Content, content, content (again!)

As a social media trainer; one of the most challenging things is finding content, and images, and posts, and updates, and Tweets, and videos, and stories (you get the picture) which is or will be valuable for your audience (or fans or followers)

I have been teaching my clients how to find content by focusing on keywords and stories or images or videos which their fans - the people, the humans who come to their accounts ACTUALLY want to read, or like, or share to their friends. (use Google Analytics or various insight/analytics tools to assess this)

So I was very very happy to put together all the things I like to read and share on LinkedIn Pulse app  - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pulse-news-for-iphone/id377594176 - which is a really good way to share content that will be relevant for your brand and business.

So after saving about a million things to my http://getpocket.com - which is very handy if you use Twitter and want to save articles (to check and read later) - I have set up various Pinterest boards with articles or content which will hopefully help, motivate, or inspire me when I train or at least give me stuff to talk about (or share or post or Tweet).

Social Media is social!

 It is about sharing information which is relevant to you BUT it has to be valuable to actual people. When people like, or click, or ReTweet, or comment on, or share (across various accounts) it is then your role( as a social media person, or community manager) to actually engage with the people. (As you would if they were standing in front of you discussing a certain topic)

Back in 2005 I was blogging a lot! I had my own second hand bookshop and social media was not what it is now. It has now become a place where you can Tweet, post, save, like, share etc.I love it, I love how people are connecting, sharing stories and I also love seeing the impact social media is having on our lives (think social good - it is really helpful during natural disasters, world events, or for people who want to spread kindness and help other people)

While blogging was an interactive and very handy tool for me - I have now moved towards Twitter (where I stay updated on EVERYTHING) and save content to read, or post, or share later and Pinterest - which I have found highly beneficial.

I set up a Computer and Internet Basics for Seniors (older people) board and a Social Media Love board and I use these boards to not only train but to provide relevant and hopefully handy resources for my clients. I use articles from Pulse app. from the Flipboard app and from all over the Internet so I can share and save information - it is truly limitless.

So in order to find content for your own business or brand, please download some of these apps. Or join some of these accounts.

And don't forget to blog, to write your own original Tweets and Facebook updates (on your Facebook business page)! To start - then perhaps and if it is needed set up an Instagram account and perhaps join Pinterest - which has a great search feature and you will find information about everything and anything.

This is what was recorded in 2013:

http://www.mycleveragency.com/2013/07/qmee-find-out-what-happens-online-in-60-seconds/

So what does this mean as a brand or business?

Stop thinking that you are online and you HAVE to only sell or market your business and products. 

Please start listening to what your clients, and fans, and followers have to say. What is relevant to them? Why did they like or follow your brand or business? What do they want? What is important to them? 

What are they sharing, and commenting on? Are you actually answering them, talking to them or are you just not engaging? Engaging really means - someone has seen an article you put online, then responded to the article, "Wow I never knew that!" or "What an amazing idea." or whatever and you genuinely responding - we love that idea, or we (...), or I (...)

Imagine a person is face-to-face with you and have conversations. They don't have to be witty, or trying too hard, or insincere, or not like yourself at all - you can have genuine conversations with people offline (think of when a customer comes to buy your products, or how you talk to people on the phone, or how you meet people in a professional way) and START doing that same thing online.

Remember any content you create, write, post, and share is aimed at people JUST LIKE YOU.

Why do you follow a certain person or brand on Twitter? Why have you clicked like on something? What are you commenting on and responding to? What inspires YOU, motivates YOU, propels YOU to act - the people you are trying to reach are also doing the exact same thing.

Stop thinking of social media as only selling to or marketing towards current or potential clients and start being a person - and talk (both online and offline) to real people just like you! 

If you would like to know more or would like social media training or advice - feel free to contact me. ~ Elana ebbyeryan@gmail.com

Pinterest for resources and content

Have you tried out Pinterest  for your business or brand?

Do you struggle to find content?

First I would suggest setting up a blog for your business. A blog (try http://www.blogger.com/home) will help you drive content from your website to and from all your other social media sites. Blogging you will help drive traffic and it will help raise awareness of your business products or services.

My suggestion is to blog at least once a fortnight; but a lot of people choose to blog weekly or daily.

So now that you have set up a blog; you will need to find content which is aimed at raising knowledge and awareness of your business/brand's products and services.

So this is where Pinterest comes in handy. Search Pinterest for content ideas (by using keywords) If you don't know what keywords are applicable for your business; think of your products and services and then use keywords which will help individuals find your products and services. 

Here is some information about keywords if you have never used keywords before - http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2277087/How-to-Make-Your-Keywords-Fit-Your-Marketing-Messaging

Now most businesses should be creating their own unique content to drive their business. In other words; you want people to find YOUR business so here is a way to start creating your OWN content - http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/developing-a-strategy/

Social Media has become very visual so you can design your own content to share on your social media sites. 

Some great content tools or ideas are:

 - tips
 - infographics
 - images with quotes
 - information about your products or services
 - facts
 - tools
 - slideshares
 - images of your products or services

 and 88 other ideas for content - http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2195076/88-Content-Creation-Ideas-for-Better-Business-Blog-Posts-Images-or-Videos 

But the best social media practice is to SHARE tools, resources, tips, infographics from other trusted resources and that is why you need to make use of Pinterest for business purposes.

Set up your own board (so a board about your OWN business/brand) and then set up other boards and start pinning and sharing.

Pinterest is a great site to find content an to help you find ideas for your OWN content.

Here are some ideas of how to use Pinterest for small business - http://www.forbes.com/sites/thesba/2013/06/07/how-to-use-pinterest-for-small-business/

Make use of the search tool in Pinterest and look at the popular pins to see what content people like and why. 

Start using Pinterest for YOUR business and make sure that you pin your OWN content and SHARE content as well. The content ideas you use (or find or create) on Pinterest can be used on your Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Google + as well - just make sure that ALL the content you use (and share) links back to the original source.

Here is a Pinterest tutorial - http://www.theyummylife.com/Pinterest_tips and now start searching, sharing and Pinning!

source: http://www.theyummylife.com/Pinterest_tips

15 Ways to Use Pinterest for Business

As a social media trainer; I am using Pinterest to find and share valuable tips, tools and resources so I’ll probably be a bit more formal than most people.

I think the whole point of Pinterest is visual, whether it’s ideas, products, images, resources or blog posts. I use Pinterest for ideas for my own blog posts and updates so I use Pinterest to share content (repin, comment on and like) 

Pinterest can work really well for small businesses, bloggers, designers, retail outlets, cafes, shops as well as for people who want resources, images, decor ideas, food tips, health tips, inspirational quotes/content and as a platform to share anything you love whether it is for business purposes or for your own personal inspiration.

So Here are 15 Ways to Use Pinterest for Business:

1) Set up a few boards - click on the add button then Create a Board

2) Give each board a name which relates to each board and easy to find in search; so if it’s Social Media Humour or Social Media Tips or Places I Love or whatever. Then describe each board and place a relevant link in the description (remember it cannot hyperlink and you cannot view this content on mobiles but it helps to have a clear description especially if it is a board promoting your business/brand)

3) Choose a board (or however many make sense for your business/brand) where you can pop content to link back to your site, articles, portfolio, blog, Facebook,Twitter etc – using images and direct links to the content itself. This is how you can drive traffic to and from each platform. Use each pin to describe whatever the content is.
On the board itself use different pictures and keep uploading content – e.g. you can also add a Facebook image to direct people to your page by using a direct link with image like this one http://pinterest.com/pin/76631631129967721/

4)  Use other boards which are not business/brand related because Pinterest is essentially about sharing pins/repinning other users content/inspiring interest.
If it’s only/all about you it doesn’t make sense from a social media marketing point of view ( this also applies to Tweets on Twitter, Facebook updates, Instagram photos but your blog can be essentially only about you/your brand)

5)  Pin whatever you like in the boards, either by clicking on other pins and repining or finding your own pins to pin. (Use the add feature to add a pin (a link) or to upload a picture)  Ensure that each board makes sense to other people and can be easily found in the search bar. I think that’s why so many of the boards have got such basic names.

6) Check the images and links - that the content in question does in fact link to the relevant source as described; before you repin. This will help when others repin your content; by clicking on the image, users find a direct link to the picture and the original source (there are plenty of spammers online setting up fake/malware links)
Avoid repining anything until you have checked the content.

7) If I like the image and the link is wrong (or does not go to an external page with a direct image/link); I repin the image, then I find the original source, edit the link (add the correct link) to help drive users to the correct source. This means you are directing other users to the right links.

8) If you upload a picture (by clicking add), pin it and then click edit to insert the link; don’t leave the image without an external link directly to the image and content itself. People are learning to only pin/repin after checking and finding the proper links and sources. It also means that if you use links for blog posts, updates or Tweets  - it will be easier to cite the original source.

9) Comment and like on other pins as well as repin pins (after checking sources) onto your boards - this is the way to build trust and build a community of followers who will repin your pins.

10) Describe content and links you upload or pin in the description section. Keep the information short and concise (about a sentence or two)

11) I use my business logo when sharing content without relevant images; to promote my Twitter account and when I want to promote some blog posts without images – perhaps you can choose some images to do the same

12) Check how everything looks on a mobile (it helps because I think Australians are avid mobile users)

13) If a board gets too full; start other boards (and make them sub - boards as I have done with Social Media Love) and then divided boards up into sub-boards such as Facebook, Twitter etc. I didn't want to have a single board with great content/info so chose to divide up my boards to assist other users with repinning relevant content.

14) And pin whenever you like! Make it fun, interesting, inspiring, unusual, personal, educational, funny … it’s really addictive.

15) Have a look at http://pinterest.com/fatmumslim/ or George Takei http://pinterest.com/georgetakei/ to see how Pinterest can be used to create a community.

I use Pinterest for training purposes and to drive links to my Facebook, blog and Twitter accounts.

If you want to use Pinterest for business; download this free eBook from Hubspot called How to Use Pinterest for Business - http://www.hubspot.com/how-to-use-pinterest-for-business/

If you are curious about Pinterest; here are some links that will help you with using this platform for pleasure or business:

1) 8 Rules of Pinterest Etiquette - http://www.flowtown.com/blog/8-rules-of-pinterest-etiquette

2) The Copyright Question: How to Protect Yourself on Pinterest - http://mashable.com/2012/03/21/pinterest-copyright-legal-issues/

3) How to Use Pinterest for Marketing - Infographic http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33272/A-Simple-Cheat-Sheet-for-Using-Pinterest-for-Marketing-Infographic.aspx 

4) And a Pinterest 101 Tutorial from GFC LernFree.org - http://www.gcflearnfree.org/pinterest101

If you have any questions about Pinterest and how to use Pinterest for marketing purposes; please contact me ebbyeryan@gmail.com

source: http://www.j6design.com.au/ClientArea/MakePinterestworkforyourbusiness.aspx

Social Media Tips

Lisa Galarneau who is a social media anthropologist and did research for Microsoft; explains what she has discovered about social media, this may be helpful for you - http://www.jeffbullas.com/2012/06/05/10-social-media-secrets-from-the-social-scientist/

She is fascinating - have a look at her site - you never know what you may learn from her! http://lgalarneau.webs.com/

Although she discusses sharing and engaging; she uses her Twitter accounts to ReTweet information while I still emphasise that you try build a community on every platform you use.

I understand that most of you use social media to promote your own business, have a look at your content, mix up content a bit more and start engaging with other people ( Use the search feature on each site to find relevant content, valuable information and even people/businesses to follow)

Twitter can be the most useful tool/platform for sharing and exchanging information; I highly encourage you to mix up your content (quotes, resources, your own info, other info, info which relates to your brand/content, images, videos, interesting posts, responding to other people, answering people etc)

I recommend Tweeting at least 1-5 times a day (although you can Tweet up to 250 times a day!) and when there is an event, festival or function which is related to your business/brand - you might find you are Tweeting more on some days and less on others.

Mix up your Facebook content (resources, news, images, videos, your own content, your own services/products, images, quotes and even ask your fans questions/respond to them) - communicate with your fans.

I recommend a Facebook update once a day in the mornings between 9am - 11:30am EST

Try to mix up content on a ratio of 10:1 (for both Twitter and Facebook)

 - 10 interesting, informative, fun, entertaining, educational, inspiring, motivational, links, images, videos, tips, tools, guides, how tos, other resources updates

to 1 brand/business, product, blog post, service, launch,  announcement, event or any other information about your business/brand update

If you need help with Pinterest - let me know. Certainly have a board or a few business boards with your content/products/blog posts but set up a few other boards as well. Connect with others (in other words find, like and comment on other people's content/pins)

Instagram is fast becoming a great photo sharing opportunity for brands to reach their audience. If you are interested in Instagram - set up a business Instagram account with your own images but branch out a little and connect/like/comment on other people's content too. (You can find other content or hashtags via the search feature)

Your business blog is essentially for your business. However think about your audience too and ask if they will be interested in the post. Is it valuable, is there a link to purchase something, to attend something, have they all the information they need?

Is the information timely and relevant? How are people finding you, what tags and keywords are you using? What do they want and what are they searching for? Is the post title relevant? Are the images attractive and does the entire post grab their attention?

I recommend a blog post at least once a week on a Wednesday or Thursday morning between 9-12pm EST - and then pop the link with an introduction (An interesting, valuable introduction to give people a reason why they should be clicking to read) onto Facebook and Twitter.

Search Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook ,sites and blogs for inspiration for your own blog posts (or newsletters, marketing ideas, launches, announcements etc) Find relevant images and content and don't forget to cite the original source and link back to the original content!

Social Media is about building a community and being social and offering engagement/ a different relationship with your customers and clients. Have fun using social media as a PR and communications tool while having fun answering your fans/followers and engaging with people.

If you have any questions about content and how to use different platforms please ask! You can connect with me on Twitter | Facebook | email me on ebbyeryan@gmail.com or even just call 0408 478 224.

source: http://www.toprankblog.com/2012/05/5-business-blogging-tips/

The Five Hats of Social Media

Edward de Bono’s six thinking hats are used to help people be more productive, focused, and mindfully involved  http://www.debonogroup.com/six_thinking_hats.php

So here are the Five Hats of Social Media:

1. Public Relations Hat (PR Hat) – This hat will help you deal with any mishaps, issues or crises – so be prepared by setting up a crisis management strategy - http://www.socialmediamarketing.org/social-media-crisis-management.html. 

(Red is for energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as for feelings, hunches and intuition)

2. Content Hat – for creating,  finding, editing, sourcing, researching and generating content – this is very similar to the thinking cap – so this hat will help you when you need to write, strategise, think, and plan – Set up a content/editorial calendar to help with this - http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2136988/How-to-Create-a-Social-Media-Editorial-Calendar 

(Orange is for enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, and stimulation).

 

3. Customer service hat – This hat will help with all the customer service inquiries, queries and services needed - here's an eBook on social media and customer service from Brandwatch- http://www.brandwatch.com/wp-content/uploads/brandwatch/Brandwatch-eBook-Customer-Service-on-Social-Media.pdf 

(Blue is for trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven as well as aiding the thinking process.)

 

4. Advertising/Marketing Hat – This hat will help you promote, advertise and market your brand - Social Media/New Media still requires old/traditional media methods to reach your fans/followers/customers.  (TV ads, print ads, leaflets, flyers, mail drops, radio advertising, guerilla marketing, email marketing, launches, events, videos, campaigns etc.)

Focus on which method is appropriate for your business, test out different forms of media, use email marketing and reach a wider range of people. 

(Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.)

 

5. Communications Hat – This hat can be used for communicating, sharing information, building relationships, informing and exchanging information. This is the best hat for engaging with customers/fans and followers.

 (Green is for growth, harmony, freshness, fertility as well as possibilities, alternatives, and new ideas)

 

You will find that most days; you are required to do all the tasks above. By putting on a different hat; you will be able to focus and concentrate on each task.

Social Media is best when it is holistic, which means combining a whole range of skills, experiences and services when you work. Use each hat; to grow and develop your skills in each area.

By using different hats and by focusing on each task when needed; you will be providing a better relationship to your customers/fans/followers and focus on what is necessary and needed to get the job done.

source:  www.power-advertising.co.uk

 I used this website for an explanation of colours and what they represent  - http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html

Social Media Optimisation

SMO is using links, fantastic content and sharing on different accounts to drive visitors to your blog/website.

Now don't get confused between SMO and engagement. SMO is making sure that your content is seen, by using tags, labels and keywords, writing excellent headlines, sharing on other accounts, linking to other accounts and communicating online.

Engagement is sharing with your fans and followers and building an online community. The more interaction you have with a community (whether it's comments on the blogs, likes and shares on Facebook, ReTweets and chats on Twitter) the more likely that your SMO will naturally increase.

One of the keys to understanding how SMO works for you is listening to your audience. You can ascertain when people are liking/commenting/sharing/asking questions. Once you have viewed Google Analytics, Blogger stats, statcounter.com and other social media listening tools online - here are a few which will explain how and when to listen - http://janetfouts.com/listen/ - you will know your audience, which posts they are clicking on and what kind of content they are responding to.

 - Here are the Rules of SMO: http://increaserss.com/the-rules-of-social-media-optimization/

 - The Strategies of SMO: http://increaserss.com/best-social-media-optimization-strategies/

 - And the Techniques of SMO: http://increaserss.com/social-media-optimization-techniques/

 - Engagement vs SMO: http://mashable.com/2011/11/13/smo-vs-engagement/

Now SEO - Search Engine Optimisation is sightly different from SMO. SEO works on backlinks, incoming links and ensuring that your website is found on searches. One way to do this is to find and work with relevant links, list your website in online directories and get other websites to link back to you. The more links you have the higher you will rank in searches. And if the links are trusted links (leading to sites which people trust, recommend and refer) the better this is for your website. Don't worry - the SEO superhero SEOman explains this is a really basic way - http://www.redevolution.com/seo-explained/

According to Active Warrior in an online discussion - here are the differences you should be concentrating on:

Link Building:

SEO – Inbound links are a large determining factor in rankings.
SMO – Links are a result of success, which means that SEO benefits from good SMO.

Page Elements:
SEO – Title tags, headers, image title, bold text and use of keywords are all influential on search engine rankings.
SMO – Coding and tags are not so important, while visual attention grabbers make a bigger impact.

Titles:
SEO – The title tag of a page tells the search engines what a page is about and carries a lot of weight in the rankings.
SMO – Titles and headlines are extremely important for grabbing attention and getting users to click-through.

Speak to an SEO consultant - he/she will know the best way to implement SEO.

  

Here are 15 steps you can take to increase your SMO:

1) Use share buttons

2) Enable YouTube videos - to be embedded or mobile so people can share them

3) Enable your blogs to be mobile; so they are easy to read and share when you're out and about

4) Tweet this, Pin This, Facebook like, Google1 - these buttons are gold, place them prominently on your site and blog

5) Use links, share links with others, put a link list on your blog

6) List your blog and website in free online directories

7) Answer questions on LinkedIn or Quora

8) Join online discussions

9) Comment on blogs - with a link back to your blog or website 

10) Take part in community activities online (MeetUps, chats, discussions, blogging events etc)

11) Communicate; update, post , Tweet everyday if you can and concentrate on fresh, unique blog posts

12) Mix and Match your content - use videos, quotes, eBooks, resources, guides, images, tips, tools, questions etc - enlighten and entertain your audience and focus on your brand

13) Share sites, resources, ideas, posts, Tweets, updates, videos,  etc.

14) Listen to your fans and followers; answer questions, provide social service and monitor all your accounts

15) Be genuine, don't focus on SMO as a rule; concentrate on engaging with others, building a community, enjoying social media and the clicks should come!

source: http://www.webmarketingagency.com.au/what-is-social-media-optimisation/

Pinterest.com - a rapidly growing visual content site!

If you haven't joined Pinterest.com - here is a breakdown on everything you need to know about this rapidly growing site - http://www.blueglass.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-pinterest/. 

It's a great site for visual content and for all your work/interests/ to be seen, build brand advocacy, create interesting boards and share to other social media sites. 

It's also a great site to find inspiration, tips and ideas. There are quotes, clothes, home decor, locations, tutorials, infographics as well as delicious cupcakes and cakes for you to drool over. It's extremely visual and you can search for anything and everything.  

Often when you click on a pin, it leads you to a site you have never seen before - this is a huge advantage for marketing your business or blog.

It's also easy to use, people can like,comment on, repin or share your pins, so it's a great site for start ups, bloggers, people who work from home and small businesses.

For creative companies like designers, architects, bloggers, cooks, chefs, moms, illustrators, artists, musicians - this is a great site to share your work.

And if you're curious top designers and musicians are starting to use the site as well - so there is a branding advantage for businesses and individuals.

Michael Kors is an early user and his boards are divided up between his work and his interests - http://pinterest.com/michaelkors/ - it will be very interesting to see how people make use of this site!

Here's a Pinterest Guide for beginners from Mashable - http://mashable.com/2011/12/26/pinterest-beginners-guide/

And for people like me who love quotes, reading books and infographics - http://pinterest.com/ebbye/ - I am using it to pin info about social media and business - I spend a great deal of time online researching and searching for content to train my clients and this site is a source of inspiration for me!

Are you on Pinterest.com yet? I'd love to know what you think of this site?

One of my pins today http://pinterest.com/pin/76631631129250424/

The Top Twenty Social Media Blogs Finalists

2012 is the 3rd year for Social Media Examiner to pick up 10 social media blogs among all nominations. The top 10 blogs will be announced in its newsletter and also on their blog. 

Here are the 20 finalists with a brief introduction (in alphabetical order) - written by Kate - thanks to http://evanhugh.com/2012/01/22/the-top-10-social-media-blogs-in-2012/

1. Bundle Post: It is founded by Robert M. Caruso with passion in tech and social media. It takes the first step to automate and schedule the social media contents in one place.
2. Digital Brand Marketing Education: It holds continuing learning philosophy to educate empowered professionals in using digital to brand and market their businesses.
3. Heidi Cohen: She brings you into the world of digital and direct marketing through her established experiences so that readers can easily apply to their current social situation.
4. Hubze: Social media marketers and lovers share how to start the social media engine to engage with customers and manage social media accounts like an elite.
5. inBlurbs: It shows you how to get found on the Internet and convert the traffic into physical customers to bring up your own brand and prospects.
6. Inbound Marketing Spot: It belongs to Trust eMedia and provides inbound marketing strategies to build a loyal social media community to support brands and businesses.
7. Jeff Korhan: He is an inspiring speaker who can help and present the closer connection between social media and small businesses to grow through Internet and social media.
8. Jeff Bullas: The blog, which is being ranked #87 in AdAge Power 150, offers public some useful hints and advices on how to make advantage of social media tools.
9. Likeable Media: It purposes on leveraging social media to build up marketing castle that supports brand, value and services.
10. Marketing Tech blog: There are media marketing experts to analysis the current development and provide technology and marketing tips for social marketers.
11. Media First: A blog from a public relations agency to help clients to win new market share and grow revenues and profits with unique marketing tactics.
12. Media Tapper: The purpose is to discuss day-to-day developments in the social and online media world and share the piece of information globally.
13. My Social Agency: Provide a series of expert advices and solutions in social media management to keep in touch with the current racing world pace.
14. Pushing Social: It tells you to do what to publicize and market around through Stanford Smith’s words. He is an online marketing strategist who loves amplifying social tools.
15. Sales Lion: Read “Why Subscribe” in its site and realize that it is an experience sharing and writing to help people who are involved in sales hardcore and marketing mistakes.
16. Social Mouths: “I help people be successful online” brings readers to meet Francisco Rosales who determines to help every potential reader creating their brand and expertise.
17. Social Strand Media: Provide marketing solutions, from social media to marketing campaigns, at free consultation to accelerate your brand beyond the borders.
18. Spiderworking: Teaching small to medium business how to promote brand and drag online traffic using social media, Amamda Webb shares her knowledge after her first business, Feelgood Organic Hampers.
19. Splash Media: Contains opinion and analysis from a group of social media, marketing and video professionals. Specifically tailor solution and monitor progress for their clients.
20. ViralBlog: Ranked #71 in the AdAge Power 150 as well as collects the daily viral and social media cases over the global, in order to inspire people and create the best social strategies.

All these blogs provide businesses up to date  information regarding social media, case studies, success stories and great marketing tips.

I love reading  weekly mashups from We are Social  - http://wearesocial.net/blog/2012/01/we-are-socials-monday-mashup-103/ and Jeffrey Thomas's weekly EdTech Resources Treasure Chest - http://jeffthomastech.com/blog/?p=11829

Alltop covers news from everywhere about social media - http://social-media.alltop.com/ - so this is another great resource to use, share and provide you with inspiration to write your own blog posts, Tweets and updates.

Social Media keeps growing, so it means we have to keep learning! So there has to be a lot reading, reviewing, researching and staying up to date.

8 easy ways to invest in social media

Social Media is an investment. And it is a long term investment.

"Don’t treat it as a stand alone function, but as an asset, and you’ll be glad you invested in it."  - Sean Clark.

Most small businesses and non profit organisations are not going to see quick results. And they are probably not going to see ROI. Social Media requires time, energy, effort and often this is very hard to measure by ROI alone.

Larger corporations and companies who make use of email marketing, social media campaigns and a campaign or video going viral will probably see instantaneous results - but this can fade and it is up to a marketing team (or agency) to plan and invest in social media on a regular basis.

Over the past few years, we have experienced changes in the online world. We are learning to plant fish where people are actually logging in and looking for fish and most people are using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Thanks to Chris Brogan's eBook, Fish Where The Fish Are, he encourages the use of social and traditional marketing which will explain to you how to use sales and marketing tools to reach your audience online.

Once Google+ enables business profiles, there will be another platform to drive traffic and marketing.

Here are 8 simple ways you have to invest in social media over the long term:

1. Post often - at least once every working day. Whether it's a video, written content, an announcement, news, a launch or photos, blogs drive traffic to and from your website and to other social media accounts. Business blogs aid businesses, drives traffic and provides a communication tool. Every company no matter how big or small should have a blog.

2. Update often  - several times a week on Facebook. Make sure you respond to queries and build a relationship with people who have liked your page.

3. Tweet often - There is a limit of 250 times a day. Depending on the nature of your business, your style and voice, you can Tweet between 7- 100 times a day to help you drive your brand and business. Twitter acts as a global newspaper and often content gets lost. Try to use Twitter for sharing knowledge and for interacting with others; without constant marketing and promotion. Have a look at companies and brands you resonate with and follow their suit on Twitter.

5. Have a marketing strategy - plan for 3 - 6 months so you can plan campaigns, content, prizes, and giveaways. Keep adjusting the strategy every few months according to changes and needs. Have monthly meetings with the social media team (customer service or marketing team) to discuss changes online and new resources/ideas. Social Media is constantly changing.

6. Listen to your clients and customers -  monitor their responses, clicks and shares. Listen to what they want, answer their questions and plan or implement strategies to satisfy your advocates. Use surveys, questions, focus groups, emails, campaigns and email marketing to reach clients and customers.

7. Invest in training - Training provides the tools to assist with social learning, interaction and finding resources which fit the business, encourage social media in workplaces. Individuals (yourself, staff or team) will learn from each other and interact with each other. Social Media and Social Learning go hand in hand, it increases productivity, aids curiosity and understanding. Individuals who work in an environment which encourages social learning; find that they are more invested in the company or business. Talk to your staff; they are dealing with clients and customers in a myriad of ways from the receptionist, to customer service teams to the marketing team themselves. Your workplace will be able to understand clients/customers wants and needs via their emails and interaction with your business.

8. Engage  - thank people, answer people who reply or like or comment. They have made the effort to be in contact with your business and whether they are in need of assistance, customer service or advice; the more you interact; the more likely they will return.

Here are some basic best practices for social media success.

I would like to emphasise that social media is long term. People are seeking information online and are building long term relationships with brands.

These 8 basic steps will enable you and your business/company to invest in social media for the long haul. Most of these steps have to be taken everyday with regular meetings, reviews on a monthly (6 weeks, or bi monthly) basis. 

Whether you work for yourself or for a giant corporation, by making a long term investment in social media; these 8 steps will give you results.

Using videos for marketing

I've just started using Go Animate to make videos, discussing social media, training and etiquette, a fun way of trying out video and deciding how to use videos professionally.

What I enjoy the most making about making videos on this platform, is that you can export them to YouTube, share on social media and embed on websites or blogs, so  the developers and designers are welll aware that people search for video content and 1 in 4 people in the US are watching/accessing videos daily.

Videos are the fastest growing out of all social media tools, they're often easy to make and YouTube has just made it incredibly easy to edit videos making it easy for you to search for and view anything you like.

Have a look at the Online Video Rankings and consider video marketing. 

You can do guerilla ads, montages, how tos, training sessions, guides, words, launches, festivals, glimpses, sneak peaks, vlogging ... you name it.

As you can tell from the rankings above Google Sites, driven primarily by video viewing at YouTube.com, ranked as the top online video content property in May with 147.2 million unique viewers.

So if you choose to use animations or stick figures like me (to start) or a hire/use a professional team with access to excellent music, voice and sound - which ever way you to go, export to YouTube or use YouTube, make use of tags and labels and set up your channel.

Here's my latest animated videos  - http://www.youtube.com/user/ebbyeryan

Make use of videos for social media, people like to view content and share/send to friends.

Looking for a Guru?

I Tweet and I am on Facebook and I have a blog while assisting with and advising clients and helping them wade through social media.
I say wade through because for someone who is starting on social media, the reality is that it can and does add an hour more of work a day and that is if you are doing social media properly.

For me, properly means the same as how you use and access your emails. In the mornings (I am assuming) you check your emails to deal with anything that is needed to do for the day as well as enquiries, priorities, plans, meetings and you respond accordingly.

On average, business and companies (from CEO to any level of staff) access their emails at least every 20 - 25 minutes. I am assuming that the busier you are at work, the bigger your business is, the more products and services you provide and they way you service your clients, probably means that you email and receive emails all day long.

So soon, social media (new media) will become just as important and vital for those people who are providing their business with social media services.

As well as checking emails, I recommend checking whichever social media sites you are active on, to respond to any comments, or queries or messages or even likes on Facebook, Twitter, your blog and LinkedIn.

In a company which offers a service (such as mine) you are responsible for providing services. In my case it's tips, suggestions, helpful hints and references to apps which can help you business and my Twitter account, has proved an invaluable tool for finding, sharing and using information to benefit my clients.

There are always recommendations regarding social media and one is knowing where your audience is.

I have a Facebook business page where I link this blog and my Tweets (links, updates, shared content) but the reality is I use Facebook as a search tool to find and drive content regarding social media practices so I can ensure that I am knowledgeable and essentially helping my clients by providing a better service.

Jess Nichols who wrote a blog post about knowing your product and that if people search for you (if you are calling yourself a social media expert/guru), they need to see that you are using social media actively.

Jess responded to on Twitter when we were discussing this post " I try not to put too much pressure on my blogging; I'd rather now do quality > quantity. Once a month is ok for me" She also emphasises that she thinks "It comes back to being authentic and legitimate in the industry"

If you sell products and have daily weekly or monthly events, you will have to be active on the social media accounts where your audience, your buyers are coming from. By active I mean anything that needs to responded to (whether positive/negative) needs to be actioned within 24 hours.

Over the past few months, I have to agree with Jess's post. It is about quality and being human and authentic when you are providing a social media service. Sure some people (or people who are doing their social media) schedule their blog posts and activate their links via platforms which help them drive their links over a certain period of time. If your buyers are in the UK and USA and are reading your blogs and buying your products, while you are asleep, there certainly needs to be an awareness and implementation of best practices for your business.

I realise that people who are at work doing the work that they do, always say that they have no time for social media.

My recommendation is to hire someone who will act as a marketing person and/or community manager who deals with monitoring and analysing your social media, responds to fans and followers by providing an additional and much needed customer service role, while reading, researching, building a brand and engaging with your business and community (no matter what type of business you are in, you can build a community who will benefit you online)

I am not honestly a fan of people who call themselves social media gurus/experts. Social Media is still new media there are hundreds and thousands of people still who have not embraced Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, YouTube, LinkedIn and hundreds of other tools and platforms that can drive their message, their business online.

So Google your company/business. What comes up?

More importantly what doesn't come up? A charity event you put together and advertised everywhere on print? A new line? A list of events/courses. A recent interview? A podcast or video that you spent time and money on?

The answer is that social media will ensure that all of this, comes up - links, sharing, events lists, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, SMO, SEO, labels, tags will provide you with ways to further market and drive your business alongside traditional marketing techniques.

I recommend being active on social media and driving traffic. Yet I also recommend being part of a community, providing valuable content and getting to know your audience and what people get and want from your business. I work alongside businesses to ensure that we put practices into place which are suitable for their needs and I concentrate on one important aspect  - community.

I am not a marketing manager. I am not a guru. I need to put my recommendations into practice more and ensuring I do and represent what I teach. I discovered that I love this industry, this ability to reach people globally and I saw the benefits of this new media and how we can all put this into our practices at work.


But like Jess points out in her blog post, are they active, or lurking or aggregating? Are they embracing tools and social media sites themselves? When was their last Facebook, Twitter update and their latest blog post?

Regardless of whether you are a small business or a giant corporation who has a social media team, I recommend doing. I don't recommend feeling pressure to do and adding additional work to your already jam packed work day. I do not recommend doing at the cost of other things which are a priority at work.

If you can hire someone to manage your social media holistically by embracing and sharing and engaging, try that for a few months and then Google your business again.

And if you cannot, (don't have the time) or if you feel that you should hire someone with the knowledge to do so, check how and what they are doing first online, Google the person, read what they link to, blog about, tweet about and share - and look closely at when and how they do so.

And then by all means Google me and Google the word guru.

Picture below belongs to and is thanks to Ryan Jones's blogpost Having 1000 Twitter followers doesn't make you a social media guru. Thank you Ryan

January

January is the time to plan events and the marketing for the next 6 months.

What events are you interested in attending this year?

Do you want to met other marketers and networkers? Or pursue some of your interests to meet like minded people to benefit/market/promote your business in a social setting and possibly get some ideas. 

Try Eventbrite or stickytickets. You can attend events or even host your own event and share events on social media sites. 

Ignite Sydney will be held on the 10th February. If you would like to present a topic, they are calling for topic submission.

Last years' topics included shopping, technology, project management, science, life, hacking and improvisation as well giving attendees and presenters an excellent opportunity to network.

Social Media is all about integrating social media strategies and using them alongside traditional marketing to build your business, brand and online presence.

This year is all about building a community, writing content and using marketing tools and strategies both on and offline to benefit your business.