8 Steps to Social Media Goodness
It’s all about being human and engaging in conversation with other humans. We have done it for thousands of years and we really like it. That’s why social media is spreading like wildfire. Sir Tim Berners Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, said it best:
“I had (and still have) a dream that the Web could be less of a television channel and more of an interactive sea of shared knowledge. I imagine it immersing us as a warm, friendly environment made of the things we and our friends have seen, heard, believe, or have figured out. I would like it to bring our friends and colleagues closer, in that by working on this knowledge together we can come to better understandings.”
Location
Go where your audience is. People will not spend time on your site it’s not interesting enough. Most of us like to spend time with other people and this usually happens in social media sites so you have to be there.
Identity
Don’t try to hide who you are in social media. The key in social networks is that people like to talk to other people not some anonymous entities. Full disclosure is the best way to go. Be authentic, be believable, be you.
Connections
Concentrate on relationships with people and get involved in relevant discussions with consumers. Try to find and connect with those who have influence and authority in social media sites. But don’t forget others who are not “A-list”. Thousands of regular people might give you more stable audience than few A-list influencers.
Understanding
Use search to find out what your customers are talking about your brand, competitors and industry. Search Twitter, Facebook and Google Blog Search for relevant keywords. Set up Google alerts to get the latest news.
Give value
To be a successful in social media doesn’t always mean the number of followers, friends, or postings you have managed to get. It is more about trust and your reputation. Giving out consistent and useful information will help you to become an expert in your field.
Interact
Don’t use social media platforms as a new way to yell at people by giving out one-way marketing messages about your brand. Do not sell! Help, share, engage people, ask questions, give support, promote others… and then they will buy.
Long term
Building a following in social media sites will take time. It is not one-off campaign media. You may have a slow start. Just keep going. When you have accumulated enough value on your social bank account then your fans will pay back by spreading your message and buying your products.
Measure
In the end we want results. Some metrics to follow might be: incoming traffic from links, number of people subscribed to news feeds, members, fans, followers. How many mentions you get in the form of trackbacks and links to posts. Number of mentions in social media. Comments on blog and other social media posts. And the most important of all sales and leads.
Priit Kallas,
Social media and internet marketing
http://www.dreamgrow.com