Here’s what I’ve been thinking about lately…there are many paths to building your online visibility. In fact, there are so many paths that it can seem overwhelming, confusing, complicated and downright unpleasant.
I don’t know about you, but if I find a task to be complicated and unpleasant, I have little desire to do it. I procrastinate and do a half-a**ed job at whatever it is I’m “supposed” to be doing.
Yet, when it comes to building your presence and visibility on the Web, you’ve got to do the work, no matter how confusing, or your ideal client has a tough time finding you, right? I have several clients experiencing these feelings right now and that’s what got me thinking about how I can help them have fun and enjoy their online marketing and building visibility.
Here’s the deal…you don’t have to do it all.
Love connecting on Facebook? Focus your efforts there. Learn the strategies and tactics to make it really work for you. Go all in and master Facebook.
Love to write? Focus on your blog. Create an editorial calendar that reflects how you serve your ideal clients. Lay out the path you want them to follow that will solve their problems and write, write, write.
Love photography? Figure out how you can create images that reflect the work you do. Use image editing or quote sites and combine pithy quotes or tips from your work with your images and share them on Pinterest and Facebook.
Get the idea? When you are engaging with your friends and followers in a joyful way that expresses exactly who you are and how you serve, you will grow your networks organically and attract the right people to your business. When you are forcing yourself to use tools you dislike, your followers will get that and abandon you. Doing for the sake of doing will not get you as far as you wish to go. Engaging with joy and fun will beat doing what you’re “supposed” to do every time.
Boosting your online visibility requires commitment and consistent action.
If your commitment is low and your activity is inconsistent because you’re overwhelmed with online marketing, try this for the next 30 days…
- Make a list and evaluate all the tactics you’re currently using to boost your visibility on the web. Rank each tactic from 1 to 5, 5 being something you really enjoy doing; give a 1 to tactics you despise.
- Pick the top three tactics which you ranked a 5 or 4.
- Order your list of three tactics with your most favorite at the top of the list.
- For the next 30 days, focus on mastering that one marketing tactic: how do you use it to grow your email list; how do you get more engagement from your network; what’s the best content to create; etc. If you need to invest in a program to learn more about that tool, do it. If you would benefit from one on one coaching, then make the investment.
- As time permits, experiment with the two remaining tactics on your list. However, if you time is limited, simply focus on your #1 tactic.
- At the end of 30 days, report back and let me know what you experienced how this exercise worked for you.
What’s the point of this exercise?
Building a successful business, using the Web to attract the right clients, shouldn't make you unhappy, overwhelmed and anxious. What's the point, if that's how you feel?My desire for you is to feel excitement, joy, an endorphin rush when you share your important work. There are many paths to get there. Find and choose the path that flows for you and enables you to express your joy to your audience so they WANT to be part of your community and jump on board to work with YOU!
Not sure what path to take?
Let’s connect and have a conversation to discover the marketing and visibility path that gives you joy to implement. Click here to request an appointment.
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Mahesh Dhami
Nice One am feeling very motivated after reading this post, so I have already made my list. I am going to do more of what brings me joy. Thanks for the kick in the rear
Terence
The social media networks are really crucial for the recognition every business is trying to achieve. Hence, entrepreneurs must make full advantage of them…Agreed, you need to write about what your market wants to know.
Lola
Hi,
Thank you for making such articles Denise.
You have a clear and well written way of explaining things.
I’ve been following some of your tips for about a week now and for now it seems to be working great.
Keep up the good work and never let go ! 🙂
Lola
Okto
What an encouraging post here.
I have found an interesting insight of yours : “There are many paths to get there. Find and choose the path that flows for you and enables you to express your joy to your audience so they WANT to be part of your community and jump on board to work with YOU!”
I need to say that expressing our joy to our audiences have many advantages that we cannot imagine. It’s important when you are doing business online.
Zoe
Hi Denise!
I really liked your article!
It is still a real nighmare for me to try to be more visible on the internet!! I have tried a few ways that I have seen on blogs and websites but until now, none of them where really conclusive…
I will try out your strategy and will come back to you for more infos!
keep up the good work and thank you for sharing such helpfull infos…
See you!
Zoe P.
Soren Sjogren
I would actually advice combining two of them:
Facebook and writing or Facebook and photo.
I see social media as a great way to share the content you create. A showcase for great content. However, focusing on just one for at limited period of time in order to get it right seems like a great advise.
Chimezirim Odimba
What a helpful article you’ve posted here! You can’t even start to imagine how many of us are actually paralyzed by the number of different ways to promote our businesses online. But you’ve nailed it right: Stick to a few things and give them your all. It’s ok if they don’t work but you simply can’t try every method and expect success — It doesn’t just work like that.
Louise Myers Graphic Design
Wow – awesome Denise! I just happen to LOVE blogging. But I fear letting go of the social media platforms where I feel I “have to” have a presence, at least. I love this idea so much that I’m going to have to give it a try!
Denise Wakeman
Louise, can’t wait to hear how the challenge goes for you. Is your focus going to be on blogging or a social site?
Louise Myers Graphic Design
I’d like to experiment with letting go of all the social things that I don’t enjoy, or find just too time consuming for the (small) results. I’m still concerned about doing so! I’ll let you know…
MaAnna
Appreciate this post, Denise. I started with Twitter when it first began and enjoyed connecting with folks all over the world. But, as it grew it felt more like a terrible echo chamber to me and I enjoyed reading it less. And, I really began to resent that I had to make multiple posts with the same link at peak times just so folks would see it in the fast moving stream. The day I gave all that up and left Twitter was a relief. I have finally renewed my presence there, but that’s about all it is. I focus mainly on the platforms where I enjoy spending time and engaging with folks in two-way conversations instead of one-way billboard broadcasting.
What I have the most difficulty with now is keeping up with all of the changes each platform makes to “improve” their service. Seems I spend almost as much time keeping up with that and making the necessary adjustments as I do using the service.
So, as part of my exercise for the next month, I’m going to jump on my favorite platform and ensure that I have everything up to par with it and fully optimized. I believe it will help me attract and be attractive to even more of the folks I want to engage with most. And, I’m sure it will make me even more enthusiastic about using that platform too.
Thanks for the challenge and encouragement to go whole-heartedly into it.
Denise Wakeman
Hey MaAnna, which one is your favorite platform (I could guess, but I may be wrong!)?
MaAnna
I’m really enjoying G+ right now and want to max out my opportunities and engagement there. Next fave is LinkedIn, so will be focusing time on it too.
Dolores
As always, great, helpful content. Thank you for your consistently powerful material.
Denise Wakeman
Dolores, thank you for your very kind compliment. I’m so glad you find the content helpful…blog on!
Suzanne
I am feeling very motivated after reading this post, so I have already made my list. I am going to do more of what brings me joy. Thanks for the kick in the rear 🙂
Denise Wakeman
Hi Suzanne, thanks for stopping by and glad to know the post has motivated you. What are the top 3 tactics on your list?
Debra Simpson
Denise, what a great post. We do feel overwhelmed by all the new social sites and technology. I love the idea of focusing on one tactic and seeing how you can …. as in item 4.
You break the process down into simple, easy to execute steps. Also, 30 days is doable. Thanks for the post.
Denise Wakeman
Thanks for your kind words, Debra, glad you like the post. Are you going to try the exercise? If so, which network would you choose to focus on?
Katherine Robertson-Pilling
Aaaaaaah! As usual, Denise, you are a voice of authenticity in a virtual world.
Denise Wakeman
Thank you for the inspiration, Katherine!
Flora Morris Brown
Your article is a relief!
Like you, I find all the possible paths to visibility dizzying. Your plan is sensible and doable. The alternative is a crazymaker.
Thanks.
Denise Wakeman
Thanks for stopping by Flora. Love to hear how the exercise goes for you .