Success On .Social

Tag: improve your social

  • Strategies to Expand Your Reach on Social Media

    What Strategies Will Expand Your Reach on Social?

    What strategies should I use to expand my social media reach quickly? is there an easy way to gain a following on social? What strategies will help jumpstart my social media and make sure that my content is seen? How do I get more people to like my stuff? This post was inspired by my clients and that ask to increase their visibility, influence etc on social media. And don’t get me wrong I love these questions and I love to share my knowledge with folks. The one thing that I warn you of is I am not going to provide you with a quick fix. I don’t believe that one exists. You gotta hustle hard if you want to see results!

    Some Basic Strategies

    Yeah, I don’t believe in quick fixes but here are a few strategies to optimize what you are doing on social…

    1) Get your friends, family loved one and co-workers where appropriate to follow and share your profiles. Engage with them and provide the content that they want to see, its a start and if they share content it expands your reach.

    2) Include your profiles everywhere you can with a message encouraging them to follow you along with the benefits of following you where space allows. Don’t forget to include in email signatures, business pages, LinkedIn Profile, alignable profiles,  on business cards and visible on the website above the fold.

    3) Search important Hashtags within your niche and favorite interesting tweets.

    4) Retweet, Repost, or share content you like and join conversations to engage new followers

    5) Link to high-quality content on your site/blog

    6) Provide useful and edutaining tips that relate to your field of work and provide useful and actionable info to your followers

    7) Use a branded #hashtag

    8) Get a wider reach by promoting events that you are attending using the appropriate hashtag combined with your profile name and or hashtag so posts show on event with a link back to your profiles. Its another way to engage others effectively.

    9) Show followers a bit of the behind the scenes for some realness

    10) Don’t forget to promote your profiles and include them in content you create

    11) Share your brand story as well as your story

    12) Ask this important question to your followers on a fairly regular basis “How can I help you?” and when someone responds, help them. This si a major part of an effective engagement strategy.

    13) Want some additional tips, tricks, and strategies I recommend to clients and followers? Check out this collection of social media tidbits! 

    An Important Note On Content:

    Before exploring some strategies a bit more in depth, I want to be sure that I clarify the importance of content! Content is king, always will be and that is why you can’t try to get around it the easy way. The two essentials for a successful social media strategy are ENGAGE FOLLOWERS AND PROVIDE GREAT CONTENT!

    The content you create should be aimed at EDUTAINING your followers by being informational, educational and fun. Great content will always win so focus on creating that and let the rest fall into place. It takes time but you want to be a thought leader, a resource, and an innovative thinker content creation is the surefire way, Your followers may not need your services right now but if you are sharing winning content that educates and informs them they will think of you first when they need you!

    The “Advanced” Strategies to Extend Your Reach

    I say advanced but really these are all essential things that all businesses on social media should do in order to get the most out of what they are doing on social media!

    1- Brand

    Make sure your brand identity is fully developed, down to knowing what you would post and wouldn’t post, and how you want followers to perceive your brand. Know Your Brand, Be Your Brand, Believe In Your Brand

    2- Social Mission

    Have a clearly defined mission and goals for social media as well as what success will look like for your brand. In this mission include if the goal is to sell on social, influence or educate. My recommendation is always to educate and engage by creating great content!

    3- Audience

    You can not create a content strategy until you know your audience. What type of person/business do you want to attract? Do you know their interests and needs? What problems do they have and how can you solve them? where do they get their information or what websites do they read daily? Understanding your audience is fundamental to creating content that they’ll find valuable.

    4- Be a thought leader in your niche

    Share content that highlights your innovative thoughts and ways of handling situations. You can also share content of other thought leaders and well-respected members within your niche.

    5- Communicate and Engage

    Promote two-way communication on your social media platforms by asking questions to your followers and encouraging them to share questions and ideas via comments on your social media. Then answer and engage those who share with you. Provide them useful information that they can see the value in. Don’t only link to your website link to other respected people in the industry as well.

    6- Social Service

    Build brand ambassadors by providing stellar “social service” and encouraging followers to share experiences with your brand. Provide an incentive for followers sharing reviews both good and bad (seriously), ask for feedback regularly on social, and act upon the feedback you get.

    7- Interaction

    Interact with other profiles regularly and provide thoughtful and relevant comments when commenting. This will give your brand more exposure especially if you target very popular posts, where several people will receive a newsfeed update with your comment. But beware of wasting time posting on posts that are “too popular” this is a judgment call but if you are comment number 300 on a post people may not be paying attention anymore.

    8- Collaboration

    Message interesting pages that you think your target audience follows and propose doing a featured post about them or their site and ask if they will do the same. Or work together on an event, or do a photoshoot together. Collaboration is key to social media success. See my blog post on collaboration.

    9- Quality not Quantity

    Focus on quality not quantity in regards to both your blog posts and your followers. As long as you have a consistent posting schedule that features high-quality content you will be good. In regards to followers, I’d take 400 fans who engage with my content and generate business over 5,000 who are indifferent to my business any day!

    10- Vary What You Post

    Experiment with different types of posts and mix things up a bit. Ask questions, share a behind-the-scenes picture of your workspace, or take advantage of the social aspect to ask for ideas, feedback, and input. Get creative and keep things interesting for your followers.I’d always recommend seeking and sharing the best content with others too. As well as helping to build trust and relationships, this helps your channels become a destination for people looking to learn and be inspired. See 9 Posts Every Business Should Try on Social

    11- 80/20

    Remember the 80/20 Rule 80% of what you post should be educational, informative, useful or funny 20% should be promotional… Or, as author Gary Vaynerchuk puts it: give, give, give, then ask… see more Gary V. here… 

    12 Be yourself and it is okay to be funny

    Keeping your audience in mind at all times but that does not mean hide who you are. Your personality is the key to

    Social media is also a great place to share a little more of you, whether behind the scenes shots or sneak peeks of a new product you’re working on. Trust is a huge component of the buying process; letting people in a little help your readers feel like they’re trusted, which in turn helps them to trust you too.

    13- Influencers to Influence Step 1

    Find influencers in your niche to engage with because following them and engaging with their posts by liking, commenting and sharing (without overdoing it, of course) you put yourself on their radar and may well find that they’ll reciprocate later!

    14- Use Images, Always

    Use relevant high-quality images as images have a much higher engagement than just text or links,

    15-DIALOGUE AND RESPECT

    Think about paying it forward. As well as responding to messages, be proactive and start conversations. Congratulate people on their achievements, comment on and share relevant posts and offer your input when someone asks a question. Seek to add value and make meaningful connections. Doing this has not only helped my business, it’s helped me make new friends too!

    16. Stop. Review. Revise. Restart

    Regularly using the metrics and feedback from followers as your guide. While you are doing this also review what others are doing, get ideas and see how you can do something that works for your brand

  • Discounting Your Customers: The Customer Experience v. Vanity Metrics

    What Moment will Define Your Customers Experience with Your Business

    Faces Get Likes

    The stat included above shows a very simple social media concept… faces get likes! But many times likes are viewed as a vanity metric, with good reason. But as a business owner, it is incredibly important to be aware that those vanity metrics that we may be discounting are our potential customers.

    Vanity Metrics?

    As I was looking for some content to support the statistic above and to see what I wanted to say when I posted it and I found myself wadding into a soupy mess of negativity about “collecting likes for likes” or “vanity metrics.” Plus lots of folks ranting about how stupid social media interaction is in general. I spent far too long spiraling downward into this mess and found myself downright angry. I get the idea of vanity metrics, yes you should always aim for valuable deeper interactions with followers.

    Your end game should always be creating customers for life but that relationship needs to start somewhere.

    But c’mon people lets be real here the customer (who we will call Becky) to the business relationship has to start somewhere. Maybe Becky just stumbled upon your page and thought one of your posts was cool. Becky Double taps. What if Becky was the only one that liked your post? What would you do? Discount Becky with the mentality of likes don’t matter and move on?

    Don’t Discount Becky

    No, a smart business owner would have brought on someone to handle social media at least part-time and made sure that Becky was engaged. That has the potential to start a relationship.

    “Thanks for the like @Becky, we have tons more of these in store we hope you come in and check them out soon.

    Becky sees that comment on her way to work and it makes her smile, unfortunately, she has a crazy busy week and didn’t respond. But Becky smiled and maybe that relationship is budding because she wanted to respond back and see where the store was located but life got crazy.

    Sadly, this time Becky lost track of this company, couldn’t remember the name but really wanted to check them out when life calmed down.

    Another Chance to Begin the Customer Relationship

    Three months later while on vacation Becky again stumbles upon another cute post from this company and she is happily reunited and quickly double taps before throwing here iPhone onto her lounge chair where it took an awkward bounce and landed in the deep end of the pool.

    Poor @Becky just a poor discounted customer “like” on the sale rack.But while on vacation, Becky met her future husband and they bonded over wet iPhones and they both loved social media, and how he also ran a small business and he was looking for creative people to partner with.

    The  Customer/ Business Relationship Finally Begins for Becky

    A little Instagram stalking and they find the post that Becky liked, he loves the same post, he follows the company. When he returns, he send a DM and sets up a meeting. Becky finally gets to see the store and thrilled with all the quirky offerings! She buys 20 items for friends and family that Christmas. She knows they will love them.

    See where this is going?

    Yeah, the store is about to have a lot of new customer relationships!  19 of the 20 recipients of the gifts from Becky love the items. They get and can’t wait to visit this new found treasure.  When they all visit over the next few months they all buy items to take to friends! Becky’s friend Becky actually has her bridal shower in the store. Sales are up 200% that year and the social media manager lands a full-time gig with an assistant to help!Ok, I know what’s my point: My point is Becky’s like was easy but it was a start, as a business owner I don’t know where my next meal may come from. I don’t know if that one like is a gateway. Be aware of your mindset and tone of conversations about social media metrics. Each one of those likes could be a new customer for life if they feel valued; discount them and they will find someone else to take money from them

  • It Started With An Orchid

    How an Orchid Began A Mutually Beneficial Collaborative Relationship!

    This story of collaboration starts with an idea and an orchid! The main cast of characters includes a retail manager taking on a new line of work, a newly established garden center focusing on orchids and succulents and a very kind, business-minded and inspiring “influencer” who does more than influence.

    This story highlights what can happen when businesses play well in the sandbox of life together, understand the benefits of partnership; and having a defined and well-respected brand.

    In the Beginning:

    It was a simple idea and one that I list below as a way to collaborate with other influencers and companies. We reached out to @blonde_inthedistrict (Dani Sauter) to see if she would like an Urban Jungle orchid leading up to Valentine’s Day, all we were asking for in return was a post on Instagram before the holiday. In actuality, what Urban Jungle got in return was a brand ambassador, a believer in the Urban Jungle brand and by extension a believer in JRH Graphics. And because she believes in JRH graphics she has supported other brands that I represent when the missions and beliefs are a good match, like most recently with Lea Berry Coaching!

    Lea and Dani Get Down to Business Tips

    Both strong business women the photo collaboration started early in the morning and was a lively exchange between Lea and Dani the entire time. They exchanged tips and trick, learned from one another and of course slayed more than a few photos that 21-year-old photographer Callum (ce_photogs) shot. Callum and I chatted about our photography experiences and the importance of social media and expanding reach. I know that I watched closely as he set up and framed shots and listened to how he directed his models. After all, it was an opportunity to show this old dog some new tricks!

    Combining Strengths and Learning New Tricks

    Learning and teaching is one of the values I share with the businesses and influencers I agree to work with. Exchanges of knowledge, ability to learn from one another’s successes and mistakes; as well as combining the strength and reach of collaborators is the most important reason to collaborate.

    Other Benefits of Collaborating Include

    • inspiration
    • Re-enforce the idea that you are a leading expert in your field
    • Expanded Reach
    • Expanded exposure and increased following
    • Future collaborations and partnerships
    • Increased sales
    • New Audiences
    • A different POV
    • New friends, mentors, and people who support your mission
    • A partner in crime to help you come up with those amazingly great ideas.
    • Not a bad goody bag huh?!?

    All photos by @ce_photogs on Instagram!

    So Here is Some Useful Collaboration Information

    So I blabbered on and on about my experience with a portion of a collaboration but here is the useful stuff. Some info on influencers, questions to ask yourself pre-collab, what to look for from a collaboration and types of collaborations

    Collaborations:

    An agreement between brands to work together on a project with the intention of creating something. In many cases on social the brands are working together to create content that will engage both of their followers.

    Influencer:

    An influencer is an individual who has an impact on a specific niche of social media. Influencers are normal people, who are often connected to key consumer groups, industry associations or community tribes. The importance of influencers is best understood when you look at who millennials look to for advice, influencers are peers of the groups they influence so as a brand if you want to gain the inside connection to a certain group look to see who the influencers are in that group.

    Do Collabs have to be with an influencer?

    Absolutely not, collaborations can be with other brands, people that make complementing items and other media members. Anyone! Businesses and influencers and bloggers and plain ole normal folks can all work together like one big happy supportive family!

    What to Look for Pre-Collaboration:

    Be smart and strategic in the way that you approach collaborations, know your audience and what they would like to see from your collaborations

    Will you be developing content that is edutaining for your followers?

    Do collaborators share a vision and a brand identity with you?

    Are the lines of communication and brainstorming open and easy? Do you feel comfortable sharing ideas with one another?

    Will the benefits be equal for all brands?

    How will you promote the collaboration and what do you hope to get out of it?

    Do you feel like you will be able to learn from the collaborator?

    Types of Collaborations:

    Be creative in your collaborations look at what your strengths are and the strengths of the other brands involved and how you can use them. Here are some ways to collaborate:

    Giveaways: Woohoo free stuff!

    Giveaway an item you wish to promote to influencers and other businesses and ask if they will post about it on social or via a blog if they like it!  I am a strong believer that in these situations when you believe in your product you should not even have to ask them to share- your product will do the work for you. I also believe in follow-up. If you do not hear anything back then follow-up with them, they may be busy and not had time or they may have useful feedback!

    Photoshoots

    Photoshoots are a great way to collaborate because lets face it, we all need 9 zillion pictures a year to have the amount of content needed to keep our Instagram feeds alive an fresh, so these collaborations are great ways to get to know people and plan future collaborations, get some new photographers some exposure, and keep you feed fresh with new content!

    Guest Posts and Story Takeovers

    Guest posts on your blog or story takeovers are great ways to expand your audiences and expose your followers to new and edutaining content that is created by the partner. Keeps things fresh and exposes followers to a different POV!

    Photo Contests

    Photo Contests or Competitions: It engages followers and encourages them to contribute to your page. Each follower has their own circle of friends and can be viewed as mini-influencers each able to expand the reach of your brand with this type of collaboration. The other bonus of this type of collaboration is the creation of user-generated content which is awesome. When you share user-generated content you are engaging your followers with content that they are more likely to share, thus increasing your reach .

    Get Influencers to Compete

    Influencer competitions: Similar to above just engaging influencers within a certain market to highlight your brand and gain exposure.

  • Take Better Photos for Social Media

    Social Media Photography

    Let’s face it good photos are necessary for success. Instagram has forced us all to be better photographers, and some of us have been successful!  Others are still working on what it takes to snap killer social media pics. Today I am providing you with a few essential tips for taking better photos for all social media- because a better picture will help on all platforms! You are looking to capture clean, crisp images with a specific point of view and limited distractions!

    First things first, know your equipment and how to use all of its features. An iPhone can take amazing pictures in natural filtered light when used correctly. But it can take awful pictures that look grainy or over-processed if using the wrong settings. Get to know the camera you are using and take lots and lots of pictures with it, which brings me to my first and in my opinion my most important tip.

    Take More Photos Than You Think You Could Possibly Use

    The most important thing I can suggest is to take more pictures than you think you could need! If you follow the rest of the tips and tricks, then at least a few of the photos will turn out awesome. Plus even the most experienced photographers with the best equipment and most excellent cameras on a perfect day end up with a few awful photos! They won’t show you them, but I promise you this is true.

    The Essentials: Tips You Need for Killer Social Media Photos

    What else should you do to improve your photography skills? How about these tips:

    1. Make sure that your lens is clean and not cracked or obstructed.
    2. Steady your phone by bracing your arm against a table or use a tripod
    3. Come closer, no closer, no closer- yup right there is perfect
    4. Food- Life coach, lawyer, or chef; it does not matter food is a win on Instagram and other social media. Find a way to rotate it into your posts. After all, food is one of our 9 Essential Posts for Businesses on Social Media
    5. Use the grid feature in your camera app on your phone to straighten out the horizon and keep your followers from getting seasick.
    6. Embrace cloudy days; filtered light is perfect for photos
    7. Don’t over-edit your photos. Which is absurd coming from the king of overediting! But seriously, don’t go too far with the editing it makes it look grainy and odd unless you are going full-fledged nutty with them as I do.
    8. Tap the screen to hold the focus on your subject
    9. Try not to use the flash- be willing to redirect and filter light to eliminate bright and dark spots and shadowing.
    10. Are you taking a selfie? Turn your phone around its a better, more flattering camera.
    11. Learn the rules, take some great photos, then break the rules and take lots more photos but take a lot of photos! I mean it! Click Away!

    Staging and Presentation Tips

    1. Stage the photo and make sure that the foreground and background are clean and well-presented Take a few shots to look at them. Adjust lighting and correct issues. Repeat.
    2. Take the time to clean the surface, stage the photo, and eliminate the distractions like a dirty fork or crushed beer can.
    3. Stand on a chair above the subject of any flat lay photo, but make sure you aren’t casting a shadow on the subject.
    4. Take photos in front of cool things like murals and large-scale objects helps you focus and will draw the viewers attention
    5. Pay attention to framing and learn the Rule of Thirds which by many is considered the golden rule of photography- it helps you successfully find a way to direct your viewers to the subject of the photo while capturing a story or emotion. It’s applied by aligning a subject with strict guidelines and their intersection points made into squares, to allow an image to flow from section to section and creates energy and interest.