Tag Archive for tweets

30 Apr 2012

What to say on social media

Help – what do I say on social media?

This is a “frequently asked question” in my experience, and it seems that many business owners wonder what to say on social media. They are worried about saying the wrong thing, and/or they simply can’t think of enough different things, or indeed anything at all, to say to make social media activity worthwhile. A common misconception is that people only use social media to post about what they had for breakfast…

It’s not unusual for people to feel that they aren’t interesting, or they don’t want to sound like they’re bragging, and they know it’s not about what you had for breakfast……so their perception is that they don’t have anything useful to share on social media.

Newsflash…

…you don’t have to post about yourself or your business most of the time! Here’s the thing: there’s absolutely no need to continually produce original content to post on social media, in fact it’s far better not to. Sharing other people’s content is far more valuable and will go a long way towards building your social communities and generating interaction and engagement. A good rule of thumb would be to make at least 80% of your social media updates not directly related to your own business or products. However you can – and should – post links to your own blog articles whenever you produce them. If you don’t already have a blog for your business, you might want to read this article I wrote last year.

Ways to find shareable content

If you’ve just set up your social media accounts – we’ll assume you’ve chosen Facebook and Twitter to start with – I’d recommend not posting anything for the first week or two. Instead, just watch and learn from others. Run a few searches to find other businesses in your niche, follow them, then keep an eye on the type of things they post. Do you find any of it interesting? Chances are that you will – you might click a few links and find yet more useful information. Would your colleagues also find it interesting? Go ahead and share (on Facebook) or retweet (on Twitter). Congratulations, you’re learning what social media is all about!

To make sharing easier, try setting up a few lists in Twitter and in Facebook. This allows you to curate content from like-minded people or those in the same field of business as yourself, without having to trawl through updates from all of your followers. You can then simply visit your lists daily and quickly find anything of interest that you feel is worth sharing.

From my own viewpoint, I’d be lost without Google Reader. It has been a real goldmine of information for me and I spend time every day going through my list of blogs and sharing links on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus. (I don’t share every link to all networks, I am selective about it). Take a look at my previous article on Google Reader to learn more – I highly recommend you set up an account if you’ve not already done so – it’s free

Interact with others

Once you’re feeling comfortable on your chosen social networks and are starting to build a community, you will want to start giving back to others, perhaps by recommending them. If you see a request for help and you know someone who offers that particular service, all you have to do is reply and tag / @mention your contact and guess what, everyone benefits and you might well gain a new follower and/or potential customer. And it goes without saying that if anyone recommends you, you should respond quickly and thank them. This is one reason why you do need to visit your social media accounts regularly, to check for messages and mentions so that you aren’t leaving someone waiting and wondering why they’ve not had a response to their question.

And finally…..

The burning question – YES! It is OK to mention yourself, your products and services occasionally. But try to keep the self-promotion as subtle as possible. For example, I might post something like “Need help using social media for your business?” with a link to my website.

Need help using social media for your business? Take the first step! Contact me on 01777 249075
or by email at info@naomijohnsonsocialmedia.co.uk

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Naomi | 2 comments | Tags: blogging, facebook, google, google plus, linkedin, social media, tweets, twitter

01 Apr 2012

business growth • linkedin • relationship marketing • small business • social media • social networking • twitter

Networking – are you well connected?

Don’t be shy!

In my business it’s important to be an active networker, both on and offline. I meet a lot of people at networking events, collect business cards, and browse scores of websites and social media profiles. I’m often surprised at how “disconnected” many business people seem to be.

Look, if someone had told me a couple of years ago that in 2012 I’d be a member of several networking groups, on the management team of one, and quite happy to chat with strangers about business matters on a regular basis, I’d have said they were barking! But this is what has happened – I started networking seriously last summer and haven’t looked back – I really enjoy it and have made many valuable contacts.

If you want to be easily found online and offline (and why wouldn’t you, if you’re in business?) - then you need to integrate your communication channels. Here are a few tips to help with your networking.

Offline Connections

When you meet people at networking events, make a point of connecting with them on LinkedIn – always send a short personal message when you do this.
Connect on Twitter if the contact is active there (it’s very easy to recommend/refer on Twitter and is always appreciated).
Consider setting up a spreadsheet to keep track of your offline connections, and update it regularly.
Add your social network link URLs to adverts, business cards, brochures, posters, newsletters and any other literature you use to promote your business.

Online Connections

If you have social media accounts (please tell me you do?), make sure they’re updated regularly. Having an account and never updating is worse than not having the account at all.
Although it’s good to cross-reference occasionally, please don’t duplicate the same content across all your networks. Tweets sent to Facebook and LinkedIn are particularly disliked.
Automation tools have their place, but you still need to interact daily, in person, on all your networks. Your followers will soon realise if you’re never actually there.
Establish a routine & find your best times to update (monitor engagement at different times of day).
Make sure your profiles/bios are fully completed on all networks – give as much information as possible about your business, but do add a few personal touches too.
Brand your accounts – be consistent with your logo, colours, background images etc. as well as your “voice”.
Always include your social network links in email and forum signatures.

The takeaway message here is that you need to make yourself highly visible both off- and online. Are you ready to step into the spotlight?

Need help getting found online? Take the first step! Contact me on 01777 249075
or by email at info@naomijohnsonsocialmedia.co.uk

Naomi | No comments | Tags: business development, business growth, linkedin, networking, social media, social profiles, tweets, twitter

19 Oct 2011

facebook • facebook pages • google • linkedin • marketing • social media • twitter • youtube

How To Do Social Media in 10 Easy Steps

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liako/

How To Do Social Media??

I go to quite a few local networking meetings, where I naturally get involved in conversations about social media. I can’t recall a meeting where someone hasn’t said to me “I’ve set up a Facebook and Twitter account, but I don’t really know what to do now”……..
Yesterday I attended a “Blogging for Business” seminar. The speaker recommended blogging about questions that people have asked, and the topic of this post – How To Do Social Media – immediately came to me

So, how to “do” social media??

Sit down with a coffee and decide what you want to achieve with social media. More website visitors? More sales? Building a community? Being seen as the local expert in your field? The answer will probably be a combination of all these things.
Also think about how you will track the results from your social media campaigns. Google analytics is free and very powerful. There are also various tools for tracking particular social media channels. Facebook has its own Page Insights and this has just been upgraded to give even more information.
Consider your branding. It’s important to be consistent across all the social networks so that your business is instantly recognisable. Your social media pages should have the same branding as your website and blog. Ideally your username should be consistent across all platforms, too.
Set up your accounts. It might be wise to start with just one or two so that you can get a feel for how they work. If you dive into multiple networks straight away, you’re more likely to give up. We’re back to the original complaint of “I don’t know what do do”….
I’d recommend starting with Twitter. Many people find it difficult to believe that it can be useful for business. But if you persevere and take time to understand this platform you will soon appreciate its power. The key is consistency. You can’t afford to miss tweeting for more than a day or two. This can seem impossible at first!
If you follow my advice and start with Twitter, ”listen” first. Begin by following a few people in your niche (find them via a google search), watch what they’re tweeting about. Look at who they’re following and who their followers are. You might also want to follow some of these. Then start to engage – comment on what’s been posted, mention that you found it useful etc.
Look for people in your local area and follow them. Many will be local businesses who might need your services in the future. Perhaps you’ve already met them at networking meetings? It’s always good to meet “tweeps” in the flesh after a few weeks of virtual chat!
Remember, be consistent! And don’t be tempted to use software that automatically adds followers – this is a waste of time as followers added this way are unlikely to be interested in what you have to offer. You need quality, not quantity. It’s far better to grow your followers organically, and after a while this will start to happen without any action from you. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t continue looking for followers.
When you feel that you’re familiar with Twitter and are starting to see results, get set up on one of the other networks – LinkedIn is a good choice as it is very powerful for B2B connections and there are many possibilities for “networking” within the platform. LinkedIn is known as the professionals’ social network.
Rinse and repeat the above with Facebook and YouTube if you wish! A Facebook page is a must-have for most B2C businesses and can also be very useful for B2B. YouTube is great if you have a lot of visual content, but basically any business can produce powerful marketing videos without too much effort. Hmmm…….about time I started with video

Has this helped to answer your question “How to do social media”?
If you’re still struggling and need advice on setting up and using social media accounts, start by contacting me on 01777 249075
or by email at info@naomijohnsonsocialmedia.co.uk

Naomi | 6 comments | Tags: facebook, facebook pages, linkedin, social media, social media marketing, tweets, twitter, video, youtube

11 Oct 2011

facebook • facebook pages • google • linkedin • marketing • network marketing • social media • social networking • twitter • youtube

Social Media in Network Marketing

The Role of Social Media in Network Marketing

image courtesy of duchessa: www.i-pix.it

I think it’s likely that most people nowadays know what’s meant by “social media” – if you don’t, all you need do is browse around this website! But do you know what network marketing is? A common misconception seems to be that it’s “pyramid selling”. Well, sorry, but pyramid selling is actually illegal – and who’d try to sell pyramids anyway?? :) So, how about social media in network marketing?

Kleeneze, Avon, Herbalife, Forever Living, Utility Warehouse….

…. do any of these sound familiar? Yes? Well, they are all network marketing companies. Network marketing (also known as MLM, multi-level marketing) is a simple business model. Individuals are recruited, but are not employed by the company. They are self-employed (usually as sole traders) and form part of a group or team. Each team has various levels. It’s up to the individual to sell products (which they buy at a discount) to earn commission. It’s also beneficial to the individual if they can recruit others into their team. The exact details vary between companies but there are incentives and bonuses for performance in both sales and recruiting. The larger the team, the greater the potential to earn more.

However, this post isn’t intended to be an in depth study of network marketing as a business model. Rather, I would like to explore the role of social media in network marketing and why it’s a valuable asset. As it happens, in addition to my social media business, I am involved with two network marketing companies – Wikaniko and Neal’s Yard Remedies Organic. More information is available on my Eco-Friendly Living website.

I’ve found social media invaluable in promoting my activities with these companies. Of course, as with any business, social media in network marketing is not the answer to all your problems, but it does add value to the mix. I’d go so far as to say it’s essential for network marketers.

With most network marketing schemes, you’re aiming to sell products and recruit new team members. Chances are that a high percentage of potential buyers, and potential recruits, are already on the social networks. It’s your job to find them! At the least I’d suggest setting up a Facebook Page (preferably with a custom landing tab as these have been shown to generate more “Likes” – and a Twitter account. You might also consider getting yourself established on LinkedIn, to gain professional credibility. There are a number of discussion groups on LinkedIn for network marketers. YouTube would also be an excellent channel for promoting your products and sharing the benefits of joining your team!

Once you’re set up on the social networks, you need to find potential customers and team members. Don’t post a string of updates promoting your latest products – that will turn people off immediately. It’s all about being subtle, not shouting about yourself. Post links to interesting information about your niche, e.g. general health and wellness if you’re a Herbalife or Forever Living distributor. Search on Twitter for tweets asking about your company or products, or just general information related to your niche. Follow “thought leaders” in your field of interest and begin engaging with them. It’s OK to post “sales” updates occasionally, but no more than 10-20% of your posts should be self-promotion. Set up Google Alerts for topics around your niche, browse a selection of blogs and share links to these. You might find this post useful if you’re not sure of the best way to do this. Give value to your followers and always invite comments and questions. If someone responds to your update, always reply and invite further engagement.

Don’t expect things to happen overnight – it will take weeks or more likely months, to build up a following. It can be hard work to keep your community engaged – you have to keep at it and not abandon your Facebook or Twitter accounts for long periods. If you’re not sure of the best way to maintain your presence on social media, you might consider getting help from a professional. Your social media strategy will pay dividends in the long run, but plenty of patience is a must!

Are you in network marketing? Need advice on setting up and using social media accounts? Start by contacting me on 01777 249075
or by email at info@naomijohnsonsocialmedia.co.uk

you can also TEXT

INF SOCIALMEDIA or INF SOCIALMEDIA + your email address to 60777

to receive your free copy of my booklet “10 Reasons Why You Need to Get Up To Speed With Social Media”.

Naomi | 5 comments | Tags: facebook, facebook pages, google, linkedin, network marketing, social media, social media strategy, tweets, twitter, youtube

03 Sep 2011

business growth • marketing • SEO • social media • social networking • twitter

9 Useful Twitter Tips

Twitter Tips

I’ve recently started tweeting a series of Twitter Tips and have been pleasantly surprised to find that they seem to be appreciated, judging by the number of retweets and mentions that they’ve generated. Having recently read Dan Zarella’s article on “The Science of Retweets”, I’ve also been paying closer attention to the timing of my tweets.

A colleague recently recommended a Twitter tool, Buffer, that not only tells you the best times for you to tweet (based on performance of past tweets), but allows you to pre-schedule any number of tweets in a “buffer” so that they then get posted automatically at the scheduled times. It even suggests tweets for you if you find yourself lacking inspiration! Since using this I’ve found my followers increasing more quickly than before, and I’m also getting more engagement. I highly recommend Buffer!

I’m going to post my Twitter tips here and I hope that they will help some of you. Why not build up a series of tips related to your own business and see if they help to build your Twitter presence?

looking for a job? the majority of companies (>80%) now use social media as part of their recruitment.

don’t sit back & let everyone else tweet, jump in on a conversation, offer help, build your community & earn trust.

remember you can now add photos to your tweets in the update field – just click the camera icon. Photos get people interested!

more followers -> more reach for your tweets. Use search function, find people in your niche, follow & start conversations

Bear in mind a tweet has a very short lifetime. Approx. 90% of engagement happens within the 1st hour of tweeting.

link to your profile everywhere – Facebook, LinkedIn, your website/blog, email signature, biz card. Be easily found!

fill out your bio using the max. 160 chars. Who are you & what do you do? Include website link and a good head shot.

don’t tweet in textspeak – be creative and make best use of 140 characters, leaving a few for ReTweet

the ideal time to get retweeted is around 4pm EST (9pm GMT) on a Friday

Did you find these helpful? Please let me know in the comments, and feel free to add some of your own tips. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter to get more tips!

You can contact me on 01777 249075
or by email at info@naomijohnsonsocialmedia.co.uk

Naomi | 6 comments | Tags: business development, business growth, google, seo, social media, social media marketing, social media strategy, social networking, tweets, twitter

21 Jul 2011

blogging • business growth • facebook • google • linkedin • marketing • SEO • social media • social networking • twitter

Promote Your Business With Social Media – 5 Smart Tips

Chances are, if you’re in business, you’re aware of the “digital shift” that has taken place over the last 20 years or so. First it was the internet and email, then the world wide web – and now we have the social media revolution. Did your business set up a website 15 years ago along with thousands of others? It’s virtually unheard of nowadays for a business not to have its own website.

The last two years or so have seen a truly seismic shift, with an almost universal adoption of social media. But it’s no longer used just for “social” reasons – the various platforms represent a huge opportunity for businesses to promote and market themselves. Here are a few tips if you’re feeling left behind in the social stampede.

Find your voice – remember that social media is 21st century word of mouth, so be yourself – write as you’d speak to current or potential customers. Don’t put on an act.
Set up your Twitter account – begin to build a following. Follow key influencers in your niche and try to establish relationships. Always be subtle; don’t sell overtly. Tweet at least 6-8 times per day- keep people interested. No-one will follow an account that’s inactive.
Create a Facebook page for your business – add as much information as possible, using keywords appropriately. Include good photos of your products. Post at least 4 updates per week, and again keep things subtle; engage with your fans and ask them for feedback. Use the Questions app to create polls about topics relevant to your businesss.
Join LinkedIn – the premier B2B social network, but completely relevant for any business. It’s vital to complete your profile as fully as possible, including your previous work experience, education, and recommendations from clients. LinkedIn profiles rank very highly on Google – you do want to be found by potential clients, don’t you? Join relevant LinkedIn groups, take part in discussions, answer questions – begin to position yourself as an expert in your niche.
Create a blog – perhaps the most important of all. Your blog is your “home base” – where you should send people looking to find out what you do and what you can offer them. Link all your social media profiles to your blog and vice versa. (As you will notice I’ve done). Update your blog at least once a week, and always on a regular basis. This is vital for good SEO – fresh content always ranks highly. Remember to use keywords in your blog posts, titles, and tags.
Stop Press – get yourself an invite to Google Plus. The new social network launched at the end of June 2011 and already has well over 10 million users – the growth has been phenomenal and there are lots of very exciting features. As yet it’s not set up for business use, but this will be an imminent addition. If you would like an invite, let me know.

I hope the above points have given you a few ideas to get started on your social media adventure. If you’re still feeling confused and overwhelmed, I may be able to help!

And please feel free to let me know your top tips! Feedback is always very welcome.

You can contact me on 01777 249075
or by email at info@naomijohnsonsocialmedia.co.uk

Naomi | 2 comments | Tags: blogging, business development, business growth, digital shift, facebook, facebook pages, google, google plus, linkedin, seo, social media, social media management, social media marketing, social networking, tweets, twitter, word of mouth

06 Jul 2011

blogging • business growth • facebook • google • marketing • SEO • social media • social networking • twitter • youtube

60 Seconds Online – Implications For Your Business

Infographics are very popular nowadays, and for good reason – they present a lot of useful information and statistics in an easy to understand format. This one from Dave Ansett at Truly Deeply is very enlightening – and thought-provoking!

98,000+ tweets per minute. Latest statistics show 20% of tweets relate to brands or products, that’s nearly 20,000 tweets every minute – are they talking about your brand? Do you know what they’re saying? If not, why aren’t they, and if they are, shouldn’t you be listening and interacting?
13,000+ iPhone downloads. Is your brand/product one of the many without a brand app presence?
25+ hours of YouTube video. YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world – do you have a channel for your brand?
1,500+ blog posts per minute. Incredible! That’s a heck of a lot of people blogging daily. A major proportion of buying decisions are now made online – blogs are loved by google due to their frequently updated (we hope!) content, so there’s no excuse for your business not to have a blog. Your blog should be your “home base” on the web.
695,000+ Facebook status updates per minute – there are now more Facebook posts than Google searches. Facebook has literally become its own communication channel – a brand without a Facebook strategy is somewhat like a business without a website would have been, 15 years ago.
100+ new LinkedIn accounts per minute – can you afford not to be on LinkedIn, the premier social network for businesses?

Things are moving very fast in the world of Web 2.0 – now we have Google Plus, and shortly we’ll have Skype Integration with Facebook – are you keeping up? Is there anything you might need help with?

Naomi | No comments | Tags: blogging, facebook, google, google plus, seo, skype, social media, tweets, twitter, video, youtube

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Tag Archive for tweets

Help – what do I say on social media?

Newsflash…

Ways to find shareable content

Interact with others

And finally…..

Don’t be shy!

Offline Connections

Online Connections

How To Do Social Media??

The Role of Social Media in Network Marketing

Twitter Tips

A Positive Use for Social Media

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