Entries Tagged 'social media marketing' ↓

There’s a new kid on the block in the social media world.

Google + is the mighty search engine’s answer to Facebook, Twitter and just about every other social platform you care to mention.

And of course, with a new platform there’s a new language to learn. There are:

• Circles – which is the way you organise people you’re connected to
• Sparks – a bit like Google Reader as it brings in content automatically based on your interests
• Hangouts – these are virtual rooms for video chats with people in your cirlces
• Huddles – this is group messaging to people in your circle

Confused?

Me too – which is why I think you should take a look at these posts and videos put together by Chris Brogan:

1. Google Plus – First Look
2. Getting started with Google Plus

Thanks Chris!

Whenever I speak to people about social media, the question as to whether or not you should automate your activities usually divides opinion.

There are those who believe that social media should never be automated because, after all, it’s supposed to be a social activity.

And there are others who believe that, to be effective, you have to schedule updates so that there is a constant stream and therefore a constant presence.

My own personal view is that it shouldn’t be automated, or at least not all of it.

The key to social media

I’m about to make a bold and obvious statement: Social media is about being social.

So if you don’t like people then it isn’t going to be for you.

It’s all about listening, engaging and conversing. You can strike up a debate or offer help and advice. But if you automate it, you can’t be reactive because you’re not there.

Earlier I said not all your social media activities should be automated which would suggest that I’m not totally against it.

Normally when you see me tweet that means I am at my desk working and keeping an eye on the Twitterverse ready to drop in when something interesting pops up. But my blog posts automatically feed into my twitter account through RSS. Therefore when a new post is published an announcement is automatically sent out with a link to the post.

No one’s home

If you automate 90% of your tweets you can’t engage with others.

Just think about it for a moment. If you set up a load of tweets to be scheduled and one of your followers responds to one or asks a question, what impression of you will they have when you don’t reply?

I’m not saying that your followers will expect an instant reply but an acknowledgement within an hour or so would be welcome.

Some people also tend to schedule the same tweets over and over. Even if you vary between half a dozen or so, it’s going to get very repetitive and could lose you followers.

So I guess what I’m saying is, if you want to automate your social media activities keep it to a minimum.

To get the most out of it you need to listen and participate. Show your followers you are a real person and interested in what they have to say by engaging with them.

Have fun with it – after all it is meant to be social.

Have your say

How do you use social media?

Leave a comment and share your tips with us.

Sally Ormond – freelance copywriter, social media addict and blogger

Twitter – @sallyormond

Gemma Thompson is a communicator and endlessly curious. Use of Facebook & Twitter led to excellent brand awareness for her start-up business a few years ago. In less than a year she had a substantial ROI – £4,083 of business for £950 hours spend, and was being asked to teach others how she was doing it! She is now a full time social media consultant.

The author’s views are entirely her own and may not reflect the views of FreelanceCopywritersBlog.com. If you are interested in producing a Guest Post for this blog, please get in touch with your ideas.

I hear so often that people are too busy to add social media into their business lives, and in fact I’ve felt the same way sometimes!

But social media is so much more than the sum of it’s parts, sure it’s great as a resource and fantastic as part of your marketing mix, but where social media really comes into it’s own is when it is recognised as being a channel for communication and used as such.

Danger Ahead!

The danger of being ‘too busy to tweet’ is that what that really means is that you are too busy to talk (and listen!) to your customers!

The times are not changing, they have changed. So many people use social media to interact with the business’s they buy from and they want to know that you value their custom. The easiest way to do this is to talk to them, listen to them, value their conversation and even enjoy it! Scandalous I know but then in my view business really should be fun!

But I do understand the demands on time, particularly if you are a small business or sole trader, of course you can’t put off doing the work your customers are paying you to do!

Phew – A Safe Passage!

However once your selected social media channels are set up and you know what your strategy is, social media doesn’t have to steal away every minute of your day. In fact I regularly recommend to my clients that they check in just three times a day, first thing in the morning, just before or after lunch and just before the end of the day. This pattern was strongly recommended to me when email became something that threatened to overwhelm the world and I find it holds true for social media too.

There are also many tools on the Market now that can help you fit it into your day efficiently, spending time with a social media strategist can help you define which of these will be right for you.

If you really can’t squeeze 30 minutes a day of social media use into your day then I’m afraid it is time to ask yourself what you are doing that could be changed, is it time to take on an accountant instead of slogging through your receipts yourself? Maybe hiring a virtual assistant to help with your filing or outsourcing your copywriting will help? It may be that you need to employ an additional staff member.

Whatever you need to do, do it. It’s vital you take the time to talk with your customers through social media, and it is most time efficient and effective when it is you that does it. Yes I offer social media management as part of my services, but it’s not what I recommend in the majority of cases. Nobody knows your business like you do, and nobody can change things as quickly as you when your customer base is telling you they need something else. So make that time, 30 minutes a day to communicate with your customers, because they’re worth it!

More and more businesses are arriving on Facebook everyday.

They set up their page and sit back and wait for hoards of people to drop by and ‘Like’ them. As they watch their numbers increase (hopefully) they start to feel pretty pleased with themselves.

But there’s a problem. All the ‘Likes’ are from employees, friends and family. What happens when those sources run dry? Where do you get your new ‘Likers’ from?

Facebook marketing – ‘Likes’ aren’t enough

Although the ‘Like’ button is there for people to show they use/enjoy your brand (and it probably makes you feel all warm and fuzzy), its buying customers you want to attract.

Having a Facebook business page takes a bit of effort – just like all your other marketing streams. If you want people to ‘Like’ you, hang around and bring along their friends, you’re going to have to do some work.

1. Newsy

Just like your newsletters and marketing materials, the content on your Facebook page has to be kept up dated.

So whenever you publish a new blog, have an event to promote or a new product/service to shout about, post it on your Facebook page.

Your fans want to be the first to know what’s happening so don’t disappoint them.

2. Be real

Even though your Facebook page is for your company, your fans want to engage with a real person. Don’t hide behind your brand. Stand up and voice your opinion and speak on behalf of your brand.

3. Talk don’t shout

The wall of your Facebook page isn’t just there for you to shout from. You want to encourage two way conversations with your customers so make sure you listen to them and reply to their comments (good and bad).

4. Chat

Closely aligned to number 3, encourage your fans to contribute to your page. Ask for their opinions, stories – even run competitions to boost engagement.

You want to cultivate a sense of community so make them feel welcome, listen to what they have to say and talk to them.

5. Tell them what to do

As I mentioned earlier, ‘Likes’ are all well and good but you’ll also want to encourage your fans to buy from you. Therefore it’s vital to have a call to action on your Facebook page.

You could ask them to sign up to your newsletter or for a report. Perhaps you could write a short piece about one of your products/services and insert a link to take them to the relevant page on your website.

Whatever you do, make sure you interact with them, build trust and then help them spend money with you.

6. Have a plan

It’s very easy to think you must get a Facebook page (because everyone else has got one) and just dive in without thinking.

That’s a recipe for disaster. Before you begin make sure you have a plan in place. Understand how you’re going to use the page, how and when you’ll update it and draw up a policy on how to interact with your fans.

Facebook is a great way to interact and build trust. You can use it as a forum to provide information or even as a customer service tool to help your customers get in touch with you.

But before you start make sure you have a plan so you understand what you’re doing and why.

Do you use Facebook in your business? If so why not leave a comment and tell us how you’re using it and your experiences.

These days, TV schedules seem to be full of reality TV shows. We appear to be obsessed with human behaviour (admittedly at times, it’s not so human) – how different people react in situations and how they interact with each other.

Whether you love them or loathe them, they do offer an insight into the world of social media and the people you will meet there.

Although social media happens in a virtual world, you will still come across the usual people profiles:

• Shy
• Confrontational
• Opinionated
• Funny (and those who think they’re funny)
• Confident
• Flirty…

The list is endless. This is why social media interaction should be based on real life interaction. You may not be speaking with people face to face but they are real people.

Make friends

If you were at a party you would mingle and chat, that’s what you need to do on social media. If you are a natural wall flower this is the perfect opportunity to make an impression.

In a real life situation you may not have the confidence to approach people and chat with them (especially if you don’t know them). But in social media you can because you don’t have to physically approach them. Sat in front of your computer, you can be whoever you want to be.

Join the conversation but make sure you leave your sales hat off. Concentrate on adding value to others rather than asking favours. Offer advice and information and become a valued member of the community.

Social butterfly

You must know someone who always manages to effortlessly fit into any social group, always has crowds of people around them hanging on their every word and generally being irritatingly popular.

Emulate that person by sharing tips, stories and advice. Also encourage others to join in the conversation by inviting readers to leave comments on your blog posts – get a debate started.

Always ask questions and be interested in others and what they have to say. If you engage with others in this way they’ll want to talk to you.

Watch out for the bully

Sadly they exist everywhere, even on social media.

There’ll always be someone somewhere ready to start a fight – they’ll disagree with everything you say and try to run you down.

First of all, if you can avoid this type of situation, do so. But if it does happen, don’t run and hide. Make sure you express your opinion and stand up to them but…

• Think before you speak – you don’t want to antagonise the situation
• Read your comment before posting – how does it sound? You don’t want to lose credibility through a knee-jerk reaction
• If you can add facts and figures to your reply – use stats to back up your position
• Don’t reply in haste – remember your comment will be on the internet forever

So, as you can see, social media really is a lot like real life. All sorts of people use it – some to engage with others and make new friends and contacts, others to promote their services and products.

To get the most from it you have to be part of it. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter or blogging, dive in and join the conversation.

Do you have any tips you can share on engaging in social media?

Perhaps you’ve found yourself in a situation that’s been quite difficult or you’ve been the victim of a social media bully? If so, how did you deal with it?

Please share your experiences by leaving a comment below.

Author – Sally Ormond, freelance copywriter at Briar Copywriting and social media addict