But how do you do that? There are so many platforms. Which one should you use? What should you post? How often? It's enough to drive you crazy. Or at least spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on some social media marketing "guru" who has all the answers.
Well, I'm here to tell you that there is no one perfect answer. Which platform should you use? The one you enjoy using. The one your target market interacts with you one. What should you post? Things that inform, entertain, and engage your followers. How often? Often enough to be visible. Not so often that your posts are competing with each other.
So in other words...Do what works for you.
Do I have some recommendations? Of course I do! Read through my suggestions. Take what feels right for your business. Ignore the rest. Because in the end, social media should be FUN! If you find yourself dreading the time you spend there, you are doing it wrong!
The Plan
I could write a book on how to successfully use social media to market your business. But I'm busy writing a different one so you'll have to be content with this post! Which means I'm going to assume you understand the basics of social media marketing: what it is, why we use it, what terms like engagement and algorithm mean. I'm going to focus on those questions we all have. Which platforms should I use? How should I use them? And how can I do this efficiently and effectively so I'm not wasting hours every day post online?
Step 1: Determine which platforms you are going to use. Again, don't pick platforms you don't enjoy using. TikTok is hot right now and many of my fellow marketers are using it. I'm not. I don't enjoy doing videos. I found a lot of toxic people on TikTok. I really don't understand how to use it effectively. And so I'm not there. For me, it would be a waste of time better spent elsewhere.
The platforms I recommend for your social media marketing:
1. Twitter
2. Pinterest
3. LinkedIn
4. Instagram
What? No Facebook?
Facebook is an important platform. It's the juggernaut in the social media world. And you should have a presence there. But they have made it very difficult to actually market there. Use it to build relationships and make connections. Host a Facebook group. Interact with friends and followers. But I think you'll find your business will be just fine if you focus your hardcore marketing on other platforms.
Along with the four platforms listed, you will want to build an email list. Yes, email is a form of social media. And a list is a critical part of your success. People who opt-in to your list have indicated they are interested in what you are offering. They were willing to give you there contact information to get it. That's a solid LEAD. And if Facebook, Twitter or any of the others close down tomorrow, you still have all the contact information of your list subscribers. So business goes on uninterrupted for you, while everyone else is trying to figure out how to connect with their market again.
The last thing you may want is a blog. This one isn't as vital as an email list. But I think it's worth pursuing. It's the only other thing online, besides your list, that is totally yours. If all my social media platforms were to go away, I would simply share information on my blog and then use my list to drive traffic there.
Twitter
Why Twitter? I can hear you already. It's full of trolls and bots. It's toxic. You can only post short little blurbs (280 characters). Yes, all of those things are true...if you let them become true. I have been on Twitter since 2009 and never once have I had to deal with trolls and haters. I simply don't allow them in my Twitter feed. And I have learned how to recognize bots. And 280 character limits have taught me to make my message CONCISE!
Why Twitter? Because your competitors are there if they are serious about their business. Because millions of people use it every single day. It's one of the busiest social networks. Because your community will become brand ambassadors, retweeting and sharing your content. And because Twitter let's you post links! Unlike FB, Twitter has no prohibition against posting links to your offers. Which makes it ideal for driving traffic wherever you want.
Twitter is easy to use. Keep your Twitter handle simple. Don't use numbers or other characters to make it unique. @MaryJo47225508 does not look professional and certainly does not inspire confidence in her business.
You are limited to 280 characters per tweet. But you can tweet images and video. Use them!
And don't forget, you can link back to your content. If you can't say it in 280 characters, turn it into a blog post and then post the link!
You can check out some other tips for using Twitter on my blog post Twitter Tips. Or join the Ninja Marketers Facebook Group for a 5-Day Twitter Challenge.
Pinterest
I love Pinterest. As we become an increasingly visual society, what better way to market than with images. But what makes Pinterest special is that each image is a clickable link. Think of it like a giant storefront or shopping mall and every image is like a window into your business.
Like Twitter, Pinterest allows the posting of link so it's a great way to drive traffic to your website, blog, sales page, or lead magnet. And while posts on Facebook and Twitter have a very short life span, the average life span of a post on Twitter is 3 months. I have posts that are 2 years old still generating leads and traffic.
The key to success on Pinterest is creating the right boards and then posting relevant content. Again, don't forget the video! Very few people are using video on Pinterest yet so this will really make you stand out.
For Pinterest Tips, visit my post Best Practices for Pinterest.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn has become the largest professional network in the world. This is not a social platform. What works on Twitter and Facebook won't work here. LinkedIn users are professional networkers. Does that mean they are not a market for your opportunity? Absolutely not! LinkedIn is an untapped social media GOLD MINE!
I freely admit I have not been active on LinkedIn for many years. When I started social media, LinkedIn was still in it's infancy and no one really understood its potential. I have recently revisited LinkedIn however. And I am convinced it will be one of the top social networks for business, if it isn't already.
I am still in the process of learning how to use it well. So no...I don't have any great insights to offer. But as I learn, I share with my folks. So if you want to keep up with all my findings, subscribe to my email list. That way you'll be sure not to miss out on anything.
Instagram
Instagram is one of the HOTTEST social media networks. ALL the major influencers have an Instagram profile. You know who I'm talking about. *wink*
While I am not as active there as Twitter and Pinterest, I do post there. It is a great platform for those who are more visually oriented. And just because it is not my main platform doesn't mean I haven't learned a few things. Check out my post Instagram Tips for ideas on how to show off your brand on Instagram.
Email Marketing
I know you have all heard it. Email Marketing is dead. Let me ask you a question. How many emails did you get today? If it was dead, do you think all those business would be wasting time on it? Not only is it not dead, it's a vital piece of your overall social media strategy.
I have already explained the benefits of email marketing. People who have opted in to your list have basically given you permission to market to them. They have provided you with their email address with the understanding that you will be sending them stuff periodically. That list of names and email addresses (and sometimes even phone numbers) is yours. No one can take that away from you. Twitter may go. Facebook may make it all but impossible to do business without paying. But that list is yours.
I am not going to go into a class on email marketing here. Again, that's an entire book in itself. I will tell you that you will need an autoresponder to get started. There are plenty to choose from. MailChimp. ConvertKit. I use AWeber. Quite simply, I think they are the best. I have been using them since I first started building my list waaayyy back in the the day. 😉 You can check them out for free.
If you want some additional guidance on how to build and leverage your list, I recommend the Simple List Leverage 5-Day Challenge. For $1 you will get 5 days of training from the fabulous Diane Hochman, the undisputed QUEEN of email marketing. Plus you'll receive a 30 day free trial of the marketing and training system I use everyday to build my business.
Blogging
I hope you have decided to add blogging to your social media mix. Yes, blogging is a form of social media! If you truly love to communicate and share with your tribe, you will love having a blog as a place to do that.
Starting a blog is easy. There are plenty of platforms to use. When I started 14 years ago (yes, I've really been at this that long), there were only two. Blogger and WordPress. WordPress was a bit more than this tech-challenged gal could handle. So I opted for Blogger. And I've been here ever since.
Like your email list, your blog is yours. No one can take it away from you. It's your way to speak your message to anyone and everyone. And it's a great marketing tool. Don't believe me? Just ask Ray Higdon!
As a blogger, of course I have written about blogging. Check out these posts for some information to help you get started:
Tools Are Great But Who Has The Time For All This?
Now that you have an idea of what tools you need in your social media marketing arsenal...
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Instagram
Aweber
Blogger
It's time to get to work. Ready to be overwhelmed? Don't worry. You can do all of this in a few hours a week. The key is automation and repurposing content.
First let's talk about automation. Many platforms don't like the use of schedulers. They are too easily co-opted by bots. But if you do it correctly, you can use them to help decrease the time you actually spend online posting. There are three that I have used and recommend.
SocialOomph: When I first started seriously using social media, I used SocialOomph. Basically, because it was free. But that didn't mean it was useful. It served my purposes quite nicely. Since then, it has developed and changed to keep pace with the changing world of social media.
HootSuite: From SocialOomph I moved to HootSuite. Why? Because I was told all the professional marketers used HootSuite! As good a reason as any, right? But they were a bit expensive for my budget back then, and I didn't just didn't see the need for my two little social media accounts. But if you have 10 or more accounts or work with a team, HootSuite may be for you.
Social Jukebox: Today I use Social Jukebox. It's easy, affordable, and does everything I need. And I love that I don't have to continually reschedule my posts. I basically set it up once a month (YES! I schedule a month's worth of posts at a time! How cool is that?) and then forget it. If I need to add or delete something during that time, it's a snap to go in and edit my "jukebox". In my opinion, it's the best tool available to help you save time on social media.
Repurposing Content
One of the easiest ways to save time with your social media is to repurpose your content. What does that mean exactly? It means using one piece of content in multiple ways.
Write a blog post. Break that down into shorter social media posts. Turn the contents of your blog post into a video. Take quotes from the blog post and make quotes posts. Write your list about the content of your blog and include a link to the post. If you are a podcaster, interview some experts on the topic of your blog post or do your own show. Record an audio only of your video to download.
The hardest part of creating content is coming up with new ideas. But if you take one good idea and repurpose it, you can create content from it for days!
It works they other way as well. As an example, I saw an image that was talking about Jibber Jabber. For some reason, it just struck a chord with me. I turned that image into a blog post about Jibber Jabber versus stories that speak with passion. And then of course, the blog became a video, which became and audio file, which became....etc, etc, etc.
Between automating as much as you can without losing that personal touch and repurposing your content, managing your social media marketing will be a 2 - 4 hour/week walk in the park.
But Wait, There's More!
Of course there's more to learn than this. What to post. When to post. How to interact with your followers. So much more than I could ever cover in one blog post. This gave you the basics. It's a starting place for your battle plan. Now it's up to you to "sharpen the axe". You can do that here by reading this blog.
You can join the Ninja Marketers Facebook Group.
You can subscribe to my email list.
You can do all of the above!
Because I will be here, using all the social media tactics at my disposal to share my message with anyone who wants it.
You CAN do this! I will show you how!
