Social Media Networking with Guest Blogger, Gina Schreck.
Gina Schreck is the president at SocialKNX, a digital marketing and social media management company. She has been social online for over 10 years, and has been an entrepreneur for over 20 years. Follow her on any social networking channel or just Google her to find a location near you!
So many people say social media engagement doesn’t work, or they say they can’t figure out why people aren’t connecting with them on their social networking channels. I take one quick peek and can tell right away, most of the time, why. It’s like the movie with Jennifer Aniston and Ben Affleck, He’s Just Not That Into You.
There are things that make someone more “likeable” on social and things that, well…turn us off. In order for social networking to work for you, you have to be willing to do some work to be likeable.
Let’s take a look at some areas that will increase your social status:
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Improve Your Bios and Profiles
Using a professional, cropped close, headshot is going to reap greater results than a photo of your truck or dog. You want a photo that allows us to see YOU. On social channels, we are having conversations. We want to see the face of the person we are speaking to. Upload a nice photo where you are smiling. I see some that look more like mugshots than profile pictures.Your bio should entice. It should provide a hint to what you do or what you are an expert in so people can get a feeling for the type of content you are going to share. It should also have a bit of intrigue. Giving us just a peek into something about you that is personal so we can find that common ground to connect on. If you have 7 wiener dogs or love gardening, we can start with small talk around those (and I would probably be your new BFF) and build on the rest. To see some of my favorite bios, check out the Twitter list I have under GREAT BIOS.
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Be Social
Too many people believe that they can create an account on a social site and suddenly, like Field of Dreams, “they will come!” Unless your name is Justin Bieber or Beyoncé, that just isn’t going to happen! To gain followers, you have to start being social.Think in terms of social networking. Comment on other people’s posts. Like or follow their pages and profiles. Leave comments on blog posts that you enjoy. Yes, this takes time. It is the WORK part that will allow social to work for you. If you want followers, go out and find them. Look for people who are following accounts that attract the same audience you want. Connect with them. Like or share some of their content. You know…BE SOCIAL.
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Don’t Alienate Your Audience
There are people who rant about politics, sports, religion, or anything else controversial. They alienate others. Long-winded rants about things that are not on brand or that do not help the audience that you attracted in the first place will get you unfollowed.Examine your posts. How often do you go off-brand? Can people tell what it is that you do or what your area of expertise is? Commenting or engaging in personal or social banter is great, but if that is all you do, it’s harder for people to want to connect.
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Be Consistent
Too many people go Gung-Ho, posting several times a day for a week or two then they fall off the social planet. This is not a great example of social networking. If I go to someone’s LinkedIn profile, their Facebook page, or Twitter account, I look for activity. It amazes me when I see someone with 7 posts and 10,000 followers on Twitter. This smells of spammy activity and purchased followers. I stay far away.Sure, social media sites are a crowded and sometimes loud space. Being absent doesn’t make you more findable or memorable. You have to be active and participate with others to build relationships and business.
To ensure social media “works for you” requires work. It requires time. It requires you be consistently social and share valuable information. So go to your social profiles today and do a self-audit. Where can you make adjustments to be more social?