Did you fall for that lead again? You can’t get rich by using social media. You can make new connections, meet potential customers and have fun along the way.
In the previous post, “5 Ways You Can Use Social Media to Get Rich” I asked you several questions that related to the WHY, WHAT and WHERE.
I think it is time I answer some of your questions that you came up with when reading the prior post – the HOW.
How do I get the word out about my brand / brand message online?
Create blog posts, videos, images and tips. Being a small business owner, I know what it is like to be on a budget. Find creative ways to share your brand message. For instance, take a photo when you see something creative that you can write a blog post that would tie to your brand message. It’s ok to create your own content, but make sure it is professional in quality. You can’t redo that first impression.
How do I find others’ reputable content to share on social media?
Start with looking to sources such as Fast Company, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Huffington Post, Mashable and Alltop. You’ll find other content along the way to add into the mix as your reputable sources.
How do I write social media content easily week after week and make sure I am sticking to my brand messaging?
When I am coaching a client on content generation It is easier for them to have a theme for each day to find and create content to share. Assign each day of the week with a certain type of messaging. Below is a sample:
Motivation Monday – Share quotes, images and inspirational messages that reflect your brand image and tie to your products / services.
Tip Tuesday – Write short tips that provide value for the reader. If the tip links to a product / service on your website, include the text “Read more” with a direct link to the website page.
Wild Wednesday – Make this the fun day. Share funny pictures and videos that people would laugh out and want to share with their friends. Make sure these are funny positive, not funny negative.
Trouble Thursday – Solve a problem for the reader. Provide them with resources to get answers and fix things (fill a need). If the answer is in a blog post on your website, share that link.
Feature Friday – This is where you would feature a product / service from your website, special offers, etc. If you are an author or have several products you could feature an excerpt about the product and a direct link to your website for more information.
I don’t expect you to share the name of the theme for the day within the update itself. The theme for you to think about and keep in mind when finding and writing content.
How do I keep an active social media online presence and manage my business at the same time?
Plan – Set aside one hour a week to write your social media updates. If you set aside one hour every week on the same day at the same time it will be easier for you to write content and stick to your brand messaging. When you post status updates under pressure (spur of the moment) you are more likely to settle for something you find and not put as deep of thinking into what you write to go along with the link.
Writing updates to go along with photos, images, videos, tips etc. requires a certain amount of creativity. It takes about 15 minutes to turn your creative thinking cap on. You will save time if once you get the creative thinking turned on you write more than one update.
Schedule – Do your social media maintenance. Set aside 3 times daily 5 days a week 5 minutes at a time to monitor your social media profiles, respond to comments, mentions and questions, plus thank people for “Likes” and Retweets. Make sure you get these tasks accomplished before getting sucked into scrolling repetitively through your Facebook Newsfeed, LinkedIn and Twitter Home tab, etc.
If you are like me 15 minutes a day isn’t enough social media time for me. Use your extra time spent in the drive thru, waiting for appointments and in line to get your extra social media fix. This is your playtime. Don’t use your work time and social media maintenance time for this.
Goals – Have a plan for what you want to accomplish when you log into your social media accounts. Make a connection with 3 people / pages every time you log in. This connection can be a “Like”, Comment, Share, Retweet, etc. It doesn’t take long to read three posts, three tweets, etc.
[It’s time for a commercial break: Do you want to learn more about social media? Check out the 2nd annual DFW Rocks Social Media Conference on June 29 & June 30, 2013. This conference features 17 speakers and 17 presentations crossing all social media platforms. You’ll learn about blogging, video, brand messaging, content strategy, and so much more. Visit http://DFWRocksSocialMedia.com to learn more / register!]
Read Way #5 to Get Rich Using Social Media NOW.
It’s your turn … What is your HOW – How do you create and find content to share on your social media channels?
Thank you Lissa for sharing! I am going to use these tips to my business page to generate more traffic.