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Blogging is at times difficult, but creating a strong social media following for your blog can be even more difficult. Here are eight tips that will help make your blog stand out.
What comes first the blog or the social media following? This is dependent on the individual. For example, some individuals already have a strong online presence through their social media accounts. They might already have a large following on their Instagram posting about lifestyle, and want to take it that next step further. They then create a blog geared towards lifestyle, so they are able to write more in depth posts.
What comes first the blog or the social media following? This is dependent on the individual. For example, some individuals already have a strong online presence through their social media accounts. They might already have a large following on their Instagram posting about lifestyle, and want to take it that next step further. They then create a blog geared towards lifestyle, so they are able to write more in depth posts.
The lines blurred sometime in the last 10 years, but I don't know exactly when it happened.
Having started my first business at 25 years of age, specializing in technology marketing, I thought I had it all. A marketer who understood technology marketing and who could talk the talk which at that time seemed to be, the height of the dot com boom, the most lucrative marketing position one could hold.
Then of course, someone came along and started talking about company culture, and marketers took a turn to start embellishing the on-boarding process of new recruits, with a mixture of "people marketing" with "technology marketing" - and for a time, that was all the rage. It seemed to be the only thing people were talking about and marketers starting play a role in human resources, giving recruiters and in-house HR managers the tools to "sell their brands" like they were a front line sales executive needing to close the deal in order to reach their quotas.
Who would have thought that a blog titled "Why married women are more successful" would receive 54,256 views in less than 24 hours, 555 likes, 634 comments, 702 Facebook likes, 2,632 shares on LinkedIn and 79 retweets on Twitter? I did. And that's exactly why I wrote it.
I am a new author on LinkedIn and I know a thing or two about blogging and going viral. If I just write about marketing, at most, I will get between 1,000 and 10,000 views over a week. If I write about something personal - more. But if I write about something that people have strong opinions on or that hits a raw nerve - the sky is literally the limit.
It also depends on the forum. The very same post "Why married women are more successful" was posted on this blog last week, with less than 1,000 unique views. The reason for this, as I explained to my team, was because people who read my blog are highly educated, entrepreneurs or CEO's, who 'get the value of a good blog'. They wouldn't respond because just by reading "kiss as many boys as they like" they realize that it is very "Sex in the City" rather than an article that is going to be backed up with a statistical line up.
It feels like the birth of the sweeping social media phenomenon occurred just five seconds ago, with Pinterest’s viral growth to dizzying heights, Facebook’s takeover of Instagram and Twitter launching the new network, Vine.
The new medium is continuing to grow and evolve, spawning a new phenomenon of its own: visual social media.
Like moths to a flame, humans are innately drawn to visual elements including images, photographs and sensational design. As more of us are increasingly mobile and engaging with social media on smartphones, viewing an image is far less tedious than squinting to read a few lines of tiny text on a moving train.
Let’s start this blog with a simple exercise. Go to your Facebook page and look at the last 10 statuses you posted. What are they mostly about? You may want to think before posting if most of your statuses revolve around work complaints, drunken weekend antics or overstate political opinions.
A study by University of Scranton and UC San Diego researchers found that Facebook status updates stick in the minds of readers for longer than you think – one status alone is 1.5 times more memorable than sentences from books, and 2.5 times more memorable than faces of strangers, representing a remarkable difference in memory performance.
You’re on top of it… Or are you?
Published in
Small Business Marketing
The vast majority of business owners eat, breathe and sleep work. You know your product. You know your industry. You have great relationships with your clients; even prospective business; BUT business isn’t as boom-boom-boom as it could be.
Insert question marks here… Sometimes even the odd exclamation mark for frustration’s sake.You spend all your time on your business, client relationships, communications. You’re investing a lot in your marketing to spread awareness and build a reputation. Where’s the conversion? Where’s the new business? Where’s the Twitter following? Where are the likes on Facebook?
Know. Like. Trust.
No matter how big and experienced you may be, a lot of people don’t know about the X-Factor of communication - that recent Chanel ad featuring Brad Pitt is a great example (making it to the ‘Business Insider’s 10 Worst Ads of 2012’ list). Before you sell anything, you need to get known, you need to be liked and you need to be trusted.
How?
Is perception a reality?
Published in
Small Business Marketing
Daily I receive updates on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin from people that have received publicity whether it is through an online blog or in the media sprouting how successful they are. The first couple of "pushes" of publicity, I applaud and genuinely think "good on that person". Then when it keeps coming in what can sometimes be "D-grade" versions of media that perhaps only a few people ever get to read, I start to think "oh, this person is looking for attention or needs people to think they are successful".
Which, might I add, may not be the case at all, but it is just my immediate perception if I don't know any better about the person.
Which, might I add, may not be the case at all, but it is just my immediate perception if I don't know any better about the person.
Finding time to spend on social media networks is getting more difficult. There are so many to choose from, that at times, small businesses don't know where to start.
From time to time, re-evaluating which social media networks work best for your company and re-defining your strategy according to changes in features and functionality, can either leverage your business to new heights or create havoc with your sales cycle.
As a firm believer that "you cannot be everything to everyone", it makes perfect sense to spend time looking at the various analytics relating to social media, the demographics of each platform and how it applies to your target audience, brand authenticity and collaborations with clients and partners.
When it comes to b2b marketing, the decision on what social media networks to use and invest in becomes significantly easier.
From time to time, re-evaluating which social media networks work best for your company and re-defining your strategy according to changes in features and functionality, can either leverage your business to new heights or create havoc with your sales cycle.
As a firm believer that "you cannot be everything to everyone", it makes perfect sense to spend time looking at the various analytics relating to social media, the demographics of each platform and how it applies to your target audience, brand authenticity and collaborations with clients and partners.
When it comes to b2b marketing, the decision on what social media networks to use and invest in becomes significantly easier.
1 Billion Users. Now that is a really big number. HUGE!
If you think about the fact that there are only 7 billion people reportedly on the planet, Facebook has a staggering 14% as friends.
In July 2010, they had half that. 500 million registered users to be precise. So, how in 26 months have they increased to double that size excluding China, because its banned there?
If you think about the fact that there are only 7 billion people reportedly on the planet, Facebook has a staggering 14% as friends.
In July 2010, they had half that. 500 million registered users to be precise. So, how in 26 months have they increased to double that size excluding China, because its banned there?
Can your clients find you?
Published in
Small Business Marketing
A company has a problem. They don't like their accountant. Their financial planner just got hit by a bus. The business just got a lot bigger and now they need some HR advice. They don't have a marketing person per se and the owner knows that they are not going anywhere without someone focusing on the company's brand and lead generation campaigns to support their sales team.
The problem has been identified. It now needs a solution. So, what's next? They look for one.
So, remember next time you go to write on your twitter account that you went out and got totally trashed, but the next day want to be the consumate professional accountant who is looking for new business opportunities that your lifestyle choices may not be what your clients are looking for in a service provider.
The problem has been identified. It now needs a solution. So, what's next? They look for one.
How?
First, they think about who they know. It use to be a case of people they have met or friends of friends, but now there is a not so new revolution to add to the equation. Social media.Social Media
In the past two weeks we have made almost $200,000 from our social media accounts. It's because companies that we may not have met face to face, but know us through social media and in particular, twitter, linkedin and the company blog, have a problem and the first person they have made contact with is the person they "know" online. You know the one. The person that continually reinforces their expertise in a particular field through showcasing their knowledge, case studies, influence and opinions.
Social media is likened to the old-fashion term "farming" because it takes time, but the investment is worth it in the end if you do all the right things. Farming makes it easier for clients to find you and relate to you and your business. Social media has provided a short-cut in the farming process but be assured that "farming" is not "prospecting". It is relationship building and you have to be willing to give more than you get.So, remember next time you go to write on your twitter account that you went out and got totally trashed, but the next day want to be the consumate professional accountant who is looking for new business opportunities that your lifestyle choices may not be what your clients are looking for in a service provider.
