Maximize your social media results. Social media or web 2.0 is absolutely transforming the Internet and how things are done. Now, anyone, whether they’re a Fortune 500 brand or an individual with a vision and idea, can jump into social media and start succeeding.
Yada yada yada, you’ve probably heard that a thousand times now and it’s getting old. And by now, you realize that it’s not some walk in the park. Anything worth building and growing never is. Last but definitely not least, there’s a lot of information out there that’s confusing and complicated.
So, the other night, while sitting there at 2:30 AM in a drunken haze minus the alcohol, I came up with a rather interesting little principle to keep in mind and use in your social media, and potentially yield some pretty awesome results.
Granted, it’s not something worthy of the “guru” or “expert” label if there is such a thing, but I think Quick Online Tips’ readers could get some value out of it. I call it CRAVE and there are 5 rather simple-to-remember steps…
#1: Create
A social media presence without any form of content or structured content is bound to fail. A big misconception is that one can hop into it by just posting a bunch of links or plugging in Twitterfeed, and it’s going to help you and allow you to grow.
You want to share good content but when that’s all you do, you’re not building your brand, your business, your blog, but someone else’s. Think about that for a second.
You want to not only share good content, but you want to create content via your own blog on a consistent basis. Post a few times per week or more if at all possible, then get that content out there to your audience. If you don’t create, you won’t generate, whether that is readers, newsletter subscribers, followers, fans, etc.
#2: Reiterate
In a nutshell, remind people that you’re there to help and that you care for them. One thing I will point out though is that not everyone cares the same amount. Gary Vaynerchuck is a great example of that. The dude cares about his community so much; it would make some go insane if they tried doing even half of what he does!
However, it’s good to note that those who tend to do best in the blogging and online world, are those who show they care and are genuinely there to help others. You of course want to make money but if that’s all you’re in it for, you might want to rethink what you’re doing.
#3: Authenticity
Be real in everything you do, just be honest and not fake. So many are afraid to be themselves because there’s this fear of what others will think and if people will actually pay attention to you. Get that out of your mind ASAP and realize that we’re all, in some way, attracted to those that are real and authentic.
Look at some of the top people out there right now in the blogging and social media world. Good chances are, they’re very authentic.
#4: Value
This is just a no brainer and honestly, I shouldn’t have to speak but a sentence or two on it. When you create, create things of value that your audience will really learn something from and get something out of. If you have no value, people will not value you and what you have to say.
#5: Engagement
Engagement in social media is just as important as creation of content. Social media in its simplest form is a communication platform. It’s a rapid relationship builder when you think about it and it can be when you engage and interact with others.
Yes, you can (and want to) start a conversation within your content but again that takes us back to posting links all the time. Be in the relationship business and connect with other like-minded people when you can.
Say hey, ask a question, just encourage conversation which is where relationships are built at a core level. Relationships mean business, plain and simple. Just ask any successful company or entrepreneur out there.
“What do you think about this CRAVE principle? Also, any tips or tactics you’d like to add to the discussion?”
Guest author Mike Stenger (mikestenger.com) is a social media consultant with a strong passion of business and all things Internet. You can find Mike at his blog where he talks about success, business and social media strategies. Image by luc legay under CC. You can also submit guest posts and share your social media tips.