Plan and Build Your Social Media Presence

It All Starts With a Plan and Goals – the Basics

In addition to your primary site, social media sites leverage your messages online. The wonder of social media is that it naturally connects people who have similar interests. You want to reach your friends, and your friends’ friends.

When you engage in discussions online through social media, your message can even “go viral”, gaining momentum and reaching well beyond your friends’ friends. The ultimate goal of an internet marketing campaign is to create a meaningful message that reaches its target audience and is virally spread to others who are interested in the topic.

Build your social media presence and interaction very deliberately. Certain basic fundamentals will make your social media efforts most rewarding:

• Write down your business goals.
• Find and listen to the conversations that are already taking place online about you, your products, your competitors, and your competitors’ products.
• Find and listen to your ideal customers’ needs. Remember, when you offer a solution that solves a pressing problem, fulfills an urgent need, or gives them hope and joy, people will eagerly buy it.
• Choose key social media sites for your target niche and establish your online profile.
• Integrate those sites for maximum exposure, brand-building, and traffic.
• Engage in conversations.
• Build your network or following. Build your email database.
• Track and monitor activity and results.
• Tweak to continually improve results.
• Repeat.

Tell your story – the social media way

You have a unique story to tell, and social media is your opportunity to join conversations. As we discussed earlier, social media is NOT one-way ‘push’ marketing. It IS about finding online platforms where people have conversations about specific topics of interest, and engage in meaningful, two-way discussion.

A site that allows users to interact and add content (comments, links, photos, video, etc.) is social. Use first person. Make your interaction sound and feel genuine. The people you meet online will be attracted to you (and what you offer) when you add helpful, meaningful input. If you’re new to social media, it is widely recommended that you first LISTEN to the conversation in order to become familiar with its unique style and flow.

What is YOUR unique story?

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For more resources, see our Library topics Marketing and Social Networking.

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ABOUT Lisa M. Chapman:

Ms. Chapman’s new book has a name change! The Net-Powered Entrepreneur – A Step-by-Step Guide will be available very soon. With offices in Nashville Tennessee, but working virtually with international clients, Lisa M. Chapman serves her clients as a business and marketing coach, business planning consultant and social media consultant. As a Founder of iBrand Masters, a social media consulting firm, Lisa Chapman helps clients to establish and enhance their online brand, attract their target market, engage them in meaningful social media conversations, and convert online traffic into revenues. Email: Lisa @ LisaChapman.com