Tag: Pinterest

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Are You Ready for Social Media?

star treck social media
image from imforza.com

star treck social mediaYou don’t have to be an expert to maintain a presence on social media. However, you do need to have a strategy, a plan and a commitment to make your presence known.  If you have never given any thought to what you want your social media platforms to look like, then there is no time like the present.

Here are a few things to keep in mind;

  1. Determine who your audience is (or who want it to be).
  2. Decide how often and when you will post.
  3. Study the various platforms, paying special attention to the most popular- Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus ,  LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram.  Keep in mind that not every business will work on every platform. For instance, while the first four will work great for nearly every business, Instagram and Pinterest might not.
  4. Choose a cover photo and profile picture that expresses who your company is and what you do. Be sure to use the same images on every platform as this adds credibility and helps with branding.
  5. In most cases, shorter posts are better than long ones.
  6. As much as possible, include a picture as part of the post. Ideally, the picture should be original to you/your company. When it isn’t be sure to give credit to the source.
  7. Be sure to check for spelling, punctuation or grammar errors.
  8. Don’t be afraid to post something that might be controversial. This often encourages reader engagement.
  9. In making a social media post, ask yourself the following: Is it educational? Is it entertaining? Is it encouraging?  The more of these you can answer, “yes” to the better the post.
  10. Consider linking back to your website whenever possible.  This is referred to as signposting, and provides external links.
  11. Don’t make every post about yourself. Ideally, only 20% of your posts should be about you. Otherwise, your followers will get bored with what you have to say.
  12. Did you use #hashtags and keywords that go with your business?

These are but a few tips for developing a social media presence. Develop a plan that works for you and then commit to it.  Need help? Contact Write Away to manage your social media platforms for you.

 

(image from imforza.com)

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WAC Updates

16 Tips for Using Social Media to Build Your Business

Garfield

While there are many people out there who do not see the value of social media, as a business owner one cannot overlook its use.  Of course, for social media to truly effective, knowing a few basics about how to make the most of it is important.  These 16 tips will help make using social media easier and more effective.

  1. Always be sure the content is interesting.
  2. Don’t be afraid to post a controversial topic that is appropriate to your industry.  Just be ready to defend/explain your position.
  3. Remember that most people prefer pictures to lengthy text. In fact, 65% of people are visual learners.
  4. While numbers are important on social media,  keep in mind that engagement is even better.
  5. Be sure to occasionally signpost (link back) to your website via your social media pages.
  6. Ask questions and then listen to the answers.
  7. Be sure that your company profile is completely filled out, and that you have used keywords in the description.
  8. Don’t be afraid to try Pinterest – it’s not just a place for recipes, crafts and home decor ideas!
  9. Don’t begin Tweets with @whoever as this limits who can see the tweet. Rather, type it as .@whoever (note the period) as this allows everyone to see the tweet.
  10. Schedule posts on Twitter,  just before or just after the hour.
  11. Keep up with the changes on Facebook—especially those that pertain to business accounts.
  12. Be sure that your full street address is on Facebook, so that people are able to check in.
  13. Be careful about what you say to people, and don’t bad mouth competition, it’s just poor business.
  14. Facebook and  Pinterest, in addition to YouTube,  are great venues for posting videos about what your company has to offer, be sure  you are using them all.
  15. Post coupons on your social sites—it builds interest and income.
  16. Don’t over socialize…it is not necessary to be on every social media platform. Choose 3 or 4 that will suit your needs and put your efforts into those.

Social media is a great platform for business, so be sure you are not overlooking its power and potential.  Do the posts yourself or hire someone to do it for you, but whatever you do, do not ignore it.

 

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Bacon and Business

bacon

 

Bacon is currently one of the most popular meat products in America. This is because it offers that extra flavor to nearly anything it is paired with.  I mean, what would filet mignon be without bacon or a BLT sandwich be like without the savory, salty addition of bacon? Bacon adds that little bit of extra flavor to so many foods.

But, “What” you may ask, “does bacon have to do with business?”  If you are not in the culinary business, then you may have never thought of bacon and business in the same sentence, but just as bacon complements many foods, the bacon below can spice up your business:

Blog posts– If you have a blog page on your website, then use it. Remember, Google notes websites that have new content on a regular basis. Either write the posts yourself or hire someone to do it for you.

Apps and advertisement-If you have a business where an app would be beneficial, then take the time to design one and make available to others. Or, if you would rather, set up a Google AdWords Campaign. Remember, you want to keep your business in the public, so take advantage of the tools available to you.

Connect with others through emails, phone calls, newsletters,social media and more. You never know when that 5-minute phone call or the time spent on Facebook or Pinterest will pay off in a big way.

Offline connections– Attend seminars, get involved with community events and organizations or go to conferences whenever possible.

Network– Don’t just attend the seminars, conferences, etc. get involved! This doesn’t have to be just within your field of business, but may be a group for a passion or hobby you have. Many times, you will get a new client based purely on the fact that “they know/knew you from….”

Yes, adding some bacon to your business is a great way to get the word out about what you have to offer. However, if jobs like social media, blog posts and other writing aspects are things that “burn your bacon” talk to Write Away Copywriting about taking care of those jobs for you. After all, just because bacon taste great doesn’t mean you have to cook it for yourself!