Social media sites have exploded onto the scene in the past few of years and they’re already having a profound impact on the way many people communicate with friends, family and brands online. And according to research, it is becoming more vital for a company or business to have a social media presence over a corporate website.
With the success of sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and most recently Pinterest, it is no surprise that the overall social media landscape has gained traction as a viable communication option for businesses of all shapes and sizes and especially content creators like article writers, graphic designers and mobile application programmers.
Social media offers a relatively new option for businesses like your, to connect with a tech-savvy audience to share your articles and your eхpertise. Plus, that audience can be invaluable as each member has the power to share your articles with their own followers, which according to statistics the average user has 179 followers, then those followers can also see and share with their even larger network of followers and so on.
The viral nature of social media makes it a perfect tool for businesses. The question is no longer “Should I be using social media to generate interest in my eхpertise?”, but “How do I get started and where do I go from here?” Especially given that business owners are extremely busy.
To help answer those questions, we put together this list of 6 social media best practices for businesses. These guidelines will help you on your way to giving your article writing a whole new dimension.
1-Come up with a social media plan – social media marketing takes time and effort. When you choose to add it to your promotional miх, give yourself a set amount of time each day to research and explore. That set amount of time will help keep you focused until you figure out the best strategies for building your brand as an expert. Then, scale back and focus on those best outlets and strategies.
2-Listen in and observe – social media sites are great places to work on your online voice, learn how to effectively communicate with others and follow your competition. Believe it or not, they’re also great places to find article inspiration. Spend time listening to how other people communicate.
3-Engage others and let your voice be heard – join conversations on social media sites and share the same level of great content you do in your articles. If people have questions and your existing articles answer those questions, refer them to your articles. If you don’t have an existing article answering their questions, consider writing one and sharing it.
4-Avoid the temptation of responding to every negative comment – replying to every negative comment can be detrimental to you in 3 ways. It will (1) drain your energy, (2) waste your time and (3) make you seem defensive to your readers at times. If your original message was loaded with great content, it’s likely your readers will come to your defense, which is far more powerful. Taking the higher ground will position you as an expert.
5-Keep the proportion of “salesy” messages low – treat social media sites as you would a table full of friends. Listen and contribute only when you have something valuable to say. Build the relationship first and then ease into your sales message. That is (and always will be) the best way to acquire long-term customers no matter what form of marketing you’re using.
6-Choose followers wisely – as your number of followers grows, you’ll get a sense of how much of an impact you have. If you aren’t selective on who you’re following, it can cost you a lot of valuable time, so make sure to follow people that have some sort of connection to you and your business. Quality trumps quantity. Following quality people (not spammers or fakes) is always the best strategy when it comes to using social media for your business.
Incorporate these social media best practices into yourmarketing plan today for increased exposure and traffic back to your website or blog. Leave a comment to share your own experiences with social media and what it has done for you.
Did you know a spider’s web isn’t just one mass of sticky silk? The threads that join at the center of the web aren’t sticky at all! Spiders strategically use this thread to navigate in and out of their webs without getting caught like their prey. Similar to a spider’s web, experts can get trapped in their own social media web because it’s either a time-consuming obsession or they don’t have a strategy and get wrapped up in the details. Experts who know the safe thread from the sticky thread are the experts who flourish in their social media efforts.
Here are 3 strategies you can use to safely and successfully navigate in and out of your social media web presence.
1-Popularity: keep an ear to the ground
Don’t spread yourself too thin by attempting to have a presence on every social networking site available. Concentrate on those with the most popularity for your target audience, i.e. it’s fairly safe to stick to major social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Keep an eye out for where your audience goes to avoid being the sole guardian of a dead space that no one visits anymore.
2-Socialize: post, share, discuss, and comment your way into their hearts (and minds)
The key to remember with social networking sites is the platform was designed to network and to socialize. Successful networking is done on an individual basis to build a connection. You maintain that connection by socializing and sharing your unique insight and position. Be yourself and share your most compelling insights, not just on your profile, but engage and appreciate your audience to encourage reciprocation.
3-Significance: all things great and relevant
People want to be in the loop that’s relevant to them. They want to know what’s going on, what’s available, and then be included in the conversation, relate to other people, know what’s happening, and more. Become a beacon of positivity and share the things you like and even love. Audiences tend to lean toward the relevant and positive, rather than the negative and irrelevant. And relevant material is what gets shared the most and has the biggest potential of going “viral”.