Remember how it felt when you were first introduced to Twitter?

Did you wonder why the heck anyone would use it or what possible benefit it could have for your business?

I know I did.

Yet now, 16 years after it launched, Twitter is a mainstream social media site.

Or what about Facebook? That site is crazy, always changing. Yes, it’s fun for keeping up with your friends and family, but again, how do you use it for your business?

The list goes on: Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, blogging… it may feel overwhelming and confusing.

In this post, I’m going to break down a few key elements to help you understand how to use social media marketing for your business.

You’ll learn a simple way to use social media to build visibility and attract new customers.

Top Ways to Use Social Media Marketing for Your Business

Let’s start by defining the terms:

The Foundation

As the social web has evolved over the last decade, businesses have had to adapt and integrate social networks into their marketing strategies.  To take advantage of the power of social media marketing, you need to create a strong presence on the Web.

This means having key elements in place so you can leverage the right social networks for the audience you want to cultivate.

The foundation includes knowledge about your audience, a blog/website, an email management service, landing pages for visitors to opt-in to your email list, and profiles on the top social networks.

With a foundation in place, you can begin crafting your social media marketing strategy and tactics. First, identify the social networks you’ll focus on for your marketing. I suggest focusing on two or three primary networks.

If you spread yourself too thin, it’s hard to maintain a consistent presence or respond fast enough to follower engagement.

Choose your social networks

Answer these questions about your business to decide where to focus your efforts:

LinkedIn – the network for professional and business to business networking. Publishing your articles on Linkedin Pulse will help you stand out on this network of 800 million registered users worldwide.

Pinterest and Instagram are must-use networks if your business is mostly visual. Artists, designers, hotels and restaurants, authors, architects, filmmakers, travel and fashion businesses can attract customers by using Pinterest and Instagram.

Video – YouTube is the granddaddy of social video networks. In the last couple of years, more video tools have launched that can help your business get seen and increase engagement with your audience. Try using live streaming video to increase connections with your clients and prospects.

OK, that’s a lot to think about.

Let’s look at some broad examples

(Then I’ll show you a specific example of using social media marketing.)

• If you are a consultant, you may want to focus on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter, depending on the demographics of your clients.
• If you own a restaurant, use Facebook and Instagram to entice diners with your mouthwatering meals.
• If you’re an accountant, focus on LinkedIn and Facebook.
• If you own a clothing store, you could benefit from Pinterest and Facebook.
• An auto repair shop would do well using Facebook and Instagram. Before and after photos can make a case for the work you do.

A photo posted by BADMAASH (@badmaashla) on Jan 24, 2016 at 1:49pm PST

Now, what? You know where to focus but how do you actually market your business on social media?

Top ways to use social media marketing

There are two primary ways for you to use social media marketing:

1. Create and maintain awareness for your business and brand
2. Bring attention to something new you are launching

Whether you’re promoting a book, product, program, new menu, an art exhibit, a line of jewelry or anything else, you will get a lot of visibility and traction by using social media.

First, there are a few principles about social media marketing I’d like you to embrace:

• Marketing on the web is a long play. Results generally don’t happen overnight.
• Social marketing is about building relationships over time before you make an offer.
• It’s all about experimentation. There are hundreds of tactics. But, until you experiment and document the results, it’s impossible to know what will work for your specific business. If it works, great! If not, then it’s time to tweak or try a different path. Embrace the adventure that is online marketing!

Now, let’s look at several of the top ways to use social media marketing for your business.

To be efficient with your resources – time, energy and money – start by creating an editorial calendar.

Next, use a social media management tool to pre-schedule some of your social marketing activity. You’ll save a lot of time after you craft a series of social posts, by scheduling them to publish at optimal times for your audience.

Tools to consider are Hootsuite, CoSchedule, Buffer, and Post Planner.

You can see a list of social media scheduling tools to choose from in How to Schedule Social Media Posts Like a Pro [Infographic].

Start with your blog

For example, let’s say your audience is primarily on Facebook and Twitter. The goal is to connect with an audience interested in your topic and show your expertise.

You also need to send traffic back to the blog post so your reader gets the full story. Your site is also where you can offer more information by subscribing to your email list.

Decide on a theme you’ll focus on for at least a month. Each week write a blog post covering one aspect of the theme.

To support each blog post, create images you and your readers can share on social media sites. To keep it simple, create one landscape image with the title of your blog post.

The image dimensions can be 1920 x 1080 pixels.  You’ll be able to use it on Facebook and Twitter as well as the featured image on your blog.

For bonus points, create at least one more image with a quote from your blog post. This gives you another way to share the same post on both Twitter and Facebook.

Next, pull 4-5 stats or quotes from the blog post that you can schedule as tweets. If you want your tweets retweeted, make sure they are 120 characters or less.

Now you have content ready to share.

Once your blog post publishes, the first step is to share the URL on your Facebook page and Twitter. The featured image mentioned above will show up with the link and stand out better in the Facebook and Twitter news feeds.

Include a short description and call to action to learn more on your blog post.

The next day, share the image with the quote on it. Ask your followers a question about the topic or what they think of the quote.

This is the relationship building part of social media marketing. You’re creating awareness about your topic and establishing your expertise. You’re showing you care about whether your followers and fans understand what you’re sharing.

Check back on Twitter and Facebook and respond to any questions and shares of your post or tweet. Thank the people who shared your content.

Because the stream on Twitter moves so fast, you can tweet about your post a few times. Use the quotes you pulled, as well as the image quote. Social media power user, Guy Kawasaki repeats tweets four times, eight hours apart.

Kawasaki explains, “The reason I do this is that few people monitor Twitter all day, so if one tweets something once, people are highly unlikely to see it if they aren’t constantly online or follow very few people.”

To get more traction on Twitter, pin the image quote tweet to the top of your profile. You’ll usually get more engagement in the way of clicks, retweets, and likes.

You can use Twitter analytics to track how many clicks you get to your site.

On Facebook, you can also pin your post to the top of your business page. Use the Page Insights to see the type of posts that work best.

Track your results on a spreadsheet. How many likes, comments and shares are you getting on your blog post, Facebook posts and tweets? Are your social networks growing with new followers?

Remember, this is a long-term play. Repeat the steps each week with a new blog post and document your results.

Social media marketing is not only about sharing your own content. Between promoting your blog posts and images, share other people’s content (OPC).

Curating top content from industry leaders helps position you as the go-to person in your niche. When you provide relevant content that serves and supports your followers, you stay top of mind as a credible expert in your field.

How does this help your business?

Remember item #2 in the list of principles I asked you to embrace?

Develop the habit of using social media marketing to promote your expertise. Then, the time will come when you want to promote an offer: a book, a program or product, a service, an event, etc.

Apply the same steps to your promotion

Conclusion

When you are consistent with your message and your social media marketing activities, your audience will respond as they grow to “know, like and trust you.”

The bottom line is this: if you’re new to social media marketing, start simple.

Stay focused and consistent with your tactics. Track your results for a month or two to get some data. Then, make adjustments and decide when it’s time to add the next layer of social media for your business.

I’d love to hear from you now. How do you currently use social media marketing for your business?

This article was originally published on PostPlanner.com

The post How to Use Social Media Marketing for Your Business appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.

As an entrepreneur doing business online, or offline for that matter, you know how important your email subscribers are. In the words of my guest,

Today’s email subscriber wants a value-packed and personalized experience. Companies that are creating such experiences are earning more Web traffic, signups, and referrals than the ones that still think a “batch and blast” mentality is the way to go.

Email marketing is the most effective way to reach the people who have raised their hand and let you know they want to hear from you. During this interview, you’ll learn how you can create a relationship with and nurture your subscribers so they trust your message when it arrives in their inbox. And, that’s what Stephan and I explore on this episode of Adventures in Visibility.

On the show Stephan and I discuss:

• Understanding of what your relationship with your subscribers, so you can plan your content strategy around them
• Identify and nurture brand champions and your most engaged subscribers
• How to set expectations up front so you can build value and trust
• How to design the experience for your subscribers when you ask them to do something within the email

This is a replay of the live broadcast with Denise Wakeman and Stephan Hovnanian. {click here if you prefer to watch the video on YouTube}

The Big Take-Away about Email Marketing

One of the big take-aways in the conversation was the concept of segmenting the people on your email list. There are many ways to do this. For bloggers, one of the best ways may be to create content upgrades (see the article linked below and an example on one of my blog posts). Not only can you create massive value for your reader, you’ll also build a highly targeted list where your subscribers are segmented by their precise interests. 

Recommended Reading

4 Email Optimizations that will increase click-through rates by Stephan Hovnanian on Marketing Profs

Six Ways to Boost the Visibility of Your Email List guest post by Stephan Hovnanian 

How To Boost Conversions by 785% in One Day (The Content Upgrade)

5 Types of Engagement Emails to Nudge Users Towards Aha Moments

Download the Audio 

For your convenience, the mp3 is posted below, from the live show with Stephan:

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/denise-wakeman/stephan-hovnanian-email-marketing” title=”Email Marketing: Know Your Audience and What They Want” artist=”Denise Wakeman” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” ]

About the Guest

Stephan Hovnanian is the owner of Shovi, an email marketing and customer success company located outside Boston. Stephan works with B2B brands who are transitioning to customer-centric marketing strategies by revitalizing the relationships they have with their audiences, and empowering them to allow marketing to touch all areas of the customer journey.

Join Me for Future Adventures in Visibility

•  Watch previous Adventures
• Subscribe on YouTube 
• Subscribe and Review on iTunes 
  (if you enjoyed this interview, please rate and review it on iTunes!)

Do you have a question about how to create a more visible presence on the Web? Click here to record your question and I’ll include it along with my answer in an upcoming show!  

The post Email Marketing: Know Your Audience and What They Want – Adventures in Visibility with Stephan Hovnanian appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.

It’s not hype to declare that you can take 30 days off from your business and still make money. That’s precisely how Maritza Parra, known as the List Building Queen, has designed, built and managed her business for years. She’s built email lists around her love for horses, natural bath and beauty products, her self-empowerment teachings that got her interviewed by Oprah and now also for her high-end camping gear business.

Focusing on 4 key facets of your business can get you there, too. And, that’s what Maritza and I explore on this episode of Adventures in Visibility.

On the show Maritza and I  discuss:

• Knowing what your business is really all about
• What you need to stay focused on over the long haul and why
• An example of how to use a give-away to create buzz, build your list and make money
• The 4 specific keys you need to have a successful business
• Maritza’s most memorable adventure

This is a replay of the live broadcast with Denise Wakeman and Maritza Parra. {click here if you prefer to watch on YouTube}

The Big Take Away

Several times during the conversation, Maritza makes the point that it’s not as easy to build a list today as it was a few years ago. There’s a lot of noise and many competing offers being made to your audience. You need to get creative. Maritza has found success by doing a strategic give-away that leads to a product her audience wants. Tools to check out for your give-away are: UpViral and KingSumo.

Recommended Reading

Powerful Polls – How to Learn More About Your Audience

The Love Manifesto: 4 Beautiful Ways to Use Love to Grow Your Business…

69 List Building Tips from the Experts

Download the Audio 

For your convenience, the mp3 is posted below, from the live show with Maritza:
 [smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/denise-wakeman/maritza-parra” title=”How to Build Your List with Purpose for Profit” artist=”Denise Wakeman” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” ]

About the Guest

Maritza Parra is passionate about helping business owners grow their profitable email subscriber lists to support their online business. However, list building has changed. It’s not as easy to build a list of qualified prospects. For this reason, Maritza also helps people SELL and SERVE while they are building their list to support a long-term profitable business they love.

She successfully turned her passion for Iberian horses into a lucrative convention event business, a tourist equine experience and into profitable information products, supported by a list of email subscribers she serves. She’s built email lists around her love for horses, natural bath & beauty products, her self-empowerment teachings that got her interviewed by Oprah and now also for her high-end camping gear business.

Join Me for Future Adventures in Visibility

•  Watch previous Adventures
• Subscribe on YouTube 
• Subscribe and Review on iTunes 
  (if you enjoyed this interview, please rate and review it on iTunes!)

Do you have a question about how to create a more visible presence on the Web? Click here to record your question and I’ll include it along with my answer in an upcoming show!  

The post How to Build Your List with Purpose for Profit – Adventures in Visibility with Maritza Parra appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.

Digital media changed the game in journalism. News Anchor Carey Peña recognized early on the significance and power new media was having on the way news is reported. As a storyteller, not only for the news, and now with her company Inspired Media 360, Carey’s focus is on storytelling for brands and companies as a way to better connect with their audiences.

Storytelling is at the heart of the content you create and influences how your audience sees your personal and company brand. And, that’s what Carey and I explore on this episode of Adventures in Visibility.

On the show Carey and I discuss:

• Carey Peña’s story
• What you can learn from Journalism about storytelling
• How to tell your story with your headlines
• How to use storytelling for networking and marketing
• Tips for telling compelling stories your audience wants to hear

This is a replay of the live broadcast with Denise Wakeman and Carey Peña. If you prefer to watch on YouTube, click here.

During the Q&A, Bonnie Frank asked Carey if she had always been comfortable on camera. Carey’s response was “no” along with this tip for dealing with the butterflies that comes with being on video, especially live video…

Recommended Reading

Badass Visual Branding

How to Build Your Brand with Live Video

Going Off the Beaten Path to Build a Brand

Blab Your Way to More Visibility

Download the Audio 

For your convenience, the mp3 is posted below, from the live show with Carey:

[smart_track_player url=”https://soundcloud.com/denise-wakeman/carey-pena” title=”Build Your Brand Through Stories” artist=”Denise Wakeman” color=”5181cd” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” ]

About the Guest

Carey Peña is an Emmy Award Winning News Anchor, Reporter, and Political Show Host in Phoenix, AZ. Over the course of her 15-year television news career, she worked as a general assignment and investigative reporter, political show host, debate moderator and anchored three and a half hours of prime-time news nightly.  Carey founded Inspired Media 360 because she feels strongly about the changing landscape of media and the endless opportunities to Inform, Inspire, and Engage in a meaningful way.

Join Me for Future Adventures in Visibility

•  Watch previous Adventures
• Subscribe on YouTube 
• Subscribe and Review on iTunes 
  (if you enjoyed this interview, please rate and review it on iTunes!)

Do you have a question about how to create a more visible presence on the Web? Click here to record your question and I’ll include it along with my answer in an upcoming show! 

The post How to Build Your Brand and Visibility through Stories – Adventures in Visibility with Carey Pena appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.

Every couple of years, my colleague Karyn Greenstreet, conducts the Adult Learning Survey research to tap into the changing ways about how adults prefer to learn business content. And 2015 was the year for the new survey.

In this conversation, you’ll discover how you can use the results of the Learning Survey in your own business if you do any teaching, training, coaching or consulting. This is important info to implement in your business!

Karyn Greenstreet, the founder of Passion for Business, is an internationally known self-employment expert and small business consultant and has owned six businesses since 1981. She has spoken at numerous national conferences on business strategy and marketing topics and has taught over 270,000 people worldwide.

Click here to download a copy of the survey results (no opt-in required).

This is a replay of the live broadcast with Karyn Greenstreet, MaAnna Stephenson of BlogAid and Joselito Laudencia. 

The post Adult Learning Survey | Interview with Karyn Greenstreet appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.