Social media marketers have an extremely challenging undertaking now days, especially if the account activities that they manage are not organized within a systematic workflow. The dynamics of the various profiles of their client can get downright overwhelming. Ever changing updates, forming new relationships and filtering new connections, monitoring keywords, managing conversations; it's definitely a challenge. In our businesses, the online marketer has to juggle precariously upholding brand values, being extremely patient and sociable, and engaging different clients all at the same time.
So how do online marketers manage all this effectively? Well, it's not easy. But to help, we have listed a set of 5 tasks that should be performed daily. Following this list will help you become an effective online marketer.
1) Write Good Content. Content is king. I keep repeating this over and over again but seriously, post good content and the followers will come. It's an edict of nature. Give the best that you have and likewise, you shall receive. Take a few minutes every day to post stimulating, engaging content that provokes, questions, humors, and causes engagement.
If you have nothing grand to share, then share someone else's. Make a bold comment on a social issue that is in the back of everyone's mind. Take a stand. Give inspiration because that is one of the commodities that erode with the passage of time. Demand feedback and award original suggestions. Do not forget to make a clear call-to-action for your followers as they would be too dazzled by your brilliance to know or do otherwise.
- Ask a provocative question
- Post Something Funny
- Share an interesting blog or an article
- Comment on a recent news item
- Post an inspirational picture or quote or meme
- Request follower feedback
- Ask for reviews on the products or services
2) Update Your Social Media Profiles. What makes social media tick so effectively is the fact that everything happens real-time. The conversations are happening currently, the likes and dislikes are forming concurrently, and the results are being displayed simultaneously. So, do not leave your profiles unattended. One of the main things that an online marketer worth his salt does is update their social media statuses. If you cant focus on them all, then concentrate on the few platforms where you can remain active. In the case of social media, it's always better not to have than to have and not to update.
3) Respond Throughout the Day. This is not the TV or radio were talking about here. This is not advertising to a mindless population catching glimpses of your brands during breaks from their favorite shows or games while rushing to the restroom. This is engagement, which means you have to engage to make it work so try to respond to your followers to make sure the right relationships are formed and maintained. Courtesy is a virtue so remember to
- Check your Facebook messages
- Post to FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn
- Answer Twitter direct messages (DMs)
- Answer Twitter @ replies
- Engage in LinkedIn Discussions
4) Hunt for New Followers. Not all will be lured in with your sweet talk and promises. For some, you need to stand up and take specific actions to make them follow. Be proactive and seek out friends of your brand. Twitter is a good tool to seek out the leading figures in your niche. Write messages and send invitations. It's really quite simple.
5) Write Down Ideas - As you are going through your daily tasks, reading your industry blogs, conversing with others in your industry, ideas for future content may be right in front of you. Create a spreadsheet that you can update with interesting bits of information as you go through the day. Refer to this spreadsheet when you need a content idea for your next blog.
Other than these, keep a tab on your analytics and check out what the competition is up to. Find out what works and what doesn't, classify those that bring in the most results and optimize your content.
Hi Bernadette
It’s good to see someone else pointing out No. 4.
People always ask me how I’ve built up over 90,000 Twitter followers. That all started with being proactive.
I feel there’s lots of stigma attached to the follow first method – some see it as spammy.
The fact is it generates results.
All great advice. I’ve been trying to post daily. I know I should be posting a few times a day but I really can’t do that at the moment. It’s something to aim towards though.
I have been noticing a lot more engagement and had one post get shared a lot last week. Up till now it’s only been likes and comments.
Making it a routing and sticking to it really helps.
Hi Bernadette,
#5 is one I’ve been meaning to improve by getting some tools that I’ve heard are helpful.
I don’t know about you, but ideas rain on my head while in the shower. Funny how that works. I know there’s been scientific studies written on this that demonstrate why creativity and ideas flood us in the shower. So I’ve been wanting one of those water proof pads with a pencil that you can stick on the shower wall.
Secondly, I hear Evernote is a great app to have on your phone or tablet so you can audio record ideas that might come to you in the car, at the store, or wherever. Do you use Evernote?
Great article, Bernadette!
i think posting daily is an extremely powerful to promote your blog/site and i would like to add that if people are reading books for the new ideas than it can really help them.