Is social media working for you? Often, it just isn't. You blog and tweet away, and no one cares. Consider this: your social media contacts can't care, if they don't know who you are.
Complete your profile on the networks you choose. Add an image, and a capsule bio. No matter how intriguing your updates, it's impossible to engage with a blank slate.
Tip 1. "Who Are You?": introduce yourself.
In "This Is Me": Quick Ways to Get Found With a Profile Page, I said:
"Who are you?" That's the most common question when someone sees your name online. You need to be able to share who you are... A profile page is your online calling card.... It can tie all your social networking sites together, to build a picture of who you are, without a website.
If you don't have a website or blog, create a profile page. You can do that in minutes. Then link to your profile page from your social media profiles on the networks.
On the other hand, if you do have a website, update your About page, but first, create a positioning statement.
Take a sheet of paper, and briefly, write who your audience is, and how you help them. You should also include the ways in which you can't help them. Once you're clear in your own mind about this, draft your positioning statement in a few simple sentences.
Begin your statement with this phrase: "My perfect customer is..."
Introduce yourself on your About page, targeting the audience you described in your positioning statement.
Tip 2. Know what you want.
What results do you want from your social media interactions?
Maybe you want "traffic" to your website. However, with 27 million pieces of content shared daily, consider focusing on conversions:
Measuring the effectiveness of your content via traffic is easy, so that's what everyone does. Instead, consider measuring via conversion rates, rather than traffic. If you do that, you'll start thinking differently about your content.
Write down what you want from social media, and create a plan to help you to get it.
Tip 3. You're an expert. Show it. Help.
You're the expert on your business. I'm sure that when someone calls you, and asks you a question about your business, you talk. And talk. Responding is easy, when someone's asking you questions.
On social media, it's just as easy. Questions are asked on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and the rest, all day long. Answer questions. Help.
You can answer questions on your blog too: reveal who you are, and what you do.
Tip 4. Be there. Be consistent.
Consistency counts on social media:
When I mentioned Twitter, the client snapped: "We tried it. Social media doesn't work!"
I've heard that before. After the meeting, I checked the contentious Twitter account - what there was of it. Twenty random tweets over three months.
You don't need to let social media take over your life. Decide how many minutes a day or a week you'll devote to social media, and be there, at the times you've scheduled. Apps like Buffer can schedule your updates, so that you can post when your audience is online.
Tip 5. Pick a network or two. You can't be everywhere.
Explore the various networks, to discover where your audience congregates. Be sure to check your competitors' social media accounts. Where are they spending their time?
Then, pick one or two networks. You can't be everywhere, and you don't need to be.
You can make social media work for you: it all starts with showing who you are: create a branding statement and bio, then engage on your chosen social networks. And most importantly - don't forget the "social" aspect of social media marketing... have fun, and promote your business at the same time. :-)
Need help? Contact me.