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Stop Thinking of Social Media as a Chore

When I meet with small business owners to discuss their online marketing strategies, there is always a collective sigh when I bring up the importance of Social Media Marketing.  They think of it as a chore.  And while I understand the logic behind it, it is also a misconception.  Small business owners need to stop thinking of social media as a chore and start recognizing it as the powerful marketing tool it is!

Yes, Social Media Marketing does have similar qualities to chores. 

Yes, it does take time, planning and follow-through to have a successful social media marketing campaign. BUT, while the steps are similar, the outcomes and advantages are much different.

Start thinking of Social Media as a Sales/Marketing Employee. Read more

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2 Types of Posts that Positively Promote Your Business on Facebook

One of the most common questions I am asked is simply, “What should I post on social media for my business?”.  And while it’s a simple question, the answer differs depending on a wide variety of factors.

Facebook post types can vary depending on the industry of business and the nature of that business’ Facebook page.  If you have a lot going on in the near future, it’s easy to post about what’s upcoming.  But what if you don’t have a special upcoming event, or a new product launching?  How do you stay connected to your audience, without becoming a nuisance or ultimately losing followers?

Here are two types of posts that any business can do on a frequent basis to engage with your audience while still offering value: educational and positive.

1. EDUCATIONAL

Educational posts are a win-win for everyone; the poster and followers.  The poster interacts with followers and the followers could possibly learn something new.  There are tons of articles and blogs written daily on topics that may be relevant to your business that you can then share or link to.  Make sure you include a brief description of WHY you found this important enough to share.

For example, you’re in the clothing industry and a new type of fabric has been created.  Or, you’ve found a neat, short video with an innovative way to fold t-shirts.  You can share those items and it should provide some value to your followers.

The main goal of sharing educational posts is to PROVIDE VALUE and in-turn associate that value with your brand.

2. POSITIVE

Positive posts can be anything ranging from a beautiful landscape, to a positive quote.  These are quick and easy to view.  Try to avoid anything political that could cause too much of a backlash.  If you’re going to be radical, make sure you’re ready to deal with damage control (see my previous blog on Damage Control here).

For example, try to balance out positive quotes with a bit of humour and a bit of beautiful photography. Mix it all together and spread it out and you’ll be making positive impacts on your followers.

The main goal of sharing positive posts is to spread positivity and associate said positivity with your brand.

You’re ready to share positivity with your followers

Next time you’re running out of things to post, reach for something with educational or positive content.  You can even keep a few saved on your computer as backup when you’re in a pinch.  While there are many different types of posts, these two types are great for frequent impact and will leave a positive impression on your followers while also building your brand.

If you are looking for help building your online presence and awareness through social media marketing, I invite you to contact me by telephone or email, or through Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.  I look forward to helping you help our community!

Until next time,

Deanna

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Is Social Media Better than a Website for Online Marketing?

If you’re asking this question, than I applaud you for trying to understand the difference between the two online marketing tools.  Each online strategy serves a different purpose in your online marketing campaign.

Pros and Cons of a Website

Pros:

  • A website contains all the facts of your business. The main menu provides easy and quick access.
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Each page of a website has keywords which, when formatted properly, increase your SEO and your ranking on major search engines like Google and Bing, making it easier for people to find you online.

Cons:

  • A website is cold. As much as it may look nice, it doesn’t really have a personality; just the cold hard facts.
  • While it’s good to keep it updated, you simply can’t change the basic facts that often.

Pros and Cons of Social Media

Pros:

  • Let your personality shine! A proper social media presence builds a rapport with fans and followers, and lets shows the warmth of the business.
  • You can post as much as your heart desires! You can send out a range of posts from Community involvement, to inspirational/humorous quotes, and pictures of the daily goings-on at your business.

Cons:

  • Events and Information gets lost in the chronologically ordered timeline. Potential customers won’t spend hours, even minutes, scrolling through to try to find out if you’re open on the Holiday Monday.  A website has that information more readily accessible.
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO) doesn’t really apply to social media streams. Having these accounts active minimally impacts your SEO. The only real way to increase SEO organically is through a properly formatted website and blogging.

What is better? 

Having both an active social media presence and an up-to-date website representing your business is the best online marketing strategy.  The two work hand in hand to help you get found online, interact with fans and followers and provide the information necessary for those potential customers to reach you.

As a social media marketing specialist, I highly recommend you keep both your website and social media as updated as possible.  There are many ways to streamline content from one to the other.  I would love to discuss the options that will have the best return on investment for your business.

If you are looking for help building your online presence and awareness through social media marketing, I invite you to contact me by telephone or email, or through Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.  I look forward to helping you help our community!

Until next time,

Deanna

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