Flower Mandala
Social media is such a great and necessary tool these days. Maybe you have a presence online and want to make sure you are getting the most for your efforts, or you are dying to jump in but don’t know how to start – either way I can help you. With 20+ years in marketing and public relations, I will work with you, at your pace, to reach your goals. Would you like to talk or have a question? Email me: judyaultpr@gmail.com
– Judy Ault
San Francisco Marathon
Social media might look easy. Even a child can do it, right? If you are using social media to market your business, think again. There is a lot to think about and it is not child’s play. Here are 10 important things to consider in managing your social media presence:
(1) Have a Plan – The best thing to do is have a marketing plan that includes social media and has set goals and objectives. Social media is not an island.
(2) Bigger is not Better – Finding and keeping the “right” followers is far more important than racking up big numbers of followers. Your goal is to find your target audience and engage them – moving them toward a goal and objective.
(3) Create an Online Persona and Stick to It – You have expertise than can be described in five words – what are they? If your expertise is local plants/flowers, talk around this subject on your social media pages and stick to it. Your followers value your authentic voice and expect to find content related to your main subject.
(4) This is a conversation, not a soliloquy – The genius of social media is you can engage your customers (followers) in conversation and learn from them as well as share. Remember to ask questions and ask for opinions.
(5) Post Content Regularly to All Your Pages – Posting daily is best and try varying the times your post to see when your followers respond the most. Don’t forget about weekends.
(6) Your Social Media Pages Are Your Storefront – Would you tolerate a misspelled word on your store window or sign? Then don’t let it happen online! Proof read all your content before posting. I recommend writing original content offline and posting as needed.
(7) Measure Your Progress – Pay attention to what your followers respond to online. Look at the analytics for your pages. There are also online tools available to monitor and measure your progress.
(8) Keep Your Cool Online – Don’t take the defensive with a negative comment. There are plenty of cranky people out there and you are bound to bump in to one. Be your gracious self on line. This could be your moment to rise and shine above it all.
(9) Social Media is Not Free – Would you make a 17 year old CEO? Then why would you consider putting them in charge of your business’s online presence? Social media used as a marketing tool takes thought, creativity and savvy – oh and time (lots of it). The average social media manager spends 10-15 hours per week per client.
(10) This is a Marathon, Not a Sprint – When it comes to social media, you have to think long term. Build, build, build. Remember, Rome was not build in a day, so don’t give up!
-Judy Ault is public relations consultant in Birmingham, AL. Follow @judyprgirl on Twitter.
Do you live in Alabama? If you do, you know about April 27, 2011. It’s a day we will never forget. This Saturday marks the two-year anniversary of one the worst tornado outbreaks in U.S. history. To help in the healing and recovery, I founded Camp Alabama Storm in 2011. We created a camp for children and then a traveling art therapy event to work with children who were grieving and traumatized from the storms. Our work concluded in Summer 2012. This is a collection of stories around the camp and the Camp Alabama Storm Art Line:
Art by Cyd Moore
So you jumped in the pool with a Facebook page, Linkedin and Twitter accounts, and a bunch of Pinterest boards. Now what, you are wondering, right? Where is everybody?
There is a little more to it than showing up. OK, a lot more. Social media tools are, by nature, social. If you are there to be more than sociable, you need to know how to navigate the waters with intention.
Ask yourself some questions:
What are my goals for being online? For being on specific platforms?
What audiences do I want to reach and what is my message?
What do I have to add to the conversation that makes me stand out?
How much time/money do I have to support my marketing effort?
Having a plan of action that is focused and realistic to your needs and budget is important and the first order of business. The next challenge is create connectivity and flow to all of your web pages for maximum visibility and usability. Then you are ready to build a community with others online, sharing content and expanding your opportunity to build relationships that enhance both credibility and visibility for you and your business.
I love this work. If I can assist you in the planning and building of your communications effort, please let me know. Contact me at judyaultpr@gmail.com and let’s talk.
Making Sense of Content Marketing and the Online Landscape in 2013
Key words, content and web pages all weave together to create your online presence. Some tried and true marketing tools are still of great value as part of the mix. How to weave them together for the maximum benefit is the important question, and you still have to start with a plan – a marketing plan.
Below is a great article about the changing online landscape. It is food for thought as you plan your online moves for 2013:
http://mashable.com/2012/12/06/seo-content-marketing/
Want to learn about the latest in social and PR? Follow me on Twitter. I post great articles from around the web on all things PR , social media. It’s all about connection!
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Judy Ault Public Relations 