Category: Social Media

These 26 Social Media Tips Will Make You More Revenue

Post author By Jon Rognerud
Post date March 16, 2024

This post should probably have been called “Social Media Selling Secrets: 26 Strategies On How to Sell for ROI in Social Media”…

In any online business setting, there is simply no need for social media unless it converts (or you are running an awareness / branding campaign and not interested in making money!)

That means “a sale”, and/or that the visitor reaches a specific goal or event that you have outlined in your social media marketing strategy.

This level of planning will lead your prospects into a helpful, client / customer-focused funnel that informs, educates, inspires and CONVERTS.

It is no secret that social media services such as Twitter (x.com), Facebook (Meta), LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube are powerful promotional tools when used properly. YouTube Ads lead generation frameworks are great for scaling fast.

However, many businesses are promoting themselves on social media in entirely the wrong way.

You’ve probably seen more than a few businesses and influencers using social media like this:

…they contribute nothing to the community and never bother to broadcast updates unless they contain self-serving links, selfies or offers (and as affiliates).

Furthermore, they put as little effort as possible into building a viable social media presence and receive almost nothing in return – except for likes and comments – and that is their “measure of success”!

To promote your business successfully on social media, you need to realize that social media can help bring targeted leads to your sales funnel, but social media itself isn’t the funnel.

Social media also isn’t a self-piloting machine; while you can effectively promote your business on social media while spending almost no money, time and effort are required.

Use these tips to maximize your return on the time you invest.

And, don’t forget paid media.

1. Offer something to new followers.

People will rarely follow your business on social media simply because you ask.

To encourage people to follow you, offer something in return such as exclusive content or a discount on their next purchase.

2. Humanize your social media presence.

Social media is an opportunity to give your business a face and add a personal touch to the often impersonal world of business.

Let social media users know that following you creates an avenue through which they can obtain personalized help and support.

3. Funnel traffic from social media to your website.

Ultimately, the goal for your social media presence is to encourage your followers to visit your website.

Some of the ways in which you can do this include linking to your most recent blog posts and offering a free product such as an e-book.

4. Funnel traffic from your website to the desired action.

Once your social media followers reach your website, you should have an action that you want them to perform and a funnel designed to guide them toward that action. In the beginning, you can use the same sales funnel as the one you use for people who come to your website from search engines.

As you gain experience, consider setting up separate sales funnels that specifically target your social media followers.

Your followers are people who already know your company and have warmed up to your offers; be mindful of that fact when designing your social media sales funnel.

5. Make sure the funnel converts.

If your sales funnel doesn’t generate sales, your promotional efforts on social media will be unsuccessful.

Set up a system by which you can track the ratio of visitors to conversions and tweak as necessary. GA4 (Google Analytics 4 is a great starting place)

6. Post occasional “share bait.”

You can gain new social media followers by posting content that your existing followers enjoy and share.

Potential “share bait” may include a viral video or a massive list of resources (listicals) related to the field in which you do business.

7. Connect your website to social media.

People who find your website through search engines but don’t purchase immediately have potential value as social media followers.

Make sure they have a way to follow you quickly by clicking a button on your website.

8. Every social media update shouldn’t be an offer.

If you only post sales offers on social media services, you’ll lose followers as quickly as you gain them.

The majority of your posts should be pure information; sales offers should be the minority. One rule we often look to is the 80-20 rule: 80% info/education/entertainment, 20% offers.

9. Watch related hashtags.

If you use Twitter, follow the hashtags that are relevant to your business.

This puts your finger on the pulse of the people who are talking about your industry and the topics related to it.

10. Even non-buyers are valuable.

A social media follower doesn’t have to be a customer to be valuable to your promotional campaign.

Followers share content that they enjoy; every update that gets shared or re-tweeted can bring new followers into the fold.

11. Social media is more than a platform for broadcasting new blog posts.

People follow your business on social media because they want the personal touch.

If your social media profile has no purpose except to advertise your latest blog updates, you’re missing the point.

12. Serve others, too.

Every social media update doesn’t have to be self-serving. Post interesting content and offers occasionally even if you have nothing to gain.

This builds trust and makes your own offers that much more compelling.

13. Ask your followers for help.

If you engage your followers and make them feel valued, they’ll be there for you when you need evangelists.

If you need help getting the word out about an event or promotion, don’t be afraid to ask for it.

14. Be there for your followers after the sale.

If your followers use social media to contact you for support after they buy, do your best to provide help courteously and promptly.

15. Comment on trending topics.

If you have something of value to add to a topic generating a great deal of social media interest, do so.

Trending topics receive a great deal of attention on social media and a valuable comment could gain you new followers.

16. Add a photo to your profile.

Your social media profile should have a photo that projects the image you want your business to present.

17. Utilize the strengths of each social media service.

Every social media service is different. For example, Twitter is often utilized by mobile phone users who don’t have the time to read long blog posts on handheld devices.

Make sure that you play to the strengths of your chosen social media service.

18. Give your updates engaging headlines.

Think of each tweet or other social media update as a news headline; craft it carefully so it grabs your followers’ attention and makes them want to know more.

19. Follow the people who follow you. (with discretion)

When you gain new followers, follow them as well whenever possible.

Social media gives you an invaluable opportunity to learn about your customer base.

20. Manage your reputation carefully.

Content posted on the Internet lasts forever. Your business’s social media profile is not an appropriate place to post party photos and other potentially embarrassing content.

21. Stay relevant.

In most cases, people who follow your business on social media aren’t interested in your personal life. Stay on topic at all times.

22. Minimize links in social media updates.

Every update that you post on social media shouldn’t contain a link; some of it should be content for content’s sake.

23. Pictures and videos have value (more than you think).

Some of the most engaging content that you can post on social media includes media such as pictures and videos; utilize different media types whenever possible to keep your followers interested.

24. Break the ice with potential new leads.

If you spot a new follower who is involved in your industry or is highly likely to become a customer, don’t wait for him or her to come to you; break the ice and introduce yourself.

25. Time updates for when people will read them.

When people wake up in the morning and have dozens of updates or messages waiting to be read on their favorite social media service, they seldom read carefully.

Don’t send your social media updates at midnight; time them for when people will be most likely to read them.

26. Try new things frequently.

The landscape of social media changes quickly and this week’s “can’t miss” promotional strategy might be old news next week. Learn from people more experienced than yourself, but never be afraid to try your own new ideas.

ACTION STEP: If you want to learn more and how to build strategies for social media visibility and expansion, click here. (A free 20 minute session)

Tags conversion funnels social media, sales from social media, social media plan, social media tips

How To Create A Social Media Strategy In 5 Steps

Post author By Jon Rognerud
Post date September 7, 2016

Social media marketing is a necessity for small- and medium-sized businesses.

This rings true for larger brands as well, but they are more established and have larger budgets to support a broader marketing mix. Smaller businesses must leverage internal resources and can’t afford any waste.

From producing content to engaging with customers, social media offers an inexpensive way to broaden your customer base and create long-lasting relationships.

When they are executed correctly, social media strategies can help brand your business and build a strong online presence for the long term.

1. Start by Choosing the Right Platform (Audience)

For your social media strategy to succeed, you have to pick the right platform for your business.

The platform should be selected based on research. Where do your types of customers hang out the most, and what are they looking for? (that you can help them with?)

Choose social platform based on usage and audience demographics — Choose the right platform for your targeted audience

The social media site needs to be content friendly so that you can upload images, blog articles (LinkedIn, Medium) or white papers (Slideshare.net)

Instagram photos are 15 times more likely to be shared than Facebook photos, so a photo-rich industry may want to focus primarily on Instagram.

However, don’t forget Pinterest, they have a powerful advertising platform as well.

Meanwhile, snippets, links, blogs and articles are easier to share on Twitter and Facebook (Instant Articles).

Finally, as mentioned – consider the locations where your prospects hang out because these will be the most effective platforms to spread your message.

2. Create Your Social Media Objectives

Once you know where you will place your content and what they are looking for, you have to decide on your goals.

content marketing lead gen goals — Lead Gen Opportunities Via Content Marketing

You need clear objectives because these goals will help you determine if your marketing plan is a success or a failure. In addition, you must determine the metrics that let you know if you have gained a return on your investment. (Web Analytics)

If your goal is to increase website traffic, your social media strategy is a failure if your traffic does not increase.

Likewise, a goal of bringing in leads is a failure if your content is widely shared, but does not draw in new clients.

Go a step beyond vanity metrics like Facebook likes or Retweets.

Instead, focus on how your website is generating leads, web referrals and conversion rates.

The ultimate goal is always to boost your profitability, so any plan should be designed with that in mind.

3. Design a Content Plan

While mentions in the media are always a plus, you need to have a content plan for long-term success. (Think content calendar)

Articles about your business, new products, events and related topics will help to draw readers to your website.

In addition, Google loves fresh content, and so do your users.

Fresh content and Google — Fresh Content, More Traffic & Engagement

Ideally, you should post at least once a week. For the best results, consider implementing a daily content goal, and refer back to your content calendar.

Your content plan should include the target audience, the frequency of your posts and the types of content you plan on posting.

Likewise, you should determine who will create the content and how it will be promoted.

Once you have answered these questions, you should set up a daily or weekly plan of blogs and social media posts that you plan on releasing.

You should also consider the types of keywords that you use because the search engines will use keywords as one of the factors to determine what your content is about.

4. Building a Diverse Content Strategy

Today, people go beyond just reading books and articles to get their information.

Videos have become a crucial part of social media success because people cannot just skim the video.

In addition, look into creating blog content and images that get placed on your social media profiles.

“U.S. researchers discovered that the human brain can interpret images that the eye sees in just 13 milliseconds – the first evidence of such rapid processing speed. It was previously thought it took almost eight times longer for humans to process a picture.”

visual elements and the human brain — Use visual elements when it supports your story/message. Human beings process imagery faster than text.

The human mind can process visual presentations much faster than words or speech, so a picture can convey your message much faster than content.

By diversifying your content, you can ensure that your business can reach out to every type of consumer.

5. Test and Adjust Your Marketing Plan

Even with the best social media strategy, adjustments will always be needed.

social media metrics that matter — Decide on the right social media metrics

Before you put your plan into action, decide on the metrics that you will use to determine how successful your approach was.

Tracking things like the number of clicks from a link, visitors to the blog, leads generated and website traffic will help you determine if your social media plan needs to change.

Every business is different, so your company may need a unique blend of social media platforms or content to become successful.

NEED SOME HELP? Contact Us Here and schedule your time.

Tags Social Media

Social Media

How to Master Twitter to Amplify Your Brand

Post author By Jon Rognerud
Post date June 28, 2016

Social media is here to stay, and let’s be honest: If your company doesn’t have a Twitter presence, it’s missing out on a giant opportunity to connect with customers and prospects.

Not to mention, if you’re not tweeting, you run the risk of appearing out of touch.

Global Connection with Twitter Hash Tags — Twitter branding the global way

Unfortunately, though, many companies are missing the mark on Twitter by failing to take advantage of all the the microblogging platform has to offer. Twitter plays a big role in many successful business plans. And, newsflash — even if your company is not active on Twitter, your brand likely exists. Meaning, whether you’re actively participating or not, your customers likely are — and some may even be talking about you, both good and bad.

So it’s up to you to get in on the conversations.

And with Twitter being free (besides any promoted tweets you may wish to pursue), there’s really no reason not to tweet.

Twitter boasts 310 million unique monthly visitors and is the second most popular social media platform. Suffice it to say, Twitter isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Listening is as Important as Tweeting

Twitter offers businesses a unique opportunity to not only hear customers’ thoughts, but to also have a glimpse at what’s being said about their competition and industry leaders.

This “inside” information is a great way to maintain a competitive edge.

Since Twitter is known well as a breaking-news platform, by keeping an eye on key accounts, you can have advance notice on any big announcements that are important to your company.

Not to mention that bench-marking your following and your impressions against your competitors’ is advantageous in setting goals for your own marketing campaigns.

What’s more, tweeters — now more than ever — expect to have their customer service issues addressed in real time by a company’s Twitter account.

Which means it’s crucial to have a dedicated staff member manning the social platform and ready to respond to customer service inquiries and complaints.

Follow the Crowd

While creativity is always a plus, if you’re just getting started on a Twitter strategy, there’s no need to recreate the wheel.

LifeLock, an identity theft protection company, is a great example of a company getting Twitter right.

While using relevant industry hashtags that people interested in their product would search, like #PrivacyAware and #OnlineSafety, the company makes it a priority to share the latest identity theft news, along with identity protection tips, positioning themselves as a subject-matter expert in their field.

Among the fashion brands capitalizing on social media are Gap, Victoria’s Secret and Burberry.

By staying trendy and timely, these brands know the value of a good tweet, appropriate response time and catchy photos of their products.

Use the Tools

According to addthis.com, businesses should be taking advantage of the many Twitter analytics tools out there that are designed to enhance your brand.

Tools like Buffer, TweetDeck and Hootsuite allow you to schedule your tweets in advance and follow trends easily.

Furthermore, Twitter’s in-depth analytics dashboard allows you to see your top-performing tweets, as well as your mentions and followers, along with helpful tips to create more engagement.

Speak So Your Customers Listen

For lingerie-specific brands, whose customer base is predominantly women, it’s key to be immersed in women’s lifestyle topics, including fashion, beauty and wellness.

By sharing information on topics your customers care about, aside from company and product information (which can appear self-serving if that’s all you’re putting out there), you’re showing you care about and cater to your customers’ needs and interests.

And that you understand them.

And isn’t that what every customer really wants? Happy tweeting!

FREE: Download the free Social Media Performance Handbook that will show you how to set up your social media campaigns in 7 simple steps. Includes 2 bonus strategies not found in this post.

Tags Social Media, Twitter

Social Media

How to Build the Perfect Twitter Bio

Post author By Jon Rognerud
Post date March 7, 2016

(Updated May 12, 2018)

How can you build a perfect Twitter BIO that attracts and build credibility at the same time? Here are 5 ways to create a Bio and Profile on Twitter.

Question: Does Twitter makes us better writers? Answer: Yes.

It doesn’t matter if you sell insurance or you’re a stand-up comedian, the limitation of 140 characters forces you to say more with less.

Since Twitter is so break or bust, we trust the people who tweet well.

Their competence on social media transcends, at least in our minds, and we assume that good tweets equal good business.

build-perfect-twitter-bio — Build your perfect Twitter profile and bio

That makes your Twitter a front man for your brand.

And where does every good Twitter account start?

In the Twitter bio.

You have 160 characters to tell the world who you are and what you’re about. Before you sit down to craft that first tweet, follow these tips to build the perfect bio that represents your brand.

#1 – Be Original

If you’ve read one Twitter bio, you’ve read them all.

They’re hopelessly predictable and everyone writes the same thing.

twitter-bio-text-generator — Twitter Bio Generator for ideas (by https://twitter.com/joshjs)

In fact, you can even use a Twitter bio generator to create a bio so average, so plain, that no one will even realize it’s fake.

Even an inkling of originality will grab readers’ attention, so don’t follow the lemmings off the edge of the cliff.

#2 – Be Direct

You don’t have to be Ellen to write a hilarious bio, and you don’t have to be Neil deGrasse Tyson to write an inspiring bio.

Companies can say who they are and why they do what they do in one short paragraph.

Take identity theft protection service LifeLock, for example: “You only have one identity. Protect it with the best.”

The second line isn’t anything groundbreaking, but the first is quite grabbing.

It’s like saying you only have one life, and people will notice a statement like that. Your company or brand can do the same, no matter what your product or service.

#3 – Be Witty (But Only If You’re Witty)

This tip is told with caution because you can’t force funny, and it can actually backfire if that humor is not authentic.

kimmel-twitter-bio-funny — @jimmykimmel – funny, weird, works.

We’ve all seen politicians try to act “cool” to resonate with the young voters.

Unless you’re playing saxophone on “The Arsenio Hall Show,” it’s about the most uncool thing you can do.

If humor is an authentic way you connect with an audience, then by all means use 160 characters to show off some wit.

But don’t force the concept because you think it’s what people want to read.

#4 – Don’t Sell

You will have plenty of chances to self-promote on social media; don’t make your bio one of them.

bad-twitter-bio-example — Twitter Bio Example – Bad

You can tell people what your product stands for without selling, LifeLock does this with their bio, but a good first impression should never end with a call to action.

Instead of telling people what you do or what you offer, tell them why you do it.

Apple will never tell you that it’s a company that sells phones. It will tell you it’s a company that changes lives… oh, and they just happen to sell phones to make it happen.

See the difference? Tell people why you wake up in the morning and do what you do, and they will follow you (figuratively and literally on Twitter).

#5 – Be Genuine

That last one goes without saying but it has to be said anyways—don’t be fake.

It’s not easy to trust people you meet or come across online. People can sometimes be more authentic online than offline in the way they express their personality.

Twitter is full of hacks who are out to get as many followers as possible with no real value. Quality trumps quantity any time of day.

Be genuine and true in you bio and you will not be one of those hacks.

Want to learn more?

FREE: Download the free Social Media Performance Handbook that will show you how to set up your social media campaigns in 7 simple steps. Includes 2 bonus strategies not found in this post.

Tags Social Media, Twitter

Social Media

7 Unknown Reasons to Use Periscope from Twitter for Your Business

Post author By Jon Rognerud
Post date January 21, 2016

using-periscope-twitter-social-media-chaosmap

Question: Are you the sole member of a company, acting as owner, operator and marketer as well as any other hats you may be required to put on in order to keep operations running smoothly?

Perhaps you are in charge of the marketing and Internet communications for a small business where everyone is a valued member of the team.

Either way, if you have the responsibility of making sure that you maintain positive consumer relations and networking with other professionals, then you need to be sure that you take advantage of the latest tools and tricks on the market.

In 2015, a new mobile app was released from Twitter that is becoming a real game-changer.

periscope-meerkat-google-trends-stat — Google Trends Chart showing Periscope rising in popularity (compared to Meerkat, another live streaming app) in 2016

In this emerging technology market, more players are showing up. You also have Meerkat, Facebook Livestream, Blab.im (a variation of it with up to 4 ‘streamers’).

Here’s a infographic comparison between Periscope and Meerkat:

Innovamap’s comparison chart – Periscope vs. Meerkat – which one is better?

This video streaming app named periscope is being used by businesses, celebrities and everyday people in order to communicate, entertain, educate and learn.

You can download it for your mobile phone on the Apple Store or Google Play.

And, it’s now playing on a theater near you – on Apple TV.

periscope-twitter-streaming-chaosmap — Periscope from Twitter (logo)

If you want to remain on top of your niche, or perhaps reach a higher level of brand recognition and reputation, then you need to utilize the way that this can completely revolutionize your company.

However, if you are going to begin using this app, you want to be sure that you know how to maximize the benefits that come with this exciting new method of mass interaction.

Here’s a quick introduction video on how to use Periscope from Krishna De

This will allow you to tailor your content preparation to meet the needs of your company.

Whether you are part of a team or a team of one, you may think that adding another form of communication to your current ones is too much.

However, quite the opposite is true. By implementing this free app correctly, you can reduce the time you currently spend on your social media and blog posts.

Over the course of six months or a year, you might even discover that you are spending less time marketing with greater results.

Figuring out how you plan to use periscope will prevent you from trying too many things at once.

You do not want to waste a bunch of time due to lack of focus.

Of course, if you discover that a particular type of marketing or communication does not work near as well for you as the other uses you have found for Periscope, you should certainly strike it from your list.

You can also consider adding new ones as is appropriate.

Twitter executives and the marketing team understand the power of the explosive growth of “vertical screens”. Take a look at the growth in digital media (time spent from Comscore). Periscope is an app that trail blazes this trend.

“Total digital media usage has grown 49% with mobile apps having grown 90% and contributing to 77% of the total increase in time spent” – comScore

growth-digital-media-time-spent-mobile-apps-power — Comscore – 2015 U.S. Mobile App Report (PDF original) – Digital usage time explosion

The following seven reasons for using Periscope for your business are a fantastic place for people like you to begin:

1. Show Off Your Products or Services with Live Stream Usage

One of the best ways that you can begin to utilize Periscope to communicate with current and potential customers is to showcase your products or services and how you can help them.

While videos of these are certainly useful for promotion purposes, live streams are even better.

periscope-revolution-new-tv — Sample periscope conversation and livestream with hearts emoticons flowing…

Traditional videos showcasing sale items often have been edited so that viewers primarily see the best parts of the process.

While this reduces the time of the video, it can also leave consumers wondering what was cut out. For instance, did it take you one minute to open the container or fifteen?

By doing a live-stream video with Periscope for them, the viewers will have no such doubts. Make sure that you retain your sense of humor should anything go wrong during the event.

Remember that you will not be able to edit out swear words or frustration down the line!

2. Provide an Insider View of Trade Shows and Special Events

People love to have an insider look at events and Periscope provides you with the perfect means to give them what they want.

Trade shows are still a popular means for businesses to connect with other companies and consumers.

periscope-livestream-from-tradeshow-chaosmap — Periscope from a tradeshow – “behind the scenes”

However, the vast majority of people do not know what goes on behind the scenes.

You can give them an up close look at what your team is doing and possibly even talk to others who are there.

You may get consumers trying the product for a first time who want to jump on the screen for a moment and express their perceptions of the product or brand.

You may also have other vendors that will say something favorable about your company and take advantage of the opportunity to get their own brand mentioned to a new audience.

When your business hosts an event, let your Twitter followers know that you will be hosting a Periscope stream for a period of time during it.

You may decide to give them an up-close look at the setup process or of people having a good time at the event.

Make sure that you schedule it so that you still have time to interact in person with the people who have shown up for it.

3. Testimonials Regarding Your Business Products or Services

People are more likely to make a purchase when they have seen many positive testimonials from real users.

Research has shown that most people are willing to rely on product reviews they find online just as much as if someone they know recommended the product.

periscope-video-studio-recording-live-testimonials — Use periscope to live stream from recorded studio session w/testimonials

While text reviews are useful in this regard, live streaming ones are even better.

This negates any chance that the review was written by one of your staff and if the customer is particularly excited, that can rub off on viewers and make them more likely to purchase.

4. Interactive Webinars and Question and Answer Sessions

You may want to host webinars to educate the public about the offerings of your business.

Consumers enjoy these interactive sessions, and it is a great way to begin building brand loyalty.

One way to keep everyone engaged and to provide particularly useful information is to host a Q and A session after you have presented an overview.

This will give current customers the chance to find out why something may not be working quite as expected.

Additionally, potential customers are more likely to be swayed if they can ask questions before they buy.

5. Provide a History of Your Company and Brand

Most consumers would like to know the background information of companies.

In fact, you may find that doing a live walk-through that highlights some of the events that led to the formation of the company or its products is a great way to entertain and engage consumers.

You should prepare properly for this so that they get the best look possible.

For instance, you may want to pull out prototypes that did not work or find ways to engage in humor as you are discussing attempts that did not go as well as planned in the beginning.

This will help consumers to see the team as real people and not just a corporate logo out to make a buck.

6. Find Out What Your Competition Is Up To As a Customer

Just as you can use Periscope to communicate with customers, so can your competitors.

Watch some of these presentations so you can see what they are doing.

Take the things that are working for your competition and improve upon them.

Keep in mind that you do not want to just blindly copy their style. Use their techniques and make them your own by adding flair from your brand.

Ideally, consumers will not even recognize the origin of your latest ideas.

Finding out how others are using Periscope and any tools your company uses is a huge part of keeping up in a competitive market.

7. Smooth Over Public Relations Issues Before They Turn Into Disasters

While nobody wants to think about running into public relations issues, it happens to all businesses at some point in time.

The longer it takes a company to respond, the larger the issue may grow.

You may be able to put out the fires early on and prevent a full-blown public relations disaster.

If you are planning to do this, make sure that you have all of your information in order and that you understand exactly what has happened. Otherwise, you may end up fueling the fires.

When it comes to business marketing, it is vital that you keep up with the tools and techniques being used by others successfully.

Smart business owners and marketing experts know that consumers have to be exposed to the brand and have positive experiences if they are going to convert into customers.

In Conclusion

Periscope is a fantastic new way that you can use in many ways and all you need is a valid Twitter account to begin.

Make sure that you take the time to learn how to use the app properly before you begin broadcasting to the public.

IMPORTANT: The usual promotional strategies apply.

While you’ll have folks show up from seemingly “nowhere” in a live stream session, you want to build out a proper marketing plan. Here’s what great entrepreneurs like Belinda Weaver does with attentive banners.

periscope-promotion-example-copywriting — Example: Belinda Weaver at https://twitter.com/copywritemattrs – periscope marketing

Making announcements regarding when you will be hosting live-feed and reminding people just before the event will encourage them to check it out.

If you keep these seven reasons in mind when you are deciding how to use this exciting new tool for promoting your company, you are certain to experience success.

Make sure to monitor how well each type is working for you and adjust your marketing efforts as needed so that you can continue to get the most out of this exciting app!

FREE: Download the free Social Media Performance Handbook that will show you how to set up your social media campaigns in 7 simple steps. Includes 2 bonus strategies not found in this post.

Tags Periscope, Twitter

Social Media

The Top 25 Facebook Marketing Blogs That You Must Follow

Post author By Jon Rognerud
Post date January 6, 2016

top-facebook-marketing-blogs-to-follow-2016

Facebook is the biggest social media platform on the Internet.
Updated: August, 2021

Facebook(tm) has over 3 billion daily active users globally and its membership is growing at a fast pace around the world. (reference Facebook company info page)

If you are a business or a digital marketer, you cannot – and should not – ignore social media giant Facebook.

And, the incredible reach and capabilities of (Facebook ads) their hyper-targeting is something you hopefully are already taking advantage of…

If not – you must.

As is the case with giant software platforms, Facebook is constantly changing.

Their growing team of engineers regularly introduce new features and capabilities. It is not easy to keep track of those changes.

For example, here are screen shots from the Ad campaign objectives from 2016 and 2017:

new-facebook-campaign-options — Facebook Ads 2016 campaigns: New options added for last year

facebook-ads-marketing-objective — Facebook Ads 2017: What’s your marketing objective – select from awareness, consideration, conversion

Organic Facebook Traffic

Consider optimizing your Facebook profile and Facebook business pages to get a solid media presence in search engines — from ALL your social platforms. Driving traffic from organic and paid media is critical. It will be even more important in the months and years ahead.

Here is the list of “The top 25 Facebook marketing blogs” and experts that you must follow to keep track of the changes and help you succeed at Facebook (ads) marketing and social media.

Social Media Examiner

https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/

This website is counted among the top blogs on the Internet on using social media (and Facebook) for businesses.

This blog covers a wide variety of topics ranging from “how-to”, increasing customer engagement, Facebook marketing and insights about many other social media platforms and tools. It has a massive amount of readers and on this blog you will find useful facts using social media and Facebook to help grow your business.

Follow founder Michael Stelzner on Twitter.

Jon Loomer

https://www.jonloomer.com/blog/

It is one of the most popular blogs when it comes to Facebook marketing.

Jon (great name!) is an expert on Facebook marketing. Also, his blog is different from the other blogs on social media that are just trying to make a quick buck, or sell you something in the first 10 seconds.

Follow Jon Loomer on Twitter.

All Facebook (Now Adweek)

https://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/ (the old URL was https://allfacebook.com/)

This blog is part of the Webmediabrands which is a huge publishing company covering a lot of different topics including social media.

This particular blog shares the inside scoop on Facebook and other social media platforms. In simple terms, you need to read this blog to stay on top of all things related to Facebook.

Follow Socialtimes on Twitter.

FREE WEBINAR: Register For Your Free Access so you can get more value from keywords and your content. Includes 2 bonus gifts not found in this article.

John Haydon

https://www.johnhaydon.com/

He covers a lot of different topics on this blog. If you want some honest insights on using Facebook, this is the blog you want to follow. Especially if you want Facebook training courses.

On this blog, his main focus is on advising non-profits on leveraging the reach of Facebook for fundraising and other purposes.

However, his marketing tips on Facebook can be used for all kinds of businesses to succeed on the biggest social media platform on the Internet.

Follow John on Twitter.

Social Media Explorer

https://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/

As the name suggests, this blog is the home of consulting company called Social Media Explorer LLC.

In addition to information on other social media platforms, they share a lot of valuable marketing related insights regarding Facebook.

Follow SME Digital on Twitter.

Amy Porterfield

https://www.amyporterfield.com/

She is the co-author of the book called Facebook Marketing All in One for Dummies. She is also a social media strategist and trainer.

On her blog, she shares a lot of valuable insights on Facebook marketing and other social media websites.

Follow Amy on Twitter.

Razor Social

https://www.razorsocial.com/blog/

In addition to the amazing social media tools and training, this blog is considered as one of the best resources on the Internet for free information on Facebook marketing and various other social media tools.

They also cover a lot of topics on search engine optimization. Follow RazorSocial on Twitter.

Jeff Bullas

https://www.jeffbullas.com/

He is a social media consultant and has helped a number of businesses as well as personal brands with using social media and online business development in the right manner.

His blog offers free information on using various social media platforms including Facebook. Most of the popular posts on his blog are related to Facebook marketing. He has exclusive training available for a paid fee also.

Follow Jeff Bullas on Twitter.

FREE WEBINAR: Register For Your Free Access so you can get more value from keywords and your content. Includes 2 bonus gifts not found in this article.

Buffer Blog

https://blog.bufferapp.com/

This tool is very well-known in the world of social media marketing. Their blog is counted amongst the top blogs on social media marketing for sharing honest insights on their social media efforts and the results.

Overall, you will find a lot of valuable information on their blog regarding Facebook marketing.

Follow Buffer over at Twitter.

Mari Smith

https://www.marismith.com/

While you won’t find a ton of posts on her blog, but everything she shares on the blog is incredibly detailed.

She’s a down to the earth blogger and Facebook consultant who practices what she preaches on her blog. In fact, she is one of the most sought-after speakers as well as trainers on the subject of Facebook marketing for businesses.

Follow Mari Smith on Twitter.

Rebekah Radice

https://rebekahradice.com/blog/

She is a sought-after speaker and trainer on using social media for businesses.

On her blog, you will not only find information related to Facebook marketing for businesses but also how businesses can take advantage of various other social media platforms to grow their business.

Follow Rebekah Radice on Twitter.

Kim Garst

https://kimgarst.com

This blog from Kim Garst is focused on teaching small businesses on using social media to gain new customers.

In addition to sharing tips on using Facebook the right way, he also shares some extremely valuable insights on marketing on various other established social media platforms and emerging social media apps such as Periscope.

Follow Kim Garst on Twitter.

Nanigans

https://www.nanigans.com/blog/

Naigans is an advertising automation software but their blog is so full of valuable posts on Facebook and overall social media marketing.

You’ll find a lot of valuable information on using various features of Facebook to get new customers and enhance the performance of your existing marketing campaigns.

Follow Nanigans on Twitter.

Agora Pulse

https://www.agorapulse.com/blog

Agora Pulse is known as one of the industry leaders when it comes to Facebook marketing and social media / backend analytics.

They offer a number of free as well as paid tools for helping businesses get the greatest ROI on their Facebook marketing efforts.

Their blog is full of useful information on Facebook marketing as well as overall social media marketing strategy.

Follow Agora Pulse on Twitter.

Ignite Social

https://www.ignitesocialmedia.com/blog/

This agency is known as one of the world’s best when it comes to development of highly effective social media marketing campaigns and overall strategy.

Their blog covers a variety of different platforms. You will find a number of well tested marketing approaches on social media.

Follow IgniteSocialMedia on Twitter.

FREE WEBINAR: Register For Your Free Access so you can get more value from keywords and your content. Includes 2 bonus gifts not found in this article.

Convince & Convert

https://www.convinceandconvert.com/blog/

While this blog is known as one of the best blogs on content marketing, they also post a lot of information related to social media marketing.

Their blog covers a variety of the topics related to Facebook marketing and the information on their blog is useful for beginners as well as advanced marketers in social media. Register for daily and weekly recaps.

Follow Jay Baer and team on Twitter.

HubSpot

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing

It won’t be wrong to say that everyone involved in digital marketing has heard of Hub Spot.

Their blog has a lot of information on digital marketing as well as various other things related to Facebook marketing.

Though this blog is not specifically dedicated to Facebook marketing, they have a lot of interesting insights on how to use Facebook effectively.

Follow Hubspot on Twitter.

Andrea Vahl

https://www.andreavahl.com/blog

Andrea is a well-known speaker and coach on social media. She is also the co-author of the book called, Facebook Marketing All in One for Dummies.

On her blog, she shares a number of highly valuable insights on using social media and especially Facebook.

Follow Andrea Vahl on Twitter.

Social Mouths

https://socialmouths.com/blog/

This blog has won numerous awards when it comes to blogs focused on social media marketing.

In fact, this blog is consistently ranked as one of the top 50 blogs on social media as well as content marketing.

It is the brainchild of Francisco Rosales and the blog offers some of the best advice on social media content, you’ll be able to find on the Internet for free.

This blog offers various helpful strategies as well as how-to’s on using social media for beginners and advanced marketers.

Follow SocialMouths on Twitter.

Gary Vaynerchuck

https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/blog/

Loud marketer (but wise) Gary Vaynerchuck is one of the world’s best-known marketers.

Anyone who has ever read anything on digital marketing is aware of the genius of Gary. He is unpredictable and the content on his blog is absolutely amazing.

His no-nonsense approach to social media marketing has turned him into one of the biggest brands in the world of social media.

On his blog, there is a lot of information on how to succeed on social media.

Follow GaryVee on Twitter.

Social Media Today

https://www.socialmediatoday.com/

They publish a lot of white papers related to social media marketing.

As the name suggests, their blog covers the latest happenings in the world of social media and especially, Facebook marketing.

Follow SocialMediaToday on Twitter.

FREE WEBINAR: Register For Your Free Access so you can get more value from keywords and your content. Includes 2 bonus gifts not found in this article.

Post Planner

https://www.postplanner.com/blog

This marketing app is used by over 200,000 marketers all over the world. Their blog is full of information related to marketing on Facebook and various other platforms.

On the blog, the posts include ways to increase shares and likes on Facebook and various other Facebook marketing tips.

Follow PostPlanner on Twitter.

Sprout Social

https://sproutsocial.com/insights/

They define their platform as powerful software for social business and a better way to manage social message for businesses.

On their blog, you’ll found various useful tips on marketing related to Facebook and other social platforms such as Twitter and Instagram.

Follow SproutSocial on Twitter.

Maximize Social Business

https://maximizesocialbusiness.com/

As the name suggests, this blog is focused on helping businesses realize the importance and reach of social media.

The main focus of this blog is on sharing insights on using Facebook as well as several other social media platforms to maximize business.

Follow MaximizeSocialBusiness on Twitter.

Facebook Newsroom

https://newsroom.fb.com/

Needless to say, this is where you’ll find the latest information on various new features and other tools available to marketers on the Facebook platform.

Follow Facebook on Twitter.

This is a small list of the blogs where you will find useful information related to Facebook marketing.

Facebook has successfully grown its membership as well as revenue by regularly introducing new tools to help the members as well as marketers who want to reach those members.

CONCLUSION:

Follow these blogs on a regular basis to stay ahead of the competition when it comes to Facebook marketing.

Question: Who or what Facebook marketing blog or authority did we miss? Any others you think should be added?

BONUS: Watch the Facebook Ads CASE STUDY for Live Events Marketing

FREE: Download the free Social Media Performance Handbook that will show you how to set up your social media campaigns in 7 simple steps. Includes 2 bonus strategies not found in this post.

Tags Blogs, facebook

Social Media

How To Get More Instagram Followers Hack

Post author By Jon Rognerud
Post date December 31, 2015

Instagram is one of the most powerful social media platforms in the world. Just check these monthly active users among Facebook, Whatsapp and Tumblr:

Leading social networks worldwide as of November 2015, ranked by number of active users (in millions)

Market leader Facebook was the first social network to surpass 1 billion registered accounts.

Seventh-ranked photo-sharing app Instagram had over 400 million monthly active accounts. Meanwhile, blogging service Tumblr had more than 230 million active blog users on their site.

instagram-monthly-users-statista — From Statista (https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/)

It is well-regarded for its ease of use and overall quality.

Yet, there are many businesses which continue to linger behind with their Instagram account.

It is one thing to set up an account and another to ensure it is flourishing and remaining interactive.

Let’s take a glance at some of the most important tips and tricks to gain followers on Instagram in this day and age.

With these tips, growing your business will become easier.

Use Relevant #Hashtags

Ever seen businesses who seem to be flourishing on Instagram and adding hundreds of followers in minutes?

instagram-popular-hashtags-for-more-followers — From Wikihow.com

Look at their pictures. What are all of them doing?

All of them are using hashtags and that is what continues to bring people in.

There are many followers from the millions who sign on every day that use the search function. They will look at the images under these hashtags and share them.

This is when a business is not only able to spread, but find targeted followers who will most likely convert. Who doesn’t like the possibility of this?

When choosing the hashtags being used, it is important not to overdo things and start spamming.

This is when people are going to be put off.

Choose relevant, niche-based hashtags that are going to woo prospective followers into joining up.

TIP: Try Keyhole to get historical and real-time data for hashtags.

Build ‘Like For Like’ Relationships

This is one of the best methods to use with followers because there are many people who don’t mind doing this.

The goal is simple and is one that is used by numerous businesses around the world on Instagram.

The idea is to build a ‘like for like’ relationship where two users agree to like each others photos.

Now, this can be taken a step further because it does not just have to be a swapping of likes, but it can be a swapping of ‘follows’ as well.

Yes, this is a great way to find new followers who would otherwise not be joining up.

It is important to remember, quality content is a must here as that is going to woo the person to agree.

Make sure to build a perfect Instagram profile and Instagram posts. Here’s a great infographic showing the anatomy of a perfect Instagram post:

They will join up and it will not only increase numbers but add potential leads who are related to the niche in one way or another.

Don’t overlook this as an option because it will work and has worked for numerous businesses.

Swap Promotions With Other Accounts

It is tough to be the only business in a niche. This is rare and just does not happen.

Therefore, you are going to have a number of niche-related accounts on Instagram that can be worked with.

You want to build as many relationships as you can in this regard.

Of course, this does not mean you have to start dealing with your competitors. This often does not make sense and most would not want to do this anyway. Therefore, you want to look at semi-related accounts.

An example of this would be a computer company that connects with a software business.

Both are not direct competitors, but consumers who purchase from one will be interested in the other as well. The same idea is being applied here.

The goal is to find those semi-related accounts and connect with them to promote each other’s businesses to their followers.

This is a great way to build a proper brand and continue to find those new relationships that will come in handy down the road. Don’t ignore this as a possible option because it is proven to do the trick on Instagram repeatedly.

Build A Social Media Network

Instagram on its own is not going to help you reach maximum potential and it is as simple as this.

To gain as many followers as possible on Instagram, a proper social media web, and/or network has to be built from the ground up.

What does this mean?

The goal is to have accounts setup on all of the major social media giants. This would include the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to name a few.

You want to make sure this is being done as soon as possible. It is the only way to ensure all accounts are able to grow together.

If a prospective follower finds you on Facebook, they should easily be able to connect with their Instagram account as well.

This is how the web spreads and quality results are seen. Many businesses do this because it is one of the easiest ways to see consistent results.

Remain Interactive

Always remain interactive on these accounts as that is the only way to ensure followers are not leaving.

It is one thing to gain followers and another to keep them as they come in. Instagram does have a strong follower growth and you should capitalize on that.

instagram-follower-growth-curve-stat — Courtesy SocialMediaToday.com (https://www.socialmediatoday.com/social-business/adhutchinson/2015-07-11/instagram-generating-higher-engagement-facebook-and-growing)

You don’t want a situation where the results are just not coming because you refuse to pay attention to the account.

Larger businesses have specialists in place to handle their accounts, but that is not necessary for a smaller business.

It is simpler to do it on your own and remain on top of these things.

It will ensure the followers who are joining up can see you are not going to leave them hanging. This will lead them to join up.

Plus, the more pictures that are up with quality hashtags, the greater one’s chances of attracting people.

It is one of those things which will add up like a snowball rolling down a mountain. It will pick up speed.

Post In The Afternoon

The timing of one’s posts is something many businesses refuse to analyze and optimize.

Don’t you want to be putting up posts during the time when traffic numbers are at their highest?

Is this something one can do with ease?

best time to post on instagram for more followers — From GeekWire (Instagram time to post)

Yes, you can do it and that is what you have to pay attention to.

Experts have done a lot of studies on this to see what time is best on Instagram. All results have the same thing to say in this regard.

Any time between 2-5 PM is fantastic in the region that is being targeted. This is when users are seen scrolling through their accounts the most.

Note: You should use a social tracking tool to test this for your niche.

Maximize ‘Mayfair’ Filter

What filter tends to attract the most users to look at your photo? It is the ‘Mayfair’ filter that has achieved this status as the best filter.

It simply attracts the eye on Instagram’s platform and is a must for businesses that are looking to optimize what they are doing.

It is a simple tweak and one that can be made in seconds. So, why not use it to gain more followers?

It works and is something that is not going to hurt the brand one bit. It is a no-brainer.

Hold Contests

The next tip would be to hold contests as these are always going to attract people.

If you don’t want to waste time on a contest, you can do something simpler in the form of a giveaway. You can give something from the business for free as long as people are signing up.

It works and you will notice how there are many people who end up staying even if they don’t win.

This is one of the most exciting parts of a change such as this and what it can do for you and the business in general.

TIP: Try Shortstack Instagram to launch your first contest campaign.

Consider Paid Services

This is not the first recommendation but is being listed because it is an option.

Instagram paid services to gain new followers is a risky option to take for a number of reasons.

It can lead to fake followers inflating numbers and it costs money.

Yet, there are certain services which are able to provide respectable followers and can be considered.

It is certainly recommended to stay away from such services and build naturally because over time there will come a point where the followers add up in a hurry.

If all other options are not working out, this is a wonderful option to consider and give a shot.

If you don’t have money to blow away continue to work through natural means as a poorly thought out purchase (with the wrong service) can hinder the business’ chances of growth.

Plus, it could also lead to concerns with Instagram. Remember, it is always smarter to go through other means. Always.

TIP: Visit this Facebook Instagram Ads resource to learn more and how to get started with Instagram ads.

CONCLUSION

Studies have shown a significant rise in the amount of conversions and loyal customers coming in from Instagram.

Followers on platforms such as this begin to trust the brand more and more over time. It creates an in-depth connection that leads to a long-term relationship between the customer and business.

Take these tips into consideration and devise a comprehensive plan which will ensure new followers are added every single day.

This is a must for those who are unable to see growth through other means and want something that is proven and effective.

With 27% of America’s population on this wonderful platform, the opportunities are endless.

Make the most of Instagram as soon as possible.

FREE: Download the free Social Media Performance Handbook that will show you how to set up your social media campaigns in 7 simple steps. Includes 2 bonus strategies not found in this post.

Tags instagram, Social Media

Social Media

Social Media Marketing Strategy: 3 Critical Steps to Ensure Your Social Media Success

Post author By Jon Rognerud
Post date December 16, 2015

social-media-marketing-strategy-mastery-3-simple-steps-chaosmap

Can you believe it? Even just a decade ago there were many businesses that didn’t think they needed an online presence.

Fortunately most business owners and entrepreneurs understand the importance of having a strong online presence where customers can find them.

However, just having a website isn’t enough.

You need your messages to be found and seen via promotional campaigns. And, leveraging your experience, services and products via a social media marketing strategy will help your business grow.

If someone knows you already and wants to look you up a little more, that’s one situation.

However, what about people who don’t know you?

What about those young customers or potential clients who want to see what you’re actually about, what your company’s philosophy is?

This is where a good social media marketing program can make all the difference!

Social media marketing is an essential part of any campaign to get attention to your business, blog, or cause.

Anyone who wants to get their name or message out there, and who wants to get the most they can out of everything the world wide web has to offer,

What Does Social Media Encompass?

Social media can be a bit of a nebulous term, but if you want a social media campaign that truly brings home the results that social media masters can pull off, you need to be able to tackle social media as a big picture campaign.

A great YouTube video campaign is good, a strong Twitter account (and creative tweets) can go viral easily.

Facebook is still the largest visited social website in the world.

Any one of these individually can give very good results but why settle for good when you can take all of them together to get extraordinary results?

What Exactly Is a Social Media Marketing Campaign?

A social media marketing campaign takes advantage of the many different websites that attract people to interact.

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest are just a few examples of the many different social media websites that have millions and millions of users visiting on a daily basis.

Each one is very different and covers a variety of niches and types of interactions.

Social media gives individuals, non-profit organizations, companies, and even political and social causes a chance to interact with people who are actually looking to connect and who are open to that back and forth interaction.

Social media also gives a chance for any organization or company to show their personality, share information, or build trust.

This can be done organically, but each of these options also have paid advertising or paid marketing options.

A full marketing campaign will not only hit a broad variety of social media websites that match a business well, but also use both organic and paid methods to drive traffic.

With the right plan, a good social media marketing campaign can be an absolute game changer for any business.

While there are many different ways to get there and make that game-changing impression, all the best campaigns rely on three steps that are an absolute necessity for a winning social strategy.

Let’s look at a simple 3-step social media marketing strategy that you can use.

Step 1: Understand Your Core Purpose Behind the Campaign

Every campaign talks about getting traffic and getting conversions or making money, but the core reason behind any social campaign revolves around three pillars:

Engage with your clients and followers
Offer exceptional value that causes them to take action
Careful restrained marketing

Every campaign, no matter what specific techniques it uses, need to work around these three important pillars to get the long-term response you want.

Engaging your clients and customers can take many forms.

Ask them questions, offer a gift for filling out a questionnaire, or bringing attention to a value-heavy offering and really focusing on giving individual responses to people who are looking at what you’re offering or giving feedback.

This isn’t a time to share, but that interaction and trust building can really set a positive tone across your entire campaign.

Offering great value is really self-explanatory.

Some examples:

A video
Free tool or widget (calculators are popular)
a PDF e-book
a free sample: offer something that makes their lives better.

This gives you a chance to really show the high quality of your work and build a solid reputation as customers share what you’re offering with other people – putting you in front of new eyes who otherwise would have never seen you.

Finally, be restrained in your marketing.

A general rule of thumb is only 5-10% of interactions should be pushing for a sale or purchase, if this is your goal.

Interact, educate, and build trust with the other interactions.

People will act much more positively towards anything you have to offer.

Step 2: Understand the 3 M’s for a Successful Campaign

The three M’s are monitoring, measuring, and managing.

While the best social media marketing campaigns are well planned, everyone knows you have to be able to adapt a bit.

You want to monitor the early response, and perhaps even shift your social efforts based on if one or two actions are getting huge responses while other efforts aren’t doing much.

Measuring is a given. You want to know how many impressions you’re getting, how many visitors, how many clicks, calls, and actions.

Without any way to measure the effect of your campaign, how do you know how to adapt and get the most out of your efforts?

Remember these three M’s when managing any social media marketing campaign (especially when putting out money for paid results).

You will quickly learn how to master adapting and shifting a good social media campaign that is in progress.

Step 3: Learn All Your Potential Attention-Grabbing Options

This is where having a creative mindset really pays off big time. How are you going to get attention or set up an event worthy of sending paid searches to it?

Are you going to offer a contest with a major prize? Free coaching sessions or business coaching?

Money, time, coaching, are all common options but what about something different? Offer a contest to create a new logo or get weird pictures with celebrities.

Try starting some random memes that go viral – there are literally a nearly endless array of options when it comes to getting attention and setting up a campaign to go viral.

GoDaddy used to intentionally make racy or offensive commercials to get attention and generate a lot of conversation.

Neil deGrasse Tyson gained enormous attention by creating incredible facts and comparisons that took some topics many considered dry and brought new life into them.

Many snack, soda, and beer companies had some of their best advertising due to hilarious Super Bowl commercials and social media.

This doesn’t mean you have to spend a million dollars, offend people, or be a super genius to get the attention you want to your social media campaign but these extremely different examples should go to show just how many different options there are.

Don’t limit yourself!

Everyone is always looking for new and interesting information or something that entertains them.

You never know what the next big idea is so don’t be afraid to try some out of the box ideas and see what catches.

In Conclusion

When it comes to getting your message out, there are few mediums that work better than social media.

But there are right and wrong ways to do that.

How often has an intern put out a bad tweet and managed to get their employer in serious trouble or cause a public relations fire storm?

On the other hand, someone like George Takei has shown how an amazing social media marketing campaign can take on a life of its own that goes even above and beyond anyone’s expectations.

By mastering the steps of being creative, knowing the three M’s, and understanding your core purpose, you will quickly master the art of social media marketing.

DOWNLOAD OUR BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO SOCIAL MEDIA NEXT:

FREE: Download the free Social Media Performance Handbook that will show you how to set up your social media campaigns in 7 simple steps. Includes 2 bonus strategies not found in this post.

Social Media

6 New Ways To Attract Quality Leads From LinkedIn Organically

Post author By Jon Rognerud
Post date December 15, 2015

how-to-generate-leads-using-LinkedIn-Naturally

This post is about how to generate leads using LinkedIn in a non-paid manner.

LinkedIn’s self service paid ads can seem like an easier way to generated traffic and leads, but most that go down this path lose their investment.

At least in the short term.

It is simply not feasible to tread down this path without being willing to lose money. Sure, that’s ‘business as usual’, but do you really have to start there?

Does this mean there are not other organic methods to create traffic through the LinkedIn platform?

This is a question many business owners and B2B marketers tend to have.

There are multiple methods one can employ to garner traffic as long as there is a commitment towards being meticulous and persistent.

Let’s take a look at six unique ways to generate traffic on LinkedIn, Naturally.

#1 Maximize Use Of Integrated Media On Your Profile

Let’s begin with the first unusual method which is not going to cost you a dime and will create more visibility, authority and opportunity for leads. I’ll call them “mini-apps”.

These objects (the old LinkedIn Applications) are easy to install and are added onto your profile to better the experience of those who are going to be visiting your profile. LinkedIn’s Slideshare is just one of several you must consider. (Read: How to generate leads on Slideshare)

There are a number of apps from which you can choose the ones you want. On LinkedIn, you will have to go to the ‘Applications’ area in order to sift through the options on offer and pick the apps that are best suited for you and your needs. There are some fascinating apps included in the area such as being able to create simple polls, lists, and even optimizing your blog posts. There are so many things to do with these apps alone and the leads they will create are going to be astonishing at first.

There are far too many people who don’t take advantage of these apps and that is what holds them back. It is one of the easiest long-term methods to continually generate leads and make your profile exciting to read as well.

#2 Implement LinkedIn Answers Alternatives

As my social associate Donna Serdula said in this blog post, LinkedIn Answers is removed from the feature set. She recommends other tools to use now:

These are similar to the idea of ‘Yahoo Answers’, and great to get insights to questions people ask, and that you can help answer. There are a significant amount of examples with regards to people who were able to build a lot of leads in a short period of time because of their answers alone.

You can write posts on LinkedIn to answer people’s questions, or highlight a problem area that you and your firm have expertise in.

#3 Maximize Second Connections Via Target Company

Searching for people is something most users are going to do at one point or another on LinkedIn.

This is easy to do, but there are many people who don’t realize how they can maximize first connections in order to develop secondary connections.

LinkedIn has made it easy to spot the kind of connections a person has with specific companies or people.

Let’s say you are looking to generate leads in the world of accounting and are targeting specific firms in the area. You will click on their company name after putting it in the search bar. On the right-hand side, you are going to see all of the direct connections you have to the business. These are great and most people notice these. However, you want to go to the “second connections” link as that is where the real value is.

When you click on these people, you will begin to see ‘shared connections’ near the bottom of their profile.

shared-connections-linkedin-chaosmap — Shared Connections – LinkedIn Profile

These are the individuals who you have to contact and provide value to. You will be surprised as to how many leads can be created when you are using this method alone.

#4 Join Outside Your ‘Circle’ Using LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn Groups are great and hold wonderful value as long as you are using them properly.

What is the first thing most people do with regards to these groups?

They will join the ones that are present in their niche and call it a day. Does this sound like a good plan?

It might have worked in the past, but in most cases the leads are going to be saturated. Everyone and their dog will be going after these groups as they are the common sense ones to consider. What you need to do is go outside the circle, but still within your market (“shoulder-niches”).

Go outside of the niche in order to find leads. How is this possible? Let’s take a look.

Let’s say you are in the world of finance. You will want to join all finance-based groups, but you can start to move outwards as well such as “small business owners” or “investors” and other related groups. These are people who will be related to the world of finance, but not directly.

You will be able to find some of the finest leads in these groups because they will have likely have been less targeted in the past. This is where the magic lies for those who are tired of being shut down on their regular groups.

But, with all outreach and connections, “high value, no spam” is essential.

#5 Build Your Network With LinkedIn Mobile App

This next way would be one of those options that are going to yield great value in the long-term.

LinkedIn Mobile Apps to the rescue.

This is based on a more personal encounter. Imagine going to a great trade show and speaking to wonderful people only to realize you don’t have their contact information.

Sure, they might give you a business card, but is that enough? No.

You want to get and link to their LinkedIn profile as soon as you can.

With the new mobile app that has been set up by LinkedIn, you are able to download it and connect with a simple tap of two smartphones. Just put their backs together and immediately you will have the other person’s information.

Yes, it is that easy!

Getting this app downloaded is going to take a few seconds and those who are not paying attention will be the ones who are missing out. Always make sure you are paying attention to this method.

It will do the trick and you will be able to reap the rewards of the connections you had built. This is when networking is going to be worthwhile.

#6 Understand SEO On LinkedIn

SEO is not only reserved for search engines such as Google or Bing.

It can be seen with any platform that has a search bar. Yes, it is essential to maximize the search algorithm on LinkedIn in order to reap the rewards of one’s profile. There are numerous people who are missing out on this and that is the reason they are not able to generate new leads.

How can one maximize SEO to generate leads?

The sole purpose of SEO is to find keywords people are searching for on the platform and then using them on your profile. It is simple and will push your profile up the search results when the keyword is typed in.

Do your research in this regard.

What are people searching for in your niche all the time? How can you incorporate this in your profile?

An example would be changing the titles of your blog posts to include keywords. Don’t spam, but try to place essential keywords in your profile and expanded meta fields within that profile.

For example, if you were working as a social media marketing firm, you would want to have “social media marketing” in your profile at the very least.

To get your LinkedIn profile listed high in search engines, keep it fresh and include references to your profile across other platforms and websites. Content and links still rule the day in SEO.

It is all about building a platform which is going to yield results in the long-term. The fact this is still an untapped method is what makes it beautiful to incorporate. You will generally be the only person in the niche who is maximizing the use of SEO.

URLs matter in SEO and that’s the same on LinkedIn. See what the awesome Viveka Von Rosen says about that here:

CONCLUSION:

These are some of the finest methods any marketer or business owner is going to come across when aiming to generate leads in their niche on the LinkedIn platform.

Does this mean it is going to be straightforward? No, marketing requires hard work and a desire to excel which comes along with a positive mindset.

Those who have it will be able to utilize these methods written in this post and employ them with great success. Those who don’t are the ones who will generally resort back to paid ads and lose half of their budget immediately.

Don’t be one of those people and give these methods a real chance.

NEED SOME HELP? Contact Us Here and schedule your time.

Tags lead generation, LinkedIn, Social Media

Social Media

5 Easy Steps To Get Started With Pinterest Ads

Post author By Jon Rognerud
Post date December 10, 2015

how-to-setup-your-first-pinterest-paid-ads-boards

Social media platforms have long been regarded as the way of the future.

Marketing teams, online professionals and digital marketing agencies are going to move through these platforms quickly. Those companies who maximize findings from results and platforms will be the ones winning in their respective niches. That’s you!

welcome-to-pinterest-ads-chaosmap-advertising-boards — Welcome to pinterest ads – create traffic and engagement

However, those who ignore them will quietly slip into the background over time.

Pinterest is one of those juggernauts growing and becoming a meaningful option as time goes on.

Pinterest statistics are growing. You should consider the numbers and demographics and see how they fit into your world.

Pinterest is estimated to reach 47.1 million users in the U.S. in 2015 – @craigpsmith

Experts in the industry are stating Pinterest is going to be one of the most powerful marketing tools in the upcoming year. The community is vast and the ad manager is top notch with its layout and efficiency.

The CEO of Pinterest stated that it’s grown to over 100 million users (New York Times).

Let’s take a look at what it takes to get started with Pinterest ads for those who are just getting started.

Understanding The Advertising Process

Before diving headfirst into the ads process, it is critical to understand how the platform works. Those who don’t take the time to understand these intricacies are going to lose out on a lot of money.

Don’t let this happen and put in the hard work that is required to first understand how things work.

APPROACH #1:
There are two specific methods for promoting pins on this platform. One is reserved for larger businesses (i.e. partners) in the form of the “reservation style promoted pin“. This is reserved for companies who are putting down a set amount from the beginning and will have their spot reserved on the system for keywords. (Read the Pinterest spend article from Adage).

The going amount for reserving spots for keywords comes in at around $1 million. For most, this budget is rather extreme and won’t be feasible at all. This is where the second approach is available.

APPROACH #2:
The second approach uses the method of auctions and bidding. You bid for a specific keyword and have your pins put up for a certain amount of time. It is a CPC (cost per click) based method and each keyword and “topic” is going to have different fees attached to them.

Competitive keywords with a lot of people bidding will go higher than others. It is the same as seen on Google Adwords.

This is often the right way to go as long as the right keywords are being targeted and focused in on as needed.

The two different campaign types are: a) engagement campaigns, and b) traffic campaigns

Engagement campaign:
Track your audience’s signals of intent. You get charged for each engagement (closeup, repin, click) on your Pin.

Traffic campaigns, traffic to your website:
Send a motivated audience to your content. You get charged for clicks to your website.

pinterest-engagement-ads-traffic-ads — Pinterest Campaign Types

Step 1: Setup Your Business Account

Let’s move onto putting together a business account and getting those ads up to rake in the leads.

It begins by setting up the account as that is going to get the ball rolling in the right direction. You will have to go the website (business.pinterest.com) and fill out the details that are required.

It will ask you for information in relation to what is going to be advertised and personal details. It will also ask for financial information to make sure the money is going to come from a secure place (i.e. credit card).

Figure out all of this information beforehand to make the application process go through as needed. Make sure to enter all relevant and correct information on the form. They will vet the information and if there are concerns, the account is not going to be approved by the person responsible for the task.

Be patient and make sure all of the information adds up and provides the value that is required by Pinterest and their policies. Don’t overlook anything.

Step 2: Get Approval For ‘Promoted Pins’ On Pinterest

The next step is to wait after the application has been sent into Pinterest.

They are going to look through the information that has been put in the application to make sure you have not wasted their time and have put information that is truthful and correct.

They are going to generally take care of you pretty quickly as the main account has been approved.

Feel free to reach out to the account team if the process takes longer than you expected.

Step 3: Begin To Create Pins (For Your Ads)

The next step is going to take a look at creating the pin(s) that you are looking to put up in the advertising section.

You are going to want to make this as professional and aesthetic as possible because it is going to have a role to play in how many people click on it.

You don’t want to overlook these concerns as it could lead to the campaign falling apart. This happens a lot more than businesses would expect. Just putting up a pin is not going to do enough. It has to gain traction and that begins by making sure you are creating the right pins that will work.

TIP:
How to make great pins and boards is a must read. (And, download the pins guide PDF too)

The pin has to be made for the main board, so you have to understand it is not a ‘one and done’ type situation. The pin has to last on your account and then be put up. You can’t just customize a pin and hope to take it off afterward.

Plus, you’ll develop many different pins for engagement and contribution to your growing community.

There are certain rules you have to adhere to. These rules include what is not allowed (i.e. drugs, alcohol, porn) and no obvious call to actions (click here!) as those are against the rules of the platform.

Step 4: Select The Right Pin For Promotion Purposes

Make sure the pin that you are going to be promoting is coming from your own account and is not attached to another board. This happens a lot more than people would like to see.

Creating, managing and editing pins are keys to your success, as you build your foundation. Driving Pinterest traffic to poorly created content is “failure before you begin”.

(To learn more, download the complete Pinterest Ads guide here).

They put the pin on the group account and that is when the entire group gets promoted rather than your page.

You want to make sure it is only on your page and then it is being promoted. This will drive all of the traffic/leads to your account as desired.

You always want to make sure you are paying attention to this moving forward.

What should you be looking to do with regards to the promotions? You have to take a look at how many people are searching up specific terms. You can and should visit others in your marketplace and do competitive research.

Step 5: Assess The Keywords And Launch The Ad

This step is key as this is where the research comes into play. You have to take a look at the search terms that you can use.

Learn more from the Pinterest Campaigns Guide here.

Select the location, gender, and device you want to work with. Be careful and try to spread the money in order to get data to work with.

Pinterest Ads: demographics and targeting options

This way you can optimize based on what combination works best.

The same goes for your CPC budget. Look to go to a reasonable amount. Also, be careful with regards to the URL destination. You will want it targeted to the right place or you will lose out.

Once you submit, you’ll see this notice. It may/will take longer for newer accounts.

CONCLUSION:

You are ready to go and you will be able to put up more campaigns as you proceed and continue to test. This is what matters and you will see results.

Pinterest ads can be a great way to go, and you should definitely test if your business is very image-driven. But, many businesses are using Pinterest.

Don’t end up on the wrong side of things when it comes to marketing trends that can have a big impact for your business. Pinterest and its advertising products can be maximized to ensure results are coming in.

Pay attention to the steps listed in this post and then move forward with regards to the value being provided.

When you are able to make the most of these steps, you will see the results roll in with ease. Your conversion rate will start to go up as well.

If you need help – feel free to reach out:

NEED SOME HELP? Contact Us Here and schedule your time.

Tags pinterest, Social Media