6 Tips to Successful Social Media Management
73
These tips are based on my own experiences and I would love to hear from you too. Please feel free to comment and share your ideas!
1. Make the right connections
It is no use just adding a whole pile of spammers who are going to clutter your walls and inboxes with garbage. They waste time and space and do not give you a very professional look. You need to be seen to be engaging with the right people and rubbing shoulders with the leaders in your industry. Above all you need to be speaking to the right people, the people who are actually looking for what you are offering.
It is much better to have fewer friends and followers who are in your field than thousands of spammers.
How do you find them?
Twitter search
Google search for people on facebook, youtube, and linkedin
Follow the leader. Check out the converstations he or she is having and follow them. Longtail follow them.
Set a Google alert for the leaders in your field and keep an eye on what they are up to and who they are talking to. Take a genuine interest and engage with the people they are engaging with.
Locate blogs and forums in your niche
Follow the key players in an organisation, not just the organisation itelf.
2. Be really visible and linkable
Make sure your links are really visible everywhere. On your website, Facebook Page, business cards, at the end of emails. It used to be enough to leave your web address around, but not anymore. Make it really easy to like, link and connect in as many ways as possible with links, buttons, widgets and apps.
3. Keep the context right
When you are posting messages, comments and links remember where you are posting and keep it relevent to that platform. Twitter needs to be short and snappy with bit.ly links, facebook offers a multitude of options depending on what kind of page you are using. Business and Fan pages should be dynamic, lively current, useful and helpful. Personal pages can be a bit more personal but be careful not to be overly personal...perhaps the same way you would engage at an informal networking event. Linkedin should be approached with a business head. Do not spam any of the sites and engage with the right people wherever you can. Be polite, helpful, knowlegeable, and kind. Funny is good and so is inspiring and motivating, but be careful not to overdo it.
4. Study the Leaders
If you find someone who is getting lots of success with social media watch what they are doing and learn from them. In my experience, this is niche specific and you know your own niche. A word of warning though....make sure you stay true to yourself. Don't copy outright, make it your own.
5. Measure your success by your level of Engagement
Try to take the long view, get passed return on investment and sales and know that if you are connecting with the right people and having good conversations this will pay off dividends. Document your good conversations so you remember them and the people you are engaging with.
6. Be Real
If you say something mean it and don't stoop to flattery. Remember you are dealing with real people who have real feelings and treat them with respect. This includes not adding people to your lists if it is not appropriate. You can afford to be selective, it will pay off in the end.
Have fun and let us know if we can help you with anything.
CommentsLoading...
Thanks Sonny, very kind of you to comment. Kay
Thanks Kay for sharing some real honest tips. You're so right, it's not necessary the amount of followers you have, or people within your network - but it's the Quality that's more important.
Thanks so much for leaving a comment...it is brilliant to get feedback. Off to check out your work now. Kay
These are excellent tips. Finding established communities in your niche on forums and blogs is one of the best ways to single out the leaders to learn from. Finding niche social bookmarking sites (or topics on the larger sites) is also a good way to ensure you are a part of the conversation as a whole.
Yes exactly that! You've got it! Thanks for both of your comments....
Hi Kay,
Great tips. I might add that each Social Media venue is different and needs to be approached differently. Twitter for example, has a lot of noise (constant chatter of new updates) versus a Facebook Page, which may only have a few updates a day. To get a message out on Twitter, therefore, you may need to repeat it several times a day, mixed in with your other updates.
Hi Kay,
Great tips. I might add that each Social Media venue is different and needs to be approached differently. Twitter for example, has a lot of noise (constant chatter of new updates) versus a Facebook Page, which may only have a few updates a day. To get a message out on Twitter, therefore, you may need to repeat it several times a day, mixed in with your other updates.
Hey Carl, how you doing? Thanks for that really useful tip that I didn't mention. It is so important to use the right platform for the right kind of networking. Are you a social media manager too? Kay
Thank you Kay, for being frank and upright about what I had been feeling in my gut. Unknowingly I have been following your advice, sensing more than knowing that it was the right approach. I agree that it is certainly not the number of followers or friends that dictate the quality of your online presence, but rather what each can contribute to the other. I'm still only dipping my toes in the Social Media pool... so much to learn and understand. Thank you for your very sound advice. Emm
thanks Emma you are a natural! xx
Your Tip 2. Be really visible and linkable is spot on. Not only because I came her via Sarah's FB page and the LINK on her Fan Page, but the CONTEXT was in sync with what I was looking for, so 3 for 3 is a nice triage.
thanks so much I will pass that on to Sarah as well. Great to hear from you and we really appreciate your comments.
Great advice Kay. This type of behavior plays a huge part in network marketing. One person can have 100 people sponsored, but if there isn't anyone actually duplicating or taking action, your entire purpose is defeated. Connecting with the right people and building the right relationships is key.
Thanks alot,
Neil Butler
THank you for the tips, if you dont mind me asking - Which social media platform converts best for you? Facebook? Twitter? or Social bookmarking websites?
Hey thanks for that. Facebook without a doubt! And you?
You can also measure some of the stats that you are getting from your efforts with sites like Hootsuite, SocialOomph, and Tweetdeck (just to name a few). This will help you see if people are responding to your posts and what does and doesn't work. Thanks for the great hub!
hey Blair, yes very true and I just signed up to Sendible yesterday too....have you looked at that one?
Hey Carl, how you doing? Thanks for that really useful tip that I didn't mention. It is so important to use the right platform for the right kind of networking. Are you a social media manager too? Kay
Hi Kay,
Yes, I do social media management. It is a great field to be in. Always something new each day.
You have some great articles. Keep them coming.
Carl
Good point of view, i like the variety. Ill have to try some of these ones out.
thanks very much for taking the time to leave a comment....
Great advise,,, I'll do your tips. I enjoy your hubs. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks very much for your kind comments Nik, wishing you all the best. Kay
DOn't spam, would be nice to add. Getting tired of junky emails from Facebook marketers :(
Sonny Lanorias 22 months ago
Hello Kay, thanks for sharing these tips. Very informative especially to those who want to make the most out of social media. Thanks for your leadership! Have a great day.