As the hottest social media network du jour changes, so do the tips and tricks we use to master this awesome marketing tool. This list will help you get more out of your social media marketing efforts.
1. Use a Period Before Your Tweet
When you use the @ symbol at the start of your tweet to talk directly to someone on Twitter, only that person, as well as anyone who follows both you and that person, will see it. But sometimes you want more people to see your super witty tweet.
Put a period before it (like .@eggmarketing) and all of the people who follow you will see that tweet. It comes in handy when you’re participating in a Twitter chat and want to be part of a larger dialogue.
2. Get Found With Hashtags
The more you use social media, the more you think in keyword terms. What words are people searching for that will help them find this tweet or Facebook update? Hashtags are great organizers of social content.
If you’re not sure if something is a hashtag, search for it. Facebook, Google+ and Twitter all use them pretty effectively. For example, #smallbiz is one you can use if your content’s geared toward small businesses, and #contentmarketing is also popular. Before you post that update, consider whether any of it could be turned into a hashtag.
3. Earn Shares With Social Buzz Club
It’s hard to build a following when you first start out on social. A tool I’m really digging is Social Buzz Club. You share your social posts, and others share them across their networks. When you share other people’s content, you get points, and can redeem those for more shares of your own content.
I’ve found great people to follow in the marketing and small business space there, and find that they’re a really supportive crowd on social media.
4. Use Images
Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ have been image friendly for a while, but now even Twitter’s getting in on it. You can add an image to your tweet that will take up more space and capture people’s attention.
If you’re sharing a blog post, the link should pull the image from the post, but if you’re sharing something else, find a relevant, attention-getting image and attach it to your update.
5. Post Content on LinkedIn
It’s not well-publicized, but LinkedIn now has a feature that allows you to publish your blog content there, which has the potential to be viewed by its millions of members. You can link back to your site, write content around the types of products or services that you offer, and engage with people who comment on it.
If it’s particularly amazing, LinkedIn’s Pulse, an aggregate of all the great content on LinkedIn on a given day, will run it and send you tons of traffic. It’s not terribly common, but one of my posts got over 500 views.
Simply using social media isn’t enough if you want to stand out online. These hacks will help you elevate your social media presence, and make you look social savvy to boot!
What are some of your favorite social media hacks? Let us know!
Images: Thomas Hawk, Ognian Mladenov, Roy Blumenthal (Creative Commons)
