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Trent DeBoni

Social Media Marketing Using Video

October 22, 2018 by Trent DeBoni

Social Media Marketing Using Video

 

Did you know thatYouTube is the second largest search engine on the net? Let that sink in a little. Now, imagine what that means for your current and future marketing strategies.

 

As videos become easier to create and view, it’s even more important to include videos in your marketing plan.

 

Every business, even the smallest one-person business, can usevideo to provide information, spread the word about products or services, explain difficult concepts, and get more followers.

 

If you want to use video in your business, you’re in the right place to learn how to make the most of this form of content.

 

Tips to Stand Out On Video

 

Video can be intimidating. If you are an introvert or are unfamiliar with the camera, you might find it difficult to embrace video marketing. But, as you learn how to set everything up you’ll gain more confidence.

 

You want to ensure that you have great lighting, an interesting background, good sound quality, and the right content. You also want to ensure that if you’re appearing in the video that you not only look great but that your image translates well for your branding.

 

  • Background– What you put in the put in the background is important. People are easily distracted and you want them to focus on what you are saying or highlighting. Try to stay away from busy, bright, bold, excessively colorful, and moving items, like an aquarium in the background. This is important, especially if you are recording indoors or in an interview style.

 

  • Lighting– Use natural lighting to ensure that your video looks the best. You can do that by setting the stage so that you face towards a window that allows bright filtered or soft light through. You may want to purchase a good lighting system specifically for filming or recording, like a Diva Ring. Depending on you situation, style, or topic, you may also considering making the recording outside.

 

  • Sound– You’ll need to practice with your sound equipment to make sure you can be heard. You can buy separate pieces of sound equipment for your mobile device, camera, or your computer depending on how you’re setting up everything.

 

  • Appearance– Your appearance matters. Remember, you are the face of your business. The way you look impacts how viewers perceive your business. Neat, well groomed, professional, knowledgeable, up-to-date, friendly, unpretentious, and honest are just a few impressions you want to convey to your viewers. So, dress and speak accordingly while maintaining your unique personality.

 

  • Content– Although video has great visual appeal, viewers also want to hear your voice and the information you share. Script and organize your video to maximize the quality of your information, product, or service. Sequence information and instructions in a way that makes it easy for viewers to take action.

 

  • Intros & Exits– Don’t forget to make the video stand out by using additional visuals or audios within the video. At the very least, include intros and sign-off or ending sections. These are good places to incorporate music or sounds and images, since they also help you to brand the video and make it memorable.

 

When it comes to standing out, it’s not about gimmicks or putting on a show, while you pretend to be something you are not. The key is to be yourself and allow viewers insight into your unique personality.

 

Help people to see you for who you are, including your faults and all. In a world where many people feel that they have to be perfect, it’s refreshing to be able to identify and connect with people who are always “real.”

 

What Differentiates Each Network

 

Each social network has characteristics that differentiateit from the other networks. Let’s take a closer look at video-friendly social media sites and discuss how you can use each to your advantage.

 

YouTube Live & YouTube Videos

 

Live broadcasts can do a lot to boost viewer interaction and engagement with followers and fans, as well as community and tribe members. People really do love seeing you explain and share things. It makes them feel more connected to you and trust you more.

 

Google has made changes, including some involving YouTube and Google Hangouts. In short, Google+ Hangouts on Air is merging into YouTube Live. With the move, a few changes are taking place.

 

YouTube Live is a great way to do “behind the scenes” and “a day in the life” type of videos, among other things. However, YouTube Live does not support Q & A or the showcase feature as Hangouts on Air did.

 

Recorded videos are a great way to do demonstrations, informative videos, and other “how to” videos. YouTube is a community that you should get to know.

 

To stand out on YouTube it’s important to build your community by providing content on a regular basis. This can be easily done by uploading various types of informative videos interspersed with live events.

 

Plus, don’t forget to include a well-brandedopening to every recorded event, plus a good ending that includes your call to action (CTA). Your CTA will be very important on YouTube and YouTube Live.

 

Finally, don’t forget to promote your live event in advance. The rule of thumb is at least 48 hours in advance of your event. Promotion for everything you do is important.

 

If you create recorded or live videos, you need to tell people about them if you want viewers.

 

 

Facebook Live

 

An exciting addition to “live” video platforms is Facebook Live. This is fabulous for people who have very active groups and pages with many followers.

 

To stand out on Facebook Live you need to tell your friends and followers when you’ll be live to build anticipation. You can also do seemingly surprise live events.

 

Try not to use wireless to go live on Facebook. Your connection will make a huge difference. If your wireless connection is very dependable and strong, it may work well but being hard-wiredinto the net is usually your best option.

 

Post awesome descriptions of what the topic will be about so that your audience will be pumped up about the event.

 

During videos and shares, be sure to tell them that you’ll be doing live events. Encourage them to activate their notifications or sign up for your newsletter so they won’t miss a thing. You may also want to let them know that you’ll occasionally have live events on short notice.

 

When hosting a live Facebook event, trying to read comments and answer questions during the event can be overwhelming for one person.

 

Ask your audience to submit questions a week before the event, as well as after the event. You can answer a few questions during the live session and call out people who are watching live.

 

Facebook Live supports up to 90 minutes of live video.Stand out by keeping your openings and closings interesting and consistent to your brand. For example, set up an opening and closing that helps your views know what to expect and what to do next.

 

 

Snapchat

 

Snapchat is all about sharing short content, which usually includes videos and photos. One great way to stand out is to link individual snaps together to create your brand story.

 

Your story is the best way for you to stand apart from the crowd with Snapchat. So, follow these tips to create an amazing brand story for Snapchat.

 

Keep each snap for your story short. The entire story should be relatively short. At the most, you want your story to be between 1 and 2 minutes long. Each time you create a snap, be sure to send it to your friends so they know something new has been posted.

 

When using Snapchat, it’s important that you talk directly to the camera. Snapchat is a more up close and personal type of live video than found on other sites.

 

Since people view Snapchat on their mobile devices, the video appears with a portrait or vertical orientation, rather than with a horizontal or wide image.

 

Learning how to compose visuals and highlight/edit video is very important in Snapchat. You also want to make sure that you respond to comments. Sending snaps directly to people, who havesent them to you, and calling people out helps you to attract more attention, as well as promote your items or services.

 

Instagram

 

Instagram is a visual network where members share videos and images with each other. Much of the interaction cannot be automated, like some other social media.

 

For example, even if you use a service like SocialSprout.com or Buffer.com to automate posting updates to Instagram, you still have to push out the post live with your mobile device.

 

Instagram has a very active and loyal audience. The users are dedicated and the Instagram stars typically focus most of their efforts on Instagram to become “famous.”

 

This social media site works best with visual niches. But, if you’re creative, you can turn almost any niche into a visual extravaganza. Images on Instagram are supposed to be amazing and almost like eye-candy to the audience.

 

Even graphic or image novices can create amazing visuals with tools such as Canva or Adobe Creative Suite. You can even outsource some images. But, you want to include yourself in many of the images and really engage with your followers.

 

Instagram is always updating and changing so keep up to date on the platform so you can stand out. For example, you can now access Instagram on your desktop even though you cannot yet push out images via your desktop but only on a mobile device. That could change and you should be aware of that at all times.

 

Post what your audience wants to see while encouraging engagement with your audience. You may want to host contests, post your audience’s content, ask questions, allow Instagram to show your location when you make posts.

 

Keep in mind that you should post regularly and learn when your audience usually sees your posts. This allows you to fine tune your marketing strategies as well as discover what your viewers like and want most.

 

Be sure to tag people who are in your videos. You may also tag or notify people who may be especially interested in a particular item. Use the correct hashtags and use them often because on Instagram users can click on hashtags to find out more information about that keyword.

 

Remember, your images and videos should tell a story. This helps people to discover you.

 

Videos are very powerful conversion tools. With a variety of ways to create, use, and share video, it is proving to be a viable option for large and small businesses.

 

If you haven’t added video marketing to your line-up, you may want to get started soon, especially since the video generation is beginning to make important buying decisions.

 

Most of the major social media platforms support video in some way, whether it is with a feature that is directly on the site or with additional apps to make video sharing easy.

 

In fact, several social media platforms cater, almost exclusively, to video producers and viewers. With this amount of growing support and demand for videos, adding and profiting from videos is a cinch.

 

So now you have some useful strategies to Grow Viral with video, your next step it to start recording!

 

Filed Under: social media Tagged With: social media, video

Snapchat Marketing Tips & Checklist

October 21, 2018 by Trent DeBoni

Snapchat Marketing Tips & Checklist

 

One of the fastest growing social media networks is Snapchat. It offers a quick and interesting way to share information with your audience.

 

  • Offer Exclusive Content – Make your content for Snapchat exclusive and only available on Snapchat. When you tell people about your Snapchat, let them know that the content is exclusive to your Snapchat followers only.

 

  • Surprise Fans – A great way to get Snapchat fans excited is to host contests and provide incentives or perks. It works well when promoting your Snapchat on other channels. For example, on Facebook, you can ask your followers to “head on over to Snapchat to enter my exclusive Snapchat giveaway.”

 

It can be easy to lose sight of your brand on Snapchat because everyone is caught up in the interactive fun. But, always make your branding a top priority when you engage with your Snapchat followers. Don’t say or do anything that is contrary to your branding.

 

Why You Need Snapchat for Marketing

 

Basically, if you have a business that deals with people, you will want to find a way to incorporate Snapchat to your social media marketing strategy. This is especially true if you want to attract customers between the ages of 18 and 34, which make up most of the users of Snapchat.

 

Even if your audience is not part of this demographic, depending on your product or service they may eventually become part of it as time marches forward. Starting early to be part of Snapchat and finding creative ways to incorporate it into your marketing will pay off.

 

Because of the “live” nature of Snapchat, you’ll be able to give your audience a more authentic view into your products and services than other types of marketing. The system itself doesn’t give a business an opportunity to fake much. Thus, it will help you build trust with your audience.

 

Many sports teams and businesses are using Snapchat successfully to expand their brand. Using Snapchat to give this special audience a sneak peek into what you’re doing will be a great way to build and reward brand loyalty, too.

 

There are so many reasons to use Snapchat and hardly any reasons why not. It’s free to use, and all it will take is your time and effort. To be successful with Snapchat, like with most social media, you need to get followers and views.

 

5 Snapchat Marketing Tips That Work

 

The fact is, if a large corporation sees the value in marketing with Snapchat, then you should take a look, too. There is a lot of potential with Snapchat that you may be leaving untapped, such as the potential to find an audience in the 100 million active Snapchat users.

 

  1. Quick Snap Sales – Since Snaps disappear as soon as you watch them, it’s a great way to post notices about quick sales with coupon codes. Your Snapchat exclusive audience will be so happy. Plus it’s a sneaky way to get people to friend you on Snapchat if you tell other audiences about the sale they need to go to Snapchat to learn about.

 

  1. Host a Snapchat Contest – You know how the radio does a daily show where you have to collect five or six words for the week and if you know all the secret words it forms a secret riddle you need to solve? You can do that via Snapchat, too.

 

  1. Just Say Hi – Showing a little behind the scenes action is a great way to say hello to your friends with your Snapchat. It keeps you in the front of their minds. This works really great with life coaches.

 

  1. Offer a Prize for First Response – Send out a quick message saying “First response wins 50 percent off my new Brand Coaching Package”. Then you can respond back with how to take advantage of the 50 percent off by giving them a code.

 

  1. Reward Spreading The Word – Ask your Snapchat friends to recommend you to other friends. Offer a random prize to those who prove that they have sent someone to friend you by having the new friend tell you via Snapchat who sent them.

 

Using these methods to market your business on Snapchat are tried and true ways to increase sales, get more friends, and boost the awareness of your business. But, let’s go over some marketing do’s and don’ts to be safe.

 

Snapchat Marketing Checklist

Snapchat is a fun social media app that will help you market your business, spread brand awareness and make more sales. Depending on the type of business you have and what your goals are you can make Snapchat work for your business. Use this convenient checklist to help you avoid missing important steps and to stay on track.

 

Do Your Research

 

  • Define Your Target Audience
    • What are their pain points?
    • What are their demographics?
    • How can you solve their problems?

 

 

Getting Started With Snapchat

 

  • Open a Business ONLY Snapchat Account
    • One account per email address & phone number

 

  • Choose Your Display Name / Handle Carefully
    • This is important you want it to speak to your audience

 

 

Getting More Friends on Snapchat

 

  • Use Scanable, Sharable Code With Your Community
    • Snapchat provides this in your account

 

  • Create Exclusive Content
    • How to videos, images with text: Be relevant to your audience.

 

  • Create Special “VIP” Promotions
    • Treat Snapchat Friends as VIPs and give them a special inside view
    • Promote Special Events
    • Show “Behind the Scenes” Information
    • Introduce New Products/Services on Snapchat First

 

 

Get the Word Out

 

  • Create Demo Stories
    • Put together five or six Snaps to create a demo

 

  • Create Brand Stories
    • Put together a few Snaps to tell your brand story

 

  • Entertain Your Audience
    • Don’t be boring, only post relevant information

 

 

Get Friends/ Followers Involved

 

  • Answer Frequently Asked Questions
    • You can collect questions on Snapchat and answer on YouTube

 

  • Offer Coupon Codes
    • Have a flash sale with a code only for Snapchatters

 

  • Reward Your Audience
    • Give them freebies that no one else gets such as a checklist

 

  • Create Last Minute Offers

 

 

Final Tips for Snapchat Success

 

  • Cross Promote on Other Social Media
    • Use your Snapchat image & code for your profile picture
    • Talk about Snapchat on YouTube
    • Mention Snapchat in email

 

  • Be Yourself (be human)
    • Don’t try to be someone else, it’s okay not to be perfect

 

  • Mind Your Metrics
    • Keep track of screen captures
    • Keep track of new Friends

 

  • Don’t be Overly Promotional
    • One or two promotions a day is enough
    • Seek to interact and be friends not just sell

 

Now you know the marketing strategies to use Snapchat for business your next step is to put the steps in action. Go on… Grow Viral with Snapchat!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: social media Tagged With: snapchat

How to Engage with your Facebook Group

October 21, 2018 by Trent DeBoni

How to Engage with your Facebook Group

 

After you’ve setup your own Facebook group the next goal is to learn how to engage with your Facebook group members in a meaningful way.

 

Once you have started your group and have members, you need to establish a routine for staying in touch with them, building your authority, and generating brand loyalty.

 

You need to set an editorial and promotional calendar, so they will hear from you regularly, once a day.

 

But remember, communication is a two-way street. You have to show that you value the engagement that you are getting from your members.

 

4 Things To Do Each Time You’re on the Group Page

 

  1. Scan the comments – Read what people are saying. Delete anything really inappropriate. Reply to ones you think are useful, or which can help you demonstrate your expertise. Like the ones you feel are useful. Remember that they will see you interacting with their content, and will be more likely to come back to engage with you again.

 

  1. Post – Post your content for the day. Try to vary it, such as memes, videos, polls and so on. Informational posts will position you as an authority. If you are going to post promotional material, give it a context, such as current events, a holiday, a special offer, or, “A lot of people have been asking us about X, so we thought we would mention Y product.”

 

  1. Add and approve members – If you have a closed or private group, you need to manually invite, add and approve members. Try to check this part of the page more often, or get moderators to do so, so those who wish to join don’t have to wait ages to gain access to the group.

 

  1. Ban and remove members – You don’t want to be too heavy-handed, but you do not want spammers or disruptive members wrecking the group you are working so hard to build. Keep things polite and respectful. You can also remind them that freedom of speech does not protect hate speech.

 

Some members will post a lot more than others. Encourage them if their information is useful. Discourage them if they don’t seem to know what they are talking about or are spammers.

 

Study Your Insights

 

Once you have a regular routine for managing your group, you should set up a regular routine for studying your insights, or metrics on the account, to determine who your audience is and what content is proving most popular.

 

Check the days and times when you get the most group visits and try to plan to publish your content then.

 

Recycling your best content – When you are first starting out, you will need to publish content regularly, but have only a small following. However, over time, your group will grow.

 

Use your insights to see which content gets the most response, and publish it again in the future, for example, in three months’ time.

 

You will also most likely create seasonal and holiday-related content. At the end of each period, evaluate which content received the most engagement and file those posts away for next year.

 

Also create what is termed evergreen content, which won’t go out of date too quickly. A post titled, “The 7 Main Puppy Training Problems, and How to Solve Them,” is a sure winner.

 

Let Your Expertise Shine Through

 

When you are crafting your content, be real. Show you are an expert and not just creating ‘me too’ content, or content just for the sake of it. Give real life examples, and what you learned from them.

 

You don’t have to be perfect, or fake, to get an avid following. You just need to be helpful and willing to interact with people, such as by calling them out by name if you have a piece of content you think they could really use.

 

Make it Fun and Interesting

 

Groups are places where people can socialize and mingle, so don’t be afraid to step away from your business goals sometimes and just have fun. Ask for content from your followers, such as their cutest pet holiday photos.

 

Run contests, caption contests and more. Don’t be too bossy or intense. Try to think of the kinds of content people like engaging with most and provide it.

 

Just make sure that anything you might try to post as ‘funny’ is not politically incorrect or rude.

 

Growing Your Facebook Group Each Week

 

Set aside some time each week to grow your Facebook group. There are a number of ways to do this. Encourage those in the group to invite others who might find it of interest.

 

Look for the top bloggers and media representatives, such as journalists who cover your niche and invite them to join you. Use the Facebook interface, or email them.

 

Add friends and new connections strategically, only if you think they are the kind of person who would be truly interested in the group.

 

Keep a spreadsheet of your growth each week. It is easy to keep track when you are first starting out because you will have 1 member only. Over time, however, it is important to track the growth by trying to determine what might be triggering it.

 

It could be a great free giveaway, or special discounted offer. You won’t know unless you try to track this.

 

You could add new subscribers to an existing mailing list, but it is usually a good idea to start an all new list in order to track the conversions from the Facebook group to your email marketing list.

 

Create more than one list, each with a different offer, and also track which one gains the most subscribers.

 

Watch the lists you have joined as well, to see how their numbers night be going up or down. If up, what sort of things are they doing that might account for the boost? Imitate what seems to be successful and track your results.

 

Invite members through other social media sites. Facebook may be the top social media site, but there are other sites with millions of active users, including Pinterest, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

 

If someone is a member of Facebook, there’s a good chance they also spend time on some other socially-oriented sites.

 

Instagram is now owned by Facebook, so it might also be a good site to try.

 

LinkedIn has their own groups. Consider becoming a member of one and participating. In this way you can build your authority and it will seem logical, not spammy, if you choose to invite certain group members to your Facebook group.

 

Here Are a Few More Suggestions on How to Grow Your Group

 

  1. Drive memberships via your website or blog. – Make sure everyone knows how to connect with you on Facebook, and via your Facebook group. Tell them the benefits of joining, such as access to your expertise.

 

  1. Discussion boards – Find discussion boards related to your niche. Participate in them and use your Facebook group URL in your signature file.

 

  1. Your email marketing lists – As soon as you have created your group, announce it to your lists. Again, tell them all the benefits they will get if they choose to join.

 

  1. On all your marketing material – Include your website URL and your Facebook group URL. People understand the value of groups and might be more interested in your group than in a regular Facebook page.

 

  1. In all your free giveaways – Brand your free ebooks and ecourses with your Facebook group URL. Encourage people to share the URL so their followers can get this great content, too.

 

  1. Using paid advertising on Facebook – Facebook ads are just about the most cost-effective ads online. They are much more targeted than Google AdWords ads, and less expensive, too. You can turn your best content into an ad, a sponsored post, as it is called, or create an ad of your own from scratch.

 

If you create an ad, you will need an image to go with it that will capture what you are trying to offer. Then write a description and add the URL of your Facebook group. A budget of as little as $5 per day could grow your group really rapidly, leading to more members, traffic, subscribers and sales.

 

Selling in Your Group

 

Facebook is primarily a social site, but you can sell strategically if you are not too pushy and your content is not overly promotional to the point where your group just looks like spam. All your information should be genuinely useful and show off your authority and expertise.

 

Creating special offers once a month, not every week, will also make this content stand out, not seem the same old stuff.

 

If you are going to create offers more often than once a month, be sure there is a context, like a holiday, something in the news, the 12 Days of Christmas, and so on.

 

In terms of the special offers, you do not necessarily have to offer a rock-bottom price. Consider adding a number of attractive bonuses to an existing product to increase its perceived value.

 

Checklists, templates, cheat sheets and other items that save your target audience time and money will always be in high demand and boost your authority in your niche.

 

Conclusion

 

With more than 2 billion users monthly on Facebook, if you are not already marketing there, you should start today. If you already have a personal and/or business page, great.

 

If you don’t already have a Facebook group, you are leaving money on the table.

 

Facebook offers numerous opportunities to market your business for free, but groups are one of the best ways to build a community and position yourself as an authority in your niche. It only takes a few minutes to set up a group.

 

The preparation and research you do before and the content you get ready for your target audience will be key to people joining your group and coming back regularly for more.

 

Interact with them regularly, and see what Facebook groups can do for your traffic, subscribers and sales.

 

Go ahead, create your Facebook Group and… grow viral!

 

Filed Under: social media Tagged With: Facebook

Boost Your Authority With Facebook Groups

October 21, 2018 by Trent DeBoni

 

Boost Your Authority with Facebook Groups

 

Facebook is the top social media platform in the world. It is also one of the 5 most visited websites in the world.

 

With more than 2 billion active users, many of them spending 45 minutes per day on the site, Facebook gives you the potential to reach out to a huge global audience in order to market your business.

 

But with 2 billion users, how can you ever stand out in the crowd? More importantly, how can you connect with the people most likely to be interested in your products and services? And to establish your brand as one worthy paying attention to?

 

A Facebook Group might be just the solution you are looking for.

 

What is a Facebook Group?

 

As the name suggests, groups have been allowed by Facebook in order to gather people together who are interested in the same topic, niche or industry. From cooking to cocker spaniels, there is a large number of groups on Facebook you can join so you can connect with like-minded people.

 

You can certainly join any existing group you wish and market yourself subtly there whenever there is an opportunity.

 

However, starting and running your own Facebook group gives you an online space to broadcast your message and interact with your market on a more personal and targeted level.

 

It gives you almost complete control over the messaging and activities in the group. As the administrator, you can decide who has access to your group.

 

You can also appoint moderators who can help you manage the group and ensure it is not taken over by spammers.

 

There are many features in groups that can help you build a really impressive and authoritative presence on Facebook. You can share photos, documents, and files with group members.

 

You can create polls, quizzes and events. You can allow them to share content with the group on a moderated basis, that is, with your reviewing it to make sure it is acceptable. And you can block anyone who is not following the rules.

 

Facebook groups can be an invaluable marketing tool, and best of all, they are free to use and simple to set up. They are ideal for establishing relationships with your target audience, and for lead generation, that is, traffic and getting people onto your email marketing list.

 

Through the content you will be publishing on a regular basis, you can position yourself as an authority figure in your niche or industry and build your brand.

 

All the content created is mobile-friendly, thanks to the Facebook interface.

 

You can get likes, shares and comments, with these forms of engagement signaling to Facebook that your content is worth paying attention to.

 

You can also automate your publishing through Facebook’s calendar, or a third-party tool like Hootsuite, so you and/or your moderators don’t need to be glued to Facebook 24 hours a day to market your business well.

 

You can administer your group efficiently in around 30 minutes a day once you get organized.

 

Best of all, Facebook will market your group for you. Whenever anyone searches for certain keywords in the search box, they will get a list of results. One of them could be your group.

 

Let’s start by looking at how to create a group.

 

Planning a Facebook Group

 

There are a number of steps involved in planning and setting up what you hope will be a successful Facebook group.  First, consider your goals and audience size.

 

There Are 3 Different Types of Facebook Groups:

 

  • Public – Any Facebook member can join. All members can invite and add anyone.
  • Closed – Facebook users can ask to join and must be approved. Members can add or invite any Facebook users.
  • Secret – Members must be invited and approved. No one can see any information shared in a secret group except other group members.

 

Public will help you gain the widest exposure, but it can also garner you unwanted attention from spammers and people who behave badly online due to the relative anonymity of the Internet.

 

A closed group will be more manageable and prevent the group from being taken over by people who love to express their own opinions and attack others.

 

The type of Facebook group you create will depend on your type of business. You should also consider your marketing goals.

 

For example, a Facebook group can actually be a valuable add-on to a product you are selling if the group is secret and exclusive, and you promise access to yourself for anyone who signs up and participates.

 

You would just need a proof of purchase to approve them, or send them an invitation to join.

 

Whatever marketing approach you take, remember that Facebook is a social community. This means interacting with real people, not trying to sell all the time.

 

Most businesses prefer to create a closed Facebook group in order to have more control over what is going on in the group.

 

A closed group also gives you an air of authority and exclusivity that a public group might not. Those in your niche will appreciate your expertise and be willing to tell others about it.

 

A closed group can help build brand loyalty, which in turn can mean more subscribers and sales.

 

Note that you can always change your settings if you need to, provided that you are under 250 members. Once you are over that number, you can only make the privacy settings more restricted, not less so.

 

This means you could not turn a closed or secret group to an open one.

 

In general, closed will be your best option for marketing your business on Facebook.

 

Planning The Content For Your Group

 

Take the time to look at any existing Facebook groups related to your niche or industry. How many members do they have? How recently has fresh content been posted?

 

Join a couple of the best groups. Observe the amount of engagement, number of members, and so on. Gradually start to interact with others, answering questions to the best of your ability.

 

Are they selling products in the group? What frustrations and problems do group members worry about? Do you have solutions to offer them?

 

Start Creating Content Related to these Topics

 

Create a range of content that answers the questions they are discussing and offers real solutions. It can be free content on your site or blog, or an ebook or special report.

 

Or you can create an ebook or ecourse to sell. The more products you have to sell at a reasonable price, the more sales and brand loyalty you can generate.

 

If you are a service provider, selling information products also boosts your authority and makes prospective customers more willing to try your company.

 

Once you have created information products and/or have descriptions of the services your company has to offer, you will create promotional posts for them. But remember, social media is all about socializing.

 

In general, the ratio of informational and interesting posts compared with promotional ones should be a ratio of 10 to 1. Otherwise your group might just seem like a lot of spam.

 

Naming Your Group

 

Once you have determined your goals and carried out your research, start brainstorming names. Your group name should have one keyword related to your niche or industry. Keep it short and simple.

 

Some people like to choose a name similar to one of the other successful groups in the niche. Narrow down your choice and pick one. Then you will be ready to create the group.

 

Creating a New Facebook Group

 

Start by logging in to your Facebook account. Click on the Home tab located at the top of any page. Scroll down and choose Create Group on the left sidebar.

 

Add your Group Name in the pop-up window, and then add a member. Note that Facebook will not allow you to create a Group without having at least one member to begin with.

 

It can be any of your Facebook friends or a family member. It doesn’t matter who you add, because you can always delete them later.

 

Choose Public, Closed, or Secret as your group type.

 

Check your work and then click on Create Group on the bottom right corner of your pop-up window. That window will close and another will appear which will allow you to choose an icon for your group.

 

You could add a business logo, but why not try something related to your niche instead?

 

Once you have completed these steps, your group will be officially live on Facebook. Now it will be time to market it to your target audience.

 

  • Add a group description – Look to the left of the page and click on the link that says Add a Description. Use keywords and enticing language to encourage people to join your group. Emphasize benefits, features and what they can expect if they join. This description is also important because the keywords will signal to Facebook searchers and Google users if your group is relevant to their interests.

 

Keep the headline short and to the point, no more than about 10 words. Make it catchy. Then add details about the group that will make it sound like a group they won’t want to miss out on joining.

 

  • Add a cover image – A colorful graphic will grab attention, and also show that you have taken the time to customize your group page. Click on the tab that says Upload Photo or Choose Photo from the Personalize Your Group section at the top of the home page. Facebook changes the sizing of their images every so often. Currently the optimum size is 851 pixels wide, 315 pixels tall.

 

Once your group page is looking its best, you can start posting content on it. And once you start posting content, it will be time to invite people to the group and start engaging with them.

 

  • Invite people to your group – Start by inviting people you know will genuinely be interested in your group about X niche or topic. Invite all staff and colleagues. Consider allowing a couple of them to be moderators to help you run the group. As your group grows, it can be tough to try to do it all yourself, so it is a good idea to train people up from scratch who will grow as the group does.

 

Next, look through the groups you have joined. Which people stand out as being interesting, engaged with the group, and well-informed? Issue them an invitation to join the group. Which ones have been actively discussing the kinds of solutions you offer? Invite them as well.

 

  • Creating questions – Facebook allows you to set questions for prospective group members to find out why they want to join. This can help you separate out serious prospects from “tire-kickers” or potential problems. The questions should be easy enough for most people genuinely interested in your niche to answer. These questions can also help you establish your authority as someone who does not waste their time. The questions can also be a good source of information on what their most pressing need and concerns are. You can also use this information to plan free and paid content to cater to their needs.

 

  • Create an incentive to build your list – Once you have started inviting people, consider the best ways to convert them from Facebook group users to subscribers on your email marketing list. A free ebook or multi-part ecourse can help you build a closer relationship with them and enable you to demonstrate your expertise. These sorts of items also tend to “go viral” on social media sites, that is, spread quickly. Your group members will tell their followers, who will tell theirs, and so on, in an ever-widening circle, connecting you with more and more people interested in your niche.

 

Use some of the ideas you got from the other groups you joined, or the information products you have created, to lure prospects onto your list.

 

Once they are on your list, you can build an even closer relationship with them and hopefully convert them from prospects to customers.

 

Engaging With Your Group

 

There are a number of ways to engage with your group.

 

Memes – Facebook has moved towards memes recently, short statements which can then be turned into images.

 

These are attractive; however, they also mean there are no words in the post, specifically, keywords that would give people interested in your niche a chance to find you.

 

If you are going to use memes, create them from scratch yourself. Upload them and add some descriptive content related to your niche.

 

  1. Images – High-quality images are a must for all aspects of Facebook marketing. Add keywords in the description and tag with keywords as needed.

 

  1. Video – The head of Facebook has predicted that all Facebook will be video by 2020. We don’t think this will be quite the case, but it does show the importance they are placing on this medium. The videos should be short and interesting. Use keywords in the title, description and tags you will upload when you add the video.

 

Note that you are allowed to upload a custom thumbnail, that is, introductory slide which will show before the play button is pressed. Take the time to create one that is keyworded and gives your audience an idea of what they can expect to see or learn. You can create them easily using the presentation software in Open Office, which is similar to PowerPoint. Save your slide as a JPG and upload.

 

  1. Live video – Live video is becoming increasingly popular on Facebook as well. Consider offering a webinar or discussion online and broadcast it. Announce it as an Event on your group page.

 

  1. Files – You can also share files with members. This could be something as simple as the basic rules of the group, or a useful free item such as a checklist or cheat sheet. These types of bonuses add to your authority as well.

 

  1. Sticky posts – You can make one post sticky, that is, remain at the top no matter how many other posts you publish. This is also a good place to put the rules of the group, so people are clear about them. This spot can also be used to showcase any special offers, especially time-sensitive ones.

 

  1. Events – Events can help stimulate participate in the group. Schedule a discussion, for example, or a Question and Answer session. Think of the kind of activities your target audience will appreciate most, and which can generate the kind of buzz that will encourage them to tell others to join in.

 

  1. Polls – Polls are another great way to dig deeper to learn more about your target audience and what they really want/need.

 

Conclusion

Facebook groups are a great way to stay in touch with your audience and learn what they need and want so you can create content, products or programs specifically for them. If you haven’t created a Facebook group just, I suggest giving it a go. It could give you the leverage you’ve been looking for to take your business to the next level. Create a facebook group and Grow Viral!

Filed Under: social media Tagged With: Facebook

10 Tips for Marketing on Twitter

October 20, 2018 by Trent DeBoni

10 Tips for Marketing On Twitter

Twitter offers a microblogging service which is also one of the most effective social media platform used for online marketing.

It allows its users to post a very short description of 140 characters. Entrepreneurs are using this platform to promote their products and services by reaching a larger target audience.

It can be used to communicate with people you know, to develop connections with people you want to know, and to keep up to date with the latest trends. Internet marketers use it to drive traffic to their websites and engage with customers.

Twitter has over 313 active monthly users so there’s a great chance your audience is on Twitter.

 

If you’re new to Twitter let me give you a couple pointers that will help you stand out on this platform:

 

  • Repeat Your Tweets– More than any other social network, repeating Tweets is an essential component of ensuring that your ideas are seen, commented on, and shared. While other networks frown on this practice, Twitter encourages it. Try sharing a slightly different tweet about the same info two or three times a day. Be sure you space each “repeated tweet/link” several hours apart to get the most engagement.

 

  • Don’t forget the Weekend – Weekends are a good time to interact with Twitter users. Some people may not have time to deal with social media during the week. Try sending tweets on weekends. Use what you know about the habits of your target market as well as analytics to find out when your audience engages on Twitter. You might be surprised at how much more you’ll stand out from the others who aren’t doing it.

 

  • Use Images– Tweets that share images get more retweets and comments than those without. Be sure to brand your image with your logo. Let the image speak for itself with a small blurb on the image.

 

  • Promote – On Twitter,you want to promote your important Tweets to get more bang for your time. When you know you want your audience to perform a specific action from the Tweet, that’s a good time to promote it.

 

 

Twitter has a lot of promise when it comes to social media promotions. You can use Twitter ads, Twitter pics, and even video to stand out from the crowd. Avoid too much automation and focus on interaction. Take advantage of the fast pace and tweet in the moment.

 

Keen to learn more? Below are 10 tips so you can try Twitter out for yourself.

 

Tip #1 – Tell Your Story

Tell your story through your twitter account. This will greatly influence the response of other people to you.

Also, by setting up your account properly, your followers will be able to identify your company brand apart from your competitors.

The name and the image that you choose must be consistent with your other profiles which have been set up on a different medium and it should also be easily associated with your company’s identity.

 

Tip #2 – Find an Effective Strategy

After setting up an account, you also have to make sure that you have a good marketing strategy in place. This is very important if you wish to make the most out of this particular social networking site.

Your strategy must include the way you can acquire followers, who will you follow, how often you will be posting, what type of content you will be posting and several others.

 

Tip #3 – Share Interesting Topics

With Twitter, users are provided an easier way to share topics which they find interesting. This is one of the main reasons why so many individuals love this networking site.

Make use of the 140 character description properly by creating a catchy statement which would draw in the interest of your followers.

 

Tip #4 – Follow Others

You must choose the people that you want to follow because once you do, you will be reading whatever posts they share.

Go slow when doing this since Twitter has rigid guidelines when it comes to excessive following and they suspend accounts once they find it as suspicious.

You can follow your clients, contractors, suppliers and other individuals within your professional network.

 

Tip #5 – Find the Sweet Spot

You can do this by finding what your target clients need. You can also concentrate on informing them how your products and services would benefit your prospective customers.

This is commonly known as the sweet spot of all consumers. Provide a solution to their problems or answer their questions and you will be considered as worth following by other members.

 

Tip #6 – Tweet Smart

Learn how to post on Twitter. This aspect is very important, knowing for a fact that you are only allowed to have a microblog which is 140 characters long.

Try out different ways of writing the post before actually posting it. Create interesting posts which will draw in other users to actually read what you have just posted.

 

Tip #7 – Connect the Dots

It is very important to connect your twitter account to your actual business website. This social networking site offers an option wherein you can simply add your website to your twitter account.

You can also make use of their widget which will allow you to share your tweet timeline to your business website. By doing so, your website visitors will be able to view your actual conversations in twitter. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone.

Lastly, add a twitter button to your site so that your website visitors can share the content of your website to their twitter account.

 

Tip #8 – Make Use of Great Snapshots

Twitter also allows photo sharing on their networking site. You can post snapshots of important events which took place in your company.

 

Tip #9 – Measure Your Results

 

It is also vital to measure how your Twitter marketing strategy is going. It is a must on every marketing process to find out the efficiency of the implemented plan.

Through this, you will be able to make the needed improvements so that you will be able to hit your desired targets.

 

Tip #10 – Promote Your Twitter

Lastly on twitter’s tips and tricks, you also have to promote your twitter account. You can include this in your website’s main page or contact page.

You can include this on your email signature and even promote it on other social networking sites.

 

Conclusion

Of course, there are many social media platforms to choose from and it’s best to give each one a go and see what works best for you and your audience.  Track your efforts and results to determine which platform is worth your time and energy.

 

That’s the great thing about marketing, it’s measurable so go ahead and give Twitter and go and ….. Grow Viral!

Filed Under: social media Tagged With: Twitter

How To Use Instagram For Business Growth

October 20, 2018 by Trent DeBoni

How To Use Instagram For Business Growth

Instagram is more than just a photo sharing community. It is also a special tool which entrepreneurs like you can use to boost your online presence.

Many people are not sure about using Instagram for business. But, it’s a very powerful force in the social media community. If you want to use Instagram for business, you’re in good company.

 

There are 2 main things to focus on that can help you stand out on Instagram:

 

  1. Hashtags – Instagram is unique when it comes to the usage of hashtags. On other social networks, more than two or three is overkill. However, on Instagram people often use as many as 20 hashtags. But, there are valid points about using too many hashtags. The best way is to use just a few relevant hashtags. Keeping the hashtag number low for each image makes each tag more relevant. Users can click on hashtags to find more posts with that word; so, it’s a good practice to limit and use relevant hashtags.

 

  1. Optimize Images– Like other image-centric social media, sometimes the recommended image sizes change. Check with the source to find out what the most recent recommended sizes are. If an image is the wrong size, it won’t appear correctly or be shared as often as optimized images.

 

On Instagram, sharing other people’s images and items, engaging with people’s posts, and being true to your brand is important. Instagram tries to avoid the rampant automation that is seen on other social media sites.

 

They do this by forcing you to push out posts with your mobile device rather than automatically. This is a great opportunity for you to engage in real-time with your followers.

 

Standing out on social media is an important part of expanding your brand, encouraging more engagement, and building authority as the go-to person within your niche.

 

You can leverage the Instagram social media platform to help you become bigger and better than ever if you know how to stand out in the crowd.

 

Below are another 10 tips that will help you build your business and brand through Instagram:

Tip #1 – Have a consistent Username

Your usernames must be consistent with all your other social media profiles. This allows your existing and potential clients to identify you better and also recognize you and your company.

 

Tip #2 – Send a Message with Your Profile

Your profile is where everything begins. Be as comprehensive as possible when making your profile. You can introduce your company’s values and objectives.

You can even offer them a brief background of your company. Send the right message by properly creating your Instagram profile.

 

Tip #3 – Search Your Target Viewers

With the help of using hashtags, you will be able to locate potential clients and even followers who share the same interests as you do.

You can also make use of Instagram’s search function to find individuals who are searching for the products and services which you are offering.

Once you have identified these, then you can begin analyzing their interactions on Instagram.

You can pinpoint their main need related to what you are offering and device a good strategy to catch their attention.

 

Tip #4 – Story Telling Sells

As we all know, Instagram is one of the largest photo sharing community over the internet. It houses millions of users and standing out above the rest is a must if you want to establish your company’s presence.

You can do this by telling a story with the use of stunning photos. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words!

 

Tip #5 – Capture Great Shots

You want to make sure the pictures you post are all amazing and worthy of your audiences time. There are so many tips and tricks that will help you create gorgeous photos.

If you’re not savvy with the camera you can get someone else to take the photos for you or take the time to learn how to do it yourself.

The success of your strategy implemented in Instagram greatly lies on the photos which you will be sharing and the feeling and impact they make on your audience.

 

Tip #6 – Behind the Scenes Photos

One great way of connecting to your customers as well as allowing them to get to know you better is by posting photos of things that are happening within your company.

You can post shots during an event preparation or perhaps during an office eat out. You can take candid shots too.

Doing this will allow your customers to have an inside view of what is happening with your company.

 

Tip #7 – Showcase Your Products

Another great thing which you can do with Instagram is to showcase the products you offer. Allow your images to entice your audience to want to learn more and buy from you.

You can start with your best sellers down to your discounted offers. Post the best shots to attract the attention of your potential target customers.

 

Tip #8 – Getting To Know Your Employees

Another great idea when using Instagram is to post photos of you and your employees behind the scenes. This allows people to learn about your business and your brand. Add a short description of each employee to introduce them to your audience. It gives a more personal feel to your business.

 

Tip #9 – Interaction Is Important

You also have to comment and share other individual’s photos. Simply posting your photos will not guarantee that you’ll have dedicated followers right away.

You have to engage with other users as much as you can and also make sure that your comments are relevant and insightful.

 

Tip #10 – Use Third Party Apps

There are several applications which you can use to make your photos more attractive and desirable. You can even choose those which would allow you to combine several images in one photograph.

 

Conclusion

 

Take your time and work through the tips above. Instagram can give your business profile and profits a boost if you use it in the right way.  So go ahead and Grow Viral…. with Instagram.

Filed Under: social media Tagged With: Instagram, social media

How to Boost Engagement on 7 Social Media Platforms

October 14, 2018 by Trent DeBoni

How to Boost Engagement on 7 Social Media Platforms

Everyone knows that social media is the way to go to grow your business and become recognized for that thing that you do but…. not everyone knows how to use social media.

 

Let’s face it, not everyone grew up with social media so it makes sense there are many people struggling to keep up but don’t worry, I’m here to help.

 

In this post, I will take you through 4 strategies to help boost your engagement on 7 social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google +, Pinterest, Snapchat and Instagram. Ready… let’g go!

1. Facebook

Facebook can be quite amazing. If you can’t find your audience on Facebook, you probably need to niche down or define your target audience more. According to statista.com, on a monthly basis, there are over 1.71 billion active users on Facebook. The best way to stand out on Facebook is to encourage interaction in a variety of ways.

 

  • Images – Every now and then Facebook changes its image sizes. Keep up to date on the best sizes to use so that they are more appealing and shareable. Use images in updates to help your audience find you in the sea of information in their news feeds. Use well-made, branded, attention-grabbing images to help promote your topics and updates.

 

  • Content – The content you share on Facebook should lead readers to take some type of action, whether it’s going your website, blog, or getting them to sign up for your email list. Plan the purpose or a call to action for all content before you share it. Don’t share anything that is unrelated or uninteresting to your readers.

 

  • Engagement – Don’t blindly share content. Most Facebook users are not there to buy. Generally, they dislike advertisements and over promoters. So, you need to engage with users on Facebook for maximum impact. One way to do that is by creating a group where they may feel more comfortable interacting with you and fellow readers.

 

  • Promote – You can’t just leave things to chance on Facebook. If you have something important to share with your audience, use the tools available to promote it. You can promote a post, run an advertising campaign, and share items more than once.

 

Facebook is the place to be if you want to increase the size of your loyal audience base. Create a group so that you can engage with people. Answer questions on other people’s groups, be a resource, and “go live” with important information for your audience a couple times a week.

 

2. Twitter

Twitter has over 313 active monthly users (statista.com) so in all probability, your audience is on Twitter. If you want to go beyond using appropriate #hashtags, here are some best practices and important tips to help you stand out on Twitter.

 

  • Repeat Your Tweets– More than any other social network, repeating Tweets is an essential component of ensuring that your ideas are seen, commented on, and shared. While other networks frown on this practice, Twitter encourages it. Try sharing a slightly different tweet about the same info two or three times a day. Be sure you space each “repeated tweet/link” several hours apart to get the most engagement.

 

  • Don’t forget the Weekend – Weekends are a good time to interact with Twitter users. Some people may not have time to deal with social media during the week. Try sending tweets on weekends. Use what you know about the habits of your target market as well as analytics to find out when your audience engages on Twitter. You might be surprised at how much more you’ll stand out from the others who aren’t doing it.

 

  • Use Images– Tweets that share images get more retweets and comments than those without. Be sure to brand your image with your logo. Let the image speak for itself with a small blurb on the image.

 

  • Promote – On Twitter, you want to promote your important Tweets to get more bang for your time. When you know you want your audience to perform a specific action from the Tweet, that’s a good time to promote it.

 

Twitter has a lot of promise when it comes to social media promotions. You can use Twitter ads, Twitter pics, and even video to stand out from the crowd. Avoid too much automation and focus on interaction, especially on Twitter. Take advantage of the fast pace and tweet in the moment.

 

3. LinkedIn

Often thought of as a professional version of Facebook, LinkedIn has a lot of potential for anyone who is trying to build a brand. If you really want your business to stand out, start making more connections on LinkedIn. Here are a few best practices to work into your LinkedIn social media plan.

 

  • Profile – LinkedIn has a huge profile component. In order to stand out here, fill in every blank space that you possibly can. This includes an introductory video, a great professional headshot, as well as referrals, and testimonials from your clients.

 

  • Publish– LinkedIn allows you to publish articles that will potentially get a high amount of viewers, even outside of your connections. This is because all of the second-tier connections (your connections’ connections) can see the content you publish. Make your content unique, timely, and relevant. They’ll even give you writing ideas once you click “write an article” under your profile header.

 

  • Connect – It is tempting to connect to anyone and everyone on LinkedIn. However, like most social media platforms, it’s best to connect with only the relevant people you know. Start with the friends you already have and build your connections over time. You can narrow down the relevancy even more according to your needs.

 

  • Engage – LinkedIn has many groups that probably relate to your business, niche, and topics. However, you can create your own group, if you’d prefer. Whether you join a group or start your own group, make a commitment to engage with your connections on a regular basis. Contributing awesome information and content will attract the audience to you want.

 

If you participate on LinkedIn, complete your profile and keep it updated. Reach out to others you’ll stand out. So many people are relying on automation now that when someone gets real and personal they’ll automatically stand out and make an impression.

 

4. Google+

Google has shuffled things around a bit. Google+ Hangouts is staying put, while Google Hangouts On Air has moved over to the YouTube Live Streaming Events section. Google+ is still very relevant. Google Search still has the lion’s share of users compared to other search engines. So, Google products still carry weight even when changes are made. In fact, it’s important that you use existing accounts/products as long as possible, in order to stand out even more.

 

  • Share Regularly– Whenever you post anything, it should also be promoted and shared on Google+. You can automate this process somewhat but you should always check your accounts, answer questions, and engage with others.

 

  • Improve Headlines– It can take some thought, but you can improve your Google+ simply by improving the headlines on things that you share. A headline should include keywords that are relevant to the article.

 

  • Ensure Readability– Many people share content that simply isn’t readable by the masses. Don’t use too much jargon, without explaining the meaning of the words. Watch your grammar and word usage to ensure that people understand your message. Only use keywords when they fit in naturally.

 

  • Maximize Communities– You can create and participate in Google+ communities in order to build your authority or expert level but you need to ensure that you are using the community effectively. Create your own community and brand it so that people can easily find and recognize your group. Give your community members exceptional info.

 

Google Plus is always trying to improve by providing relevant information to readers. Be part of the solution by doing your part to provide top quality content in your little corner of Google+.

 

5. Pinterest

This visual social network is very popular with all types of businesses. Many business niches are represented on Pinterest. Anyone who can think outside the box, create visual information based on their niche, and engage with others can make Pinterest work for them.

 

  • Create Optimized Pins for Each Post– Each blog post you make should be worthy of pinning. To encourage people to pin the images, they should be the right size and have the right information on the image. The image should also encourage interaction as the most re-pinned.

 

  • Add Pin Buttons – Offer a button that allows others to pin the articles and content from your site onto a board. Also, ask people to pin the content. The more people who pin your content, the more viewers you’ll get through Pinterest.

 

  • Make Your Account Visible– This might seem obvious, but some people haven’t done this with their account. Yet, they don’t understand why engagement is low. Log in to your account and go to this link to ensure you have all your privacy settings the way you want them.

 

  • Get Good at Tools– Many graphic tools can help you create images suitable for Pinterest. Pick one that works well for your needs and practice with it until you master its use. PicMonkey.com and Canva.com are just a couple that you may want to try.

 

To truly stand out, keep your Pins up to date, post regularly, and make your info and images “pin worthy.” This encourages social sharing.

 

6. Snapchat

One of the fastest growing social media networks is Snapchat. It offers a quick and interesting way to share information with your audience.

 

  • Offer Exclusive Content– Make your content for Snapchat exclusive and only available on Snapchat. When you tell people about your Snapchat, let them know that the content is exclusive to your Snapchat followers only.

 

  • Surprise Fans– A great way to get Snapchat fans excited is to host contests and provide incentives or perks. It works well when promoting your Snapchat on other channels. For example, on Facebook, you can ask your followers to “head on over to Snapchat to enter my exclusive Snapchat giveaway.”

 

It can be easy to lose sight of your brand on Snapchat because everyone is caught up in the interactive fun. But, always make your branding a top priority when you engage with your Snapchat followers. Don’t say or do anything that is contrary to your branding.

 

7. Instagram

Many people are not sure about using Instagram for business. But, it’s a very powerful force in the social media community. If you want to use Instagram for business, you’re in good company. Implement these tips to ensure that you stand out.

 

  • Hashtags – Instagram is unique when it comes to the usage of hashtags. On other social networks, more than two or three is overkill. However, on Instagram people often use as many as 20 hashtags. But, there are valid points about using too many hashtags. The best way is to use just a few relevant hashtags. Keeping the hashtag number low for each image makes each tag more relevant. Users can click on hashtags to find more posts with that word; so, it’s a good practice to limit and use relevant hashtags.

 

  • Optimized Images– Like other image-centric social media, sometimes the recommended image sizes change. Check with the source to find out what the most recent recommended sizes are. If an image is the wrong size, it won’t appear correctly or be shared as often as optimized images.

 

On Instagram, sharing other people’s items, engaging with people’s posts, and being true to your brand is important.

Instagram tries to avoid the rampant automation that is seen on other social media sites. They do this by forcing you to push out posts with your mobile device rather than automatically.

This is a great opportunity for you to engage in real-time with your followers.

 

Conclusion

Standing out on social media is an important part of expanding your brand, encouraging more engagement, and building authority as the go-to person within your niche.

You can leverage social media to help you become bigger and better than ever if you know how to stand out in the crowd.

Just know that you don’t need to be on all of these platforms.  Find out where your niche audience hangs out and start with those platforms first.

By implementing these strategies, you’ll likely meet your social media goals as you build your business and brand. So go on… Grow Viral!

 

Filed Under: social media Tagged With: social media

8 Strategies to Help You Stand Out on Social Media

October 14, 2018 by Trent DeBoni

 

8 Social Media Strategies to Help You Stand Out in the Crowd

 

Standing apart from the crowd on social media is important if you want to become known and successful. You know that the key to getting more buyers is whether you are known, liked, and trusted.

Social media is the key to getting you there faster. But first, you need to know what to do in order to get there. Social media best practices aren’t always common knowledge.

Thankfully, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. You can get started today to ensure that you stand apart from the crowd and get attention.

 

Let’s go through the 8 Social Media Strategies

 

These strategies will help you stand out from the crowd, no matter what type of social media you’re using.

If you do nothing more than these 8 things, you are more likely to stand out in the crowd. But, keep in mind that these strategies are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what you can do to maintain your edge on social media.

 

1. Get Personal

 

One of the biggest problems with social media is that many users treat it as a one-size fits all type of system. In reality, you need to get to know people on a more personal level to make an impact.

Some ways that you can do that are to send them direct messages (or private messages depending on the platform).

Ask questions and take the time to send them a personalized message that shows that you bothered reading their profile and that you really want to get to know them as much as you want them to know you.

 

2. Avoid Too Much Automation

 

While automation can save a lot of time, it’s very important that you identify what should be done on a personal level and what should include automation.

You need to truly spend time interacting personally and connecting authentically with your audience. Don’t be afraid to show your passion for your topic or niche.

Remember, even if there is a lot of competition in your niche, no one else can be you, but you.

 

3. Provide Excellent Customer Care

 

Once you open social media accounts for your business, there may be times when you are asked to provide a little customer care.

If you focus on putting your customers first, you’ll be able to redirect the customer to the appropriate place for support or take care of the situation in a way that reflects your commitment to your customers.

When you can do this in front of others, you have the potential of winning over more customers or clients.

 

4. Keep Branding Consistent

It has been said that your brand is the promise you make to your customers. Your brand embodies the qualities, characteristics, values, and ideas that are representative of your business.

Your brand is your business image, the message you project through words, logos, photos, video, audio. Your brand is the promise the experience your audience expects from you, so all those pieces come together to give that experience.

Keep your branding consistent in all of your business endeavors. This is exceptionally important for all of your social media channels and profiles.

When potential and existing customers see the same branding repeatedly, it helps them to remember you, what you stand for, what you believe in, what your “promise” looks like (your logo), and what they can expect from you.

But most of all, consistency encourages people to trust you.

 

5. Share Testimonials

A wonderful way to boost the “know, like, trust” component of your social media presence and show your appreciation is to highlight testimonials you receive.

When someone says something nice about their experience with you, ask them if you can quote them on it. When they say yes, share their words with social followers and connections.

Be sure to thank them for “making your day” or “making you smile.”

 

6. Go Live

One of the best ways to highlight your trustworthiness is to “go live.” You can do this on webinars, YouTube.com, Facebook Live and more. When you interact in real-time, people can easily see who you are and learn from you.

Since you won’t have a script or be able to edit anything before your live audience sees it, “going live” helps you to build trust.

You’ll just be who you are and it will give your audience an opportunity to see how you think on your feet.

 

7. Focus On Your Target Audience

Get to know your target audience well. In particular, you should know what problems they face, their gender, lifestyle, occupation, etc.

Talk to each person as an individual, not the group as a whole. Create a persona and talk with the “person” who is your ideal customer or client.

This will work far better than trying to appeal to everyone. The more you know about your audience the easier it is to create engaging content and keep them coming back for more.

 

8. Work Your Profile

Each social media network has a profile area that is slightly different from the others. While you don’t want your profile to be copied verbatim on each network.  It should be consistent with your branding and provide helpful information, including links when possible.

Your profiles provide a way for your audience to get to know you and your business. Use all the space you’re allowed on each network to stand out.

Try not to make your profile sound like a resume instead think about what your audience needs to know so that you can help them with their issues.

The more you focus on your audience the more likely they are to reach out to you, to engage with you, share your content and recommend you to others.

 

Here’s a checklist to help you put it altogether

Standing out on social media may seem difficult these days but this checklist will help you to ensure that you’re doing all that you can to separate yourself from the crowd, all by being yourself.

 

Profiles

It’s imperative that you have complete profiles on each social network where you participate. Have you included these items?

  • Professional headshot
  • Intro videos
  • Keywords
  • Branded content
  • Examples / portfolio
  • Contact information
  • Additional info

 

Engagement

Social media is all about engaging with others. Accomplish this and you’ll stand out more. How many of these things have you done?

  • Comment on other people’s posts
  • Answer questions
  • Share other people’s posts
  • Start conversations
  • Provide a call to action (CTA)

 

Content

 
Of course, the content you share is very important so.

  • Ensure content is relevant
  • Share content regularly
  • Create high-quality content
  • Know what your audience needs
  • Include a CTA
  • Use images & video

 

Cross Promote

Wherever you are, be sure to call out your other social accounts and let your audience know what’s unique socializing with you there. For example, perhaps you offer exclusive content on Snapchat, tell them.

  • Promote your other social media
  • Promote your email list
  • Promote your blog

 

Be Authentic

You hear this all the time but what does it mean? It means to be genuine and consistent.

  • Know your voice
  • Be true to your values
  • Know your mission
  • Stay relevant

 

Limit Automation

Some automation is good, such as blog post auto-sharing. But, avoid too much automation if it takes away from engagement.

Even if you outsource to a person, you still need to go in there and engage with people yourself to make social media really work for you.

  • Engagement must be real to be effective
  • Include a new blurb for each share
  • Be social and interact
  • Outsource strategically but never your engagement

So, go ahead now and work through those 8 strategies and stand out from the crowd. This is your time to shine my friend. Be bold. Be brave. Be social and ….. Grow Viral!

 

 

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