CityVoter Blog

At CityVoter, we talk to small business owners across the country every day. And when we talk to them about how they reach voters, the one constant is Facebook. It’s fun, it’s easy and it works. Now it works a little better. The new and improved version of the “Vote For Us” Tab is here.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Adding the “Vote For Us” Tab to your Facebook Fan Page

Features

The “Vote For Us” Tab features prominent contest branding, up-to-the-minute stats, and a large photo that you can choose in the Business Center. In addition, the Tab will showcase past awards, recent votes and any Voter Deals that you are offering.

Voting

When voting is happening, direct Facebook Fans to your Tab for an easy way to campaign. Voters will see the giant “Vote For Us” button and know what you want them to do. It’s a great way to campaign and will help drive likes to your Fan Page.

Awards

After the Contest is over, the “Vote For Us” Tab will thank your voters and promote any awards that you have won.

Adding the “Vote For Us” Tab

To add the tab, log in to the Business Center and head to the Facebook section. Or, for step-by-step instructions, refer to this article.

Have you added the “Vote For Us” Tab? Let us know what you think in the comments!

Sometimes the power of social media amazes me. I was looking for a winning business from the Boston A-List that is active on Instagram to feature in this month’s newsletter. I tweeted and posted to Facebook asking if any businesses on the A-List have Instagram, and what do you know? More than one winner responded, and they all do such a fabulous job and I decided to profile not one, but two businesses this month.

The first business is Jennifer Phelan Pilates, winner of BEST Pilates on the 2012 Boston A-List. The owner, Jennifer, is clearly very engaged in social media as she responded to both the A-List’s tweet and Facebook post. When I asked her why she uses Instagram for her business, she had some great insight.

“I am no different than my students. I know how hard it is to work all day and struggle to find the energy to make time for you. But I believe that every person with the desire to achieve a balance between physical fitness and mind/body connection is capable of doing so. My goal is to be your motivation.” 

Her Instagram feed (JPPilates) certainly provides motivation for her students and followers. Not only does she post Pilates-related pictures, but she also shares pictures that give a peak into her life and lifestyle. Her photos are varied and include workout clothes, healthy food, her adorable dog, life around Boston, and last but certainly not list her Boston A-List Winner’s Certificate! Jennifer Phelan Pilates has only been on Instagram for several months, but she can already tell that it is going to be a prominent social media effort as it allows her fans and followers to become closer into her life.

Blue Tierra Chocolate Café is the winner of BEST Chocolatier for the second year in a row. While the chocolate cafe has only been on Instagram for a week (bluetierrachocolate), they already have an array of mouthwatering photos. They do a great job of giving Instagrammers an inside look into their business with pictures of chocolate making including the different phases from something simple such as cooking bacon or nuts to the delicious end product. The owner, Jen, can already see the impact that Instagram has on her business. Customers will come into the store requesting products that they saw posted merely hours before.

Jen shared some insight as to why Blue Tierra Chocolate Café uses Instagram, “They say you eat with your eyes before your mouth and this is very true, which makes Instagram the perfect platform for us to promote our products.” Also, as a small business owner, Jen doesn’t have a great deal of time to focus on her social media efforts. Instagram is the perfect tool as it is easy to use and share across social networks which helps her reach consumers quickly and efficiently.

Do you use Instagram for your small business? Let us know your username and some of your best practices in the comments!

Back in February I wrote a post about tips for Instagram for your small business. While this information is still relevant, I thought it is important to revisit the social network now that it is available for both the iPhone and Android, and is more widely used by businesses.

One of the most useful tools to engage with your customers on Instagram, aside from uploading pictures that tell a story about your business, is to utilize the geotagging feature. This is the easiest way to find out what pictures Instagrammers are taking at your business.

The directions below outline how to find out what pictures have been tagged at your business:

• Take a picture and click on “Enable Geotag”
• Click on “Geotag location” and search for your business- Your business needs to be listed on Foursquare for this to work
• Once the photo is posted, click on your business name highlighted in blue above the picture
• Voila! All images tagged at your location will appear

Once you discover users who have tagged pictures at your business, reach out to them! Like their photo, comment on it or even ask if you can share it on your networks. Instagram is a way to connect with customers who you may not have had a chance to before. The great part about this is you can be proactive and engage customers who you know already love your business and forge a deeper connection by interacting with them in the comments section on Instagram. Your customers will appreciate your acknowledgement of their photo especially if you provide positive feedback.

Do you engage with Instagrammers who tag pictures at your business? Let us know in the comments!