How To Do Your Social Media Marketing Better
Doing Your Social Media Marketing Right —
When you’re pushed for time with all the other demands from your business, it’s hard to make time to learn new apps. If you’re like me, you just plunge in and try to make things work. Frustrating? Of course. Does it work? I’m finding that fragmented attempts just aren’t good enough when it’s for business.
But then I read an article by Barry Feldman of Feldman Creative about getting better at social media marketing (published by Social Media Examiner, a great site from Mike Stelzner and one that I faithfully read), and I would like to add my insights and adventures to Barry’s.
Whether you’re a beginner or already started, consider these thoughts:
Here’s how to do SM Marketing the RIGHT way:
woman thinking
#1. Start by thinking, not by doing. (This is very hard!)
You can’t do every site, so decide where you’ll find the majority of your clients/customers. Your B2B clients may be on LinkedIn, but look for retail & restaurant customers on Facebook, Yelp, YouTube and Pinterest. Better yet, ask your customers where they spend most of their social media time.
#2. Are you local or national?
You may have some city sites that could bring customers to you more easily than shooting out all over the US. Locally, Groupon and Foursquare and others may help get people to your door, but to drive national customers to your web, you’ll need a totally different type of campaign.
#3. Are there leaders in your industry? What are they doing?
So you don’t have the budget of Chico’s or Crate and Barrel? But you’re trying to reach women age 35 and up for your product? Study what types of SM Chico’s and C&B (and other sites seeking the same demographic) are using – the graphics, the way they tell their story, their promotions – they pay a lot of money to agencies to do it right.
To quote Barry, “You want to be where the conversations are happening. After looking into several competitors, it won’t be hard to figure out where the action is. Go along with the crowd. Get started with the one or two networks where you’ve determined competitors and the market at large are connecting.
#4. What image do you want to convey?
You have undoubtedly thought about your company’s image and branding (if not, click here for branding info). Stay consistent!
If you’re starting a website about artists and galleries (like a good friend is doing), then it’s not about YOU and your personality – it’s about bringing interest to your site through the diverse bios and images from your artists. But, if you are an artist, it’s the opposite – your site is ALL about YOU and your vision and inspiration.
#5. Take the time to see how things work.
Before you dive in and make people mad (and make yourself crazy), do your homework. Each site has a “getting started” section – read it! (Great advice from me – and I wish I would have taken it before I had two pages on every site.)
#6. Create a profile that’s right for your branding.
This takes SO much work and thought – don’t skip it!
twitter profile bio of michael brenner
You’ll want keywords and links and a professional photo – and the photo may be the most important! (Click here for a professional photographer’s hints on what works.) And notice all his links! It makes it so easy to find him.
Barry says, “The main thing is to be professional, but personable. Avoid applauding yourself unnecessarily. Be humble, but confident. Your profile plays a large part in swaying others to follow you (or not), so be authentic and interesting.
As you create your different profiles, include keywords that are most relevant to your profession to enable others to find you via search. Frequently, you’ll find hashtags (the # symbol) preceding keywords. Include links, where possible, to your website.”
#7. Make your headers memorable.
Most social networks are a lot like Facebook, giving you space for a graphic that will convey your message. Make it count! Most of the graphics apps have pre-programmed Facebook and other heading sized templates so that you can insert items easily.
Felena Hanson
I follow the people who have helped me, and I help them whenever I can.
#8. Follow others.
Follow the most important people to you – your customers. Also the leaders and competitors in your field. And follow the people who follow you – it’s good manners to follow back.
#9. Share.
Are you flattered when someone shares some of your material? I am! It’s so easy to do a “Like” or a comment. When people share my posts, I try to give them extra attention by reading their posts more carefully so that I can share them as well. It’s another nice thing to do.
#10. Schedule time.
Don’t dash in and then disappear – if dashing is all you have time for, then you may want to cut back on the number of your SM sites or hire someone to help you. (For info on how to hire the right SM person, click here.)
Doing Your Social Media Marketing Right —
When you’re pushed for time with all the other demands from your business, it’s hard to make time to learn new apps. If you’re like me, you just plunge in and try to make things work. Frustrating? Of course. Does it work? I’m finding that fragmented attempts just aren’t good enough when it’s for business.
But then I read an article by Barry Feldman of Feldman Creative about getting better at social media marketing (published by Social Media Examiner, a great site from Mike Stelzner and one that I faithfully read), and I would like to add my insights and adventures to Barry’s.
Whether you’re a beginner or already started, consider these thoughts:
Here’s how to do SM Marketing the RIGHT way:
woman thinking
#1. Start by thinking, not by doing. (This is very hard!)
You can’t do every site, so decide where you’ll find the majority of your clients/customers. Your B2B clients may be on LinkedIn, but look for retail & restaurant customers on Facebook, Yelp, YouTube and Pinterest. Better yet, ask your customers where they spend most of their social media time.
#2. Are you local or national?
You may have some city sites that could bring customers to you more easily than shooting out all over the US. Locally, Groupon and Foursquare and others may help get people to your door, but to drive national customers to your web, you’ll need a totally different type of campaign.
#3. Are there leaders in your industry? What are they doing?
So you don’t have the budget of Chico’s or Crate and Barrel? But you’re trying to reach women age 35 and up for your product? Study what types of SM Chico’s and C&B (and other sites seeking the same demographic) are using – the graphics, the way they tell their story, their promotions – they pay a lot of money to agencies to do it right.
To quote Barry, “You want to be where the conversations are happening. After looking into several competitors, it won’t be hard to figure out where the action is. Go along with the crowd. Get started with the one or two networks where you’ve determined competitors and the market at large are connecting.
#4. What image do you want to convey?
You have undoubtedly thought about your company’s image and branding (if not, click here for branding info). Stay consistent!
If you’re starting a website about artists and galleries (like a good friend is doing), then it’s not about YOU and your personality – it’s about bringing interest to your site through the diverse bios and images from your artists. But, if you are an artist, it’s the opposite – your site is ALL about YOU and your vision and inspiration.
#5. Take the time to see how things work.
Before you dive in and make people mad (and make yourself crazy), do your homework. Each site has a “getting started” section – read it! (Great advice from me – and I wish I would have taken it before I had two pages on every site.)
#6. Create a profile that’s right for your branding.
This takes SO much work and thought – don’t skip it!
twitter profile bio of michael brenner
You’ll want keywords and links and a professional photo – and the photo may be the most important! (Click here for a professional photographer’s hints on what works.) And notice all his links! It makes it so easy to find him.
Barry says, “The main thing is to be professional, but personable. Avoid applauding yourself unnecessarily. Be humble, but confident. Your profile plays a large part in swaying others to follow you (or not), so be authentic and interesting.
As you create your different profiles, include keywords that are most relevant to your profession to enable others to find you via search. Frequently, you’ll find hashtags (the # symbol) preceding keywords. Include links, where possible, to your website.”
#7. Make your headers memorable.
Most social networks are a lot like Facebook, giving you space for a graphic that will convey your message. Make it count! Most of the graphics apps have pre-programmed Facebook and other heading sized templates so that you can insert items easily.
Felena Hanson
I follow the people who have helped me, and I help them whenever I can.
#8. Follow others.
Follow the most important people to you – your customers. Also the leaders and competitors in your field. And follow the people who follow you – it’s good manners to follow back.
#9. Share.
Are you flattered when someone shares some of your material? I am! It’s so easy to do a “Like” or a comment. When people share my posts, I try to give them extra attention by reading their posts more carefully so that I can share them as well. It’s another nice thing to do.
#10. Schedule time.
Don’t dash in and then disappear – if dashing is all you have time for, then you may want to cut back on the number of your SM sites or hire someone to help you. (For info on how to hire the right SM person, click here.)
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