Earth Day
22 April - 28 April        World Allergy Week
23 April                       World Book Day
24 April - 30 April        World Immunisation Week
25 April                       ANZAC Day
25 April                       International Guide Dog Day
25 April                       World Penguin Day
28 April                       Pay It Forward Day
28 April                       World Day for Safety & Health at Work
29 April                       International Dance Day
30 April                       International Jazz Day

I hope everyone has an amazing month and that this list really encourages you to update your Social Media accounts daily or at the least every second day!  Regular posting is key to improving reach and growth, and don't forget that current and relevant posts are the perfect way to leverage and maximise hashtags and content.

If there are any dates that I have forgotten to include then please let me know in the comments below and I will update the list ASAP.

Don't forget to Be Social - Share, Support and Connect!!
Amanda x

VERO - TRUE SOCIAL

Want to know more about this very new Social Media App? The one that aims to be ad-free and algorithm-averse? The first million users on the platform will be able to use Vero for free, for life so if you'd like to know what all the fuss is about and get up to speed then the guys at lifehacker.com.au have done the research already and you can find their article HERE. Let us know your thoughts and if you chose to download!

Social Media Tips, Dates and Planning for December

I had every intention of adding the December list before December 1 - my apologies that I didn't quite get there! Obviously with Christmas ahead of us, December is a quieter month in terms of special events, National and International dates and events as well as awareness campaigns. Probably not a bad thing given how busy everyone is in the lead up to Christmas.

With only a handful of dates listed, some of which may not be relevant to you, your content may be more limited but with the holiday period ahead, I would suggest that you make a point of:
- including your holiday hours in upcoming posts
- advertise and highlight with a follow up reminder, any days which you are CLOSED
- providing advanced notice of any upcoming SALES
- setting up an auto reply on your email and Facebook Messenger in case you're planning a few days of time out.
- Planning a break (even a short one) over the Christmas/New Year period so that you can recharge ahead of fantastic 2018!
- Ensuring that your Social Media accounts are active (try to schedule posts where possible or outsource this work) and engaging and that interactions are being responded to where necessary. Social Media is even busier over the Christmas/New Year period when people are on holidays and have time on their hands to scroll, comment, like and interact so make sure you interact with them!

1 - 31 December - Dinesmart
1 - 31 December - Road Ribbon for Road Safety
1 - 31 December - Decembeard
1 - 31 December - No Gender December
1- 10 December - Say No to Violence
5 December - International Volunteer Day
6 December - St. Nicholas Day
10 December - Human Rights Day
10 - 23 December - Uniting Care Christmas Appeal
25 December - Christmas Day
26 December - Boxing Day
28 December - The Falls Music and Arts Festival

I hope this above information and tips are helpful to your business in the coming weeks - please don;t hesitate to get in touch or leave a comment below if you do have any questions and I'll get back to you ASAP.

Happy December!
Amanda x

And You Thought October Was Busy.......

October passed in blur for us so I must apologies first for missing this list of Special Dates and Events last month! I'm back on track again for the build up to the end of the year. With only 8 Fridays until Christmas, the weeks only seem to be getting busier with so many "International" and 'World" dates scheduled for the months ahead. The schedule is busy with several "Awareness" campaigns this month so if you align yourself with any of these then this month will be a great time to share their message.

As I always suggest, incorporating national dates and special events into your marketing activities and social media posts can be a great way to create engagement, further grow your followers, link in with trending hashtags and network with other like minded businesses.

I hope the following list will take all the hard work out of planning October for you and that it will assist you with preparing posts, content and your businesses marketing calendar. Please don't hesitate to comment below if I have missed something and I will update the list accordingly. 

1 - 30 November - Movember
1 - 30 November - Asbestos Awareness Month
1 - 30 November - World Vegan Month
1 - 30 November - E-Tea Month (Epilepsy Australia)
1 - 30 November - Learn on the Loo (WaterAid Australia)
1 - 30 November - Lung Health Awareness Month
1- 30 November - National Novel Writing Month
1 November - World Vegan Day
4 November - National Day of Unity
5 November - International Volunteer Managers Day
5 - 11 November - National Others Week
7 November - Melbourne Cup Day (Melbourne)
8 November - Thank U NICU Day
10 November - World Science Day for Peace and Development
11 November - Rememberance Day
11 - 18 November - Australian Food Safety Week
12 - 18 November - National Psychology Week 2017
12 - 18 November - Perinatal Depression and Anxiety Awareness Week
12 - 18 November - National Adoption Awareness Week
12 - 19 November - Alopecia Awareness Week
13 November - World Kindness Day
13 - 19 November - National Recycling Week
14 November - World Diabetes Day
15 November - World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
16 November - International Day for Tolerance
17 November - World Prematurity Day
18 - 25 November - Schoolies Week
19 November - Eureka Climb 2017
19 November - World Toilet Day
20 November - Universal Children's Day
21 November - World Hello Day
21 November - World Television Day
21 November - Human Walking Program (Lost Dogs Home)
23 November - Thanksgiving
25 November - World Orange Day (Against Violence against Women)
25 November - Don't Fry Day  (Sun Awareness)
25 November - White Ribbon Day
14 November - 31 December - Dinesmart

Enjoy your month and happy planning!
Amanda x

Just around the corner.....

Who can believe that August is just around the corner and Spring is quickly approaching?! Seriously, where did that time go. It must be time to start planning your marketing calendar for the month ahead again - a new collection of special events and occasions that you can utilise for the promotion and growth of your own business on social media.




It's often difficult to keep up to date with special days, international days of celebration, national events and awareness weeks but incorporating national dates and special events into your marketing activities and social media posts can be a great way to create engagement, further grow your followers, link in with trending hashtags and network with other like minded businesses.

I hope the following list will take all the hard work out of planning August for you and that it will assist you with preparing posts, content and your businesses marketing calendar. Please don't hesitate to comment below if I have missed something and I will update the list accordingly.

1 - 7 August:         National Breastfeeding Week
1 - 7 August:         Dental Health Week
1 - 7 August:         Homelessness Prevention Week
1 - 7 August:         Healthy Bones Action Week
1 - 7 August:         Donate Life Week
1 - 7 August:         OCD and Anxiety Disorders Week
1 - 8 August:         Meat Free Week
1 - 31 August:       Tradies National Health Month
1 - 31 August:       MS Readathon
4 August:               National Aboriginal and Islander Day
5 August:               Jeans for Genes Day
5 August:               Cafe Smart
6 - 12 August:        National Missing Persons Week
8 August:               World Cat Day
9 August:                International Day of the World's Indigenous People
12 August:             World Elephant Day
12 August:              International Youth Day
12 - 20 August:       National Science Week
13 August:               Left Handers Day
13 August:               City to Surf Fun Run
19 August:              World Humanitarian Day
19 August:               International Orangutan Day
19 - 25 August:        Book Week
19 - 27 August:        Queensland Seniors Week
20 - 26 August:        Hearing Awareness Week
20 - 26 August:        Speech Pathology Week
21 August:               Cupcake Day
21 - 27 August:        Keep Australia Beautiful Week
25 August:               Amnestea
25 August:               Daffodil Day
27 August - 2 Sept:  National Op Shop Week
27 August - 2 Sept:  Legacy Week
28 August - 3 Sept:  National Superhero Week (supporting Muscular Dystrophy)
31 August:                National Meals on Wheels Day

Happy planning!

Amanda

Planning for May.....

It's that time of the month again and what a busy month ahead.....who can believe May is already here?! A new month, a new list of special events and occasions that you can utilise for the promotion and growth of your own business on social media.

I hope the following list will take all the hard work out of planning May for you and will assist you with preparing posts, content and your businesses marketing calendar. Please don't hesitate to comment below if I have missed something and I will update the list accordingly. I hope you all find this useful!

May 1 - Kiss Goodbye to MS
May 1 - 7 - International Composting Awareness Week
May 1 - 7 - National Family Day Care Week
May 1 - 7 - Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week
May 1 - 31 - Australia's Biggest Morning Tea
May 1 - 31 - Miracle Month of May
May 1 - 31 - Domestic & Family Violence Prevention Month
May 1 - 31 - 65 Roses - For Cystic Fibrosis
May 1 - 31 - Mindful in May
May 1 - 31 - Dine with Heart Month - Supporting Sacred Heart Mission
May 2 - White Shirt Day - Supporting Ovarian Cancer
May 3 - World Asthma Day
May 4 - International Star Wars Day
May 4 - Play Outside Day
May 4 - 8 - Live Below the Line - Supporting Poverty in Australia
May 5 - Shine a Light on Road Safety
May 5 - Sports Without Boarders
May 5 - International Midwives Day
May 5 - 8 - Ride to Cure Diabetes
May 6 - Starlight Day - Supporting the Starlight Children's Foundation
May 6 - 13 - Heart Week
May 8 - World Red Cross Day
May 8 - 14 - National Volunteer Week
May 12 - International Nurses Day
May 13 - Fair Trade Day
May 14 - Mother's Day
May 14 - Mother's Day Classic
May 15 - International Day of Families
May 15 - 21 - National Family Week
May 17 - World Baking Day
May 19 - National Walk Safely to School Day
May 21 - RSPCA Million Paws Walk
May 21-27 - Food Allergy Week
May 25 - World MS Day
May 26 - National Sorry Day
May 27-28 - Red Shield Appeal - Supporting the Salvation Army
May 27 - 25 June - Ramadan
May 28 - Amnesty International
May 29 - Wear White at Work Day - Supporting Mental Illness
May 29 - Biscuit Day

Other Upcoming Australian Events can be found here. They might not be included on this calendar but provide a range of state specific events for the month.

Happy May!

Amanda

Planning for March

I'm still not sure how we got here to quickly.... March!!! Is it just me or did that come around super quickly? With the year whizzing by so fast, it's often difficult to keep up to date with special days, international days of celebration, national events and awareness weeks. In an effort to make this process easier for you and your business, particularly the smaller businesses whose owners are trying to stay across ALL aspects of their business, including their marketing and social media management, I have put together what I hope will be a valuable list for you to follow and use.

Incorporating national dates and special events into your marketing activities and social media posts can be a great way to create engagement, further grow your followers, link in with trending hashtags and network with other like minded businesses.

I hope the following list has taken the hard work out of planning March for you and will assist you with preparing posts, content and your businesses marketing calendar. Please don't hesitate to comment below if I have missed something and I will update the list accordingly. I hope you all find this useful!


March 1 - World Compliment Day
March 1 - 31 - Jump to Cure Diabetes
March 1 - 31 - National Epilepsy Awareness Month
March 2 - 12 - NSW Seniors Week
March 2 - "Old Stuff" Day
March 2 - Dr Seuss Day
March 2 - World Book Day
March 3 - World Wildlife Day
March 3 - Schools Clean Up Day
March 3 - Ride 2 School Day
March 3 - World Wildlife Day
March 4 - 12 - Parks Week
March 5 - MS Melbourne Cycle
March 5 - Clean Up Australia Day
March 6 - Labour Day
March 6 - National Dentist's Day
March 7 - Unique Names Day
March 8 - International Women's Day
March 9 - World Kidney Day
March 9 - World Barbie Day
March 11 - 18 - Cultural Diversity Week (VIC)
March 12 - 18 - Multiple Birth Awareness Week
March 13 - Canberra Day (ACT)
March 13 - Eight Hours Day (TAS)
March 13 - Labour Day (VIC)
March 16 - 19 - World's Greatest Shave
March 17 - St Patrick's Day
March 18 - National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence
March 20 - International Day of Happiness
March 21 - Harmony Day
March 22 - World Water Day
March 25 - Earth Hour 8.30pm
March 26 - Purple Day - Epilepsy Australia
March 31 - End Term One (QLD)  + (VIC)

Other Upcoming Australian Events can be found here. They might not be included on this calendar but provide a range of state specific events for the month.

Happy March!

Amanda

Planning for August

Keeping up to date with special days, international days of celebration, national events and awareness weeks can be a challenge, particularly for small business owners who are trying to stay across ALL aspects of their business including their marketing and social media management.

Incorporating national dates and special events into your marketing activities and social media posts can be a great way to create engagement, further grow your followers, link in with trending hashtags and network with other like minded businesses.

I hope the following list has taken the hard work out of planning August for you and will assist you with preparing posts, content and your businesses marketing calendar. There are a number of other events that are specific to certain States in Australia but in an effort to make the list more general I have tried to focus on key dates. Please don't hesitate to comment below if I have missed something and I will update the list accordingly. I hope you all find this useful!

1 - 31 August - MS Readathon
1 - 31 August - Tradies National Health Month
1 - 7 August -  Healthy Bones Action Week
1 - 7 August -  Meat Free Week
1 - 7 August -  Dental Health Week
1 - 7 August - OCD and Anxiety Disorders Week
1 - 7 August - Homelessness Prevention Week
1 - 7 August - World Breastfeeding Week
2 August -  Ice Cream Sandwich Day
3 August - Watermelon Day
4 August - National Aboriginal & Islander Children's Day (NATICD)
5 August - Cafe Smart
5 August - Jeans for Genes Day
5 August - International Beer Day
5 - 21 August  Olympic Games (Rio)
7 August - Sisters' Day
7 August - Friendship Day
7- 13 August - Speech Pathology Week 
9 August -   International Day of the World's Indigenous People
12 August - International Youth Day
12 August - World Elephant Day
13 August - Left-Handers Day
13 - 21 August - National Science Week
15 August - Cupcake Day
15 August - Relaxation Day
15 August - Best Friends Day
19 August - World Humanitarian Day
19 August - International Orangutan Day
20 - 26 August - Book Week
21 - 27 August - National Op Shop Week
22 - 28 August - Keep Australia Beautiful Week
26 August - Daffodil Day 
26 August - Women's Equality Day
27 August - Amnestea 
27 August - Burger Day
28 August - 3 September - Legacy Week


Happy planning,
Amanda

Hello February

Well 2016 is off and racing for us! I thought we might be able to ease into the busyness of another year a little more slowly but that wasn't to be!!

We enjoyed a two week break away in early January and I had big plans for some planning, reading and goal setting during that time away but surprise, surprise, reading my stock pile of fiction novels won over each time! I also battled a poor Wifi connection for part of our holiday which slowed things down but that probably wasn't such a bad thing!

So February is a ahead of us now....we've hit the ground running with lots of equiries coming in and quotes being finalised. If you're looking for a lift with your social media or need to free up some much needed time spent at the computer screen then please contact us for some more information regarding our services and the support we can offer your business - we'd love to hear from you!

Happy New Year

As 2015 comes to an end and we start to plan ahead for 2016, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support over this last year. 2015 has been a big year for this little business and I look forward to an even better year next year, supporting more businesses, sharing more tips and information and taking the pressure off many of you by assisting you with your own social media management. Happy New Year everyone - may 2016 be good to you all!!

Amanda

   

Resolutions

R E S O L U T I O N S

I've never really been one for resolutions. I like to think that I set goals for myself that are achievable, both personally and professionally but sometimes throughout the year, these goals change and/or I become a little distracted along the way!

I found this great image on Pinterest yesterday and loved it!! I like the idea of resolving to do more things that will make me smile, motivate me and encourage happiness along the way so the following list is what I will be resolving to do more of in 2016! What about you? Have you set yourself any resolutions or goals for the year ahead?

The Best Times to Post on Social Media

I get asked this question all the time and if you're reading this, you must be wondering as well!! The truth is, there is no "best time" across the board but there will be a "best time for you". Use your page insights for a snapshot into the activities of your page likers. Try to post at different times across the day and see which posts receive more "likes", more engagement, more reach, more retweets and you will soon work out the ideal times for you and your business.

As a starting point, I found this great info graphic at Social Media Today which I think provides a good guide across each of the platforms. I would be interested to know if you've spent time on working this out for your own business.....what did you decide were your best times?

I hope this helps you achieve better results across your chosen social media platforms.

Amanda

Micro-moments

I had the pleasure of attending a Digital Masterclass just over a week ago. It was inspiring, informative and thought provoking....everything you want a training session to be. The focus of the session was on how we use Google and how strong our online presence was. Customers are turning to their smart phones and tablet devices more and more frequently during any given day/hour/minute/moment to find the information or product they need - MICRO-MOMENTS....

 

Some of the key points that came out of the session that I think all businesses need to consider were: 

• Micro-moments and how critical these are for businesses in terms of being found and easily contacted 
• consumers check their smartphones up to 150 x per day 
• 95% of users will turn to their smart phone for immediate information, ideas or advice. 
• businesses need to be able to get "In Front" of people in that micro-moment in time to be in the consumers consideration set 
• how strong is your online presence 
• is your business website mobile responsive
• how well are you advertising your business 
• is your business well represented and active on chosen social media platforms 
• are your advertising your business online through Google Ad Words or Facebook Ads 

Some further statistics to consider:

• there has been a 34% increase in mobile's sharing of online sessions 
• there has been a 7% decrease in time spent on a page 
• there has been a 58% increase of sales conversions 

In short.....consumers are spending less time searching in shorter bursts but more frequently and if they can find the "right"information then the conversion to a sale has increased. I have so much more information to share....please stay tuned for upcoming blog posts and if you have any questions at all just let me know!

Amanda