Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Tips for starting your social media platform

Things to consider when implementing your social media platform. Be it an account on Twitter or a blog. Here are ideas for starting out, things to support your efforts with, writing ideas, and next steps.

•If you’re blogging, make that a home base for all your other social media efforts.

•Pick three social networks to join based on where your target audience might be (blogging, facebook, twitter, etc.). Three might sound like too few, but it probably will be too many.

•It is important to think about your posting schedule and subject matter. Try to regularly post at least once or twice a week.

•Subscribe to 10 or more blogs similar to yours, including similar content blogs, and any industry blogs.

•In writing of your posts, be human, and write a human-sounding profile. Use a human-seeming profile picture.

•After you’ve written your first blog post, take time to comment on some of those 10 blogs, but NOT about your first post.

•Make sure it’s easy for people to subscribe to your blog, via a reader, RSS feed, or via email. This will alert them of new content postings and keep them coming back for more.

•For whatever reason, graphics in posts improve audience.

•Consider a nice clean theme for your blog’s design. There are many free themes for different blogs, and some inexpensive ones.

•Seek out opportunities to guest post on popular blogs in your area of interest. Don’t be spammy and over-link to your own site/posts. Add value to their topic.

•On social networks, look for ways to contribute, even when it’s not directly related to your interests or expertise.

•Build relationships outside of having a specific need. Social media is all about making and sustaining connections.

•To create consistent content, read daily, and not just in your area of interest. Skim, synthesize, and post.

•Riff off other blog posts you like, and add some value beyond linking back to those original posts (and always link back to those posts).

•To help with content development, ask your audience what they need, what they’re struggling with.

•Invite your audience to guest post and give feedback where appropriate.

•Remember to comment on other people’s blogs frequently, and show your participation in the communities where you have presence.

www.chrisbrogan.com, http://www.4hoteliers.com/4hots_fshw.php?mwi=3222, Chris Brogan.

No comments: