Some people think that there is a secret to being successful on social media. Being busy with work, family, relationships one may ask: how can I be successful if I don’t have the time to be active on my favorite social media sites?
We both love interacting and sharing on social media and we value the relationships and the friendships we have cultivated over the years. Are we any more special than the rest? Do we have more time than the rest of the world? Our answer is a resounding NO. One key in being successful on social media is engagement. Here are 10 simple principles we follow to improve social engagement whether it be on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, Path, your blog et cetera.
1. Content is still king - whether it be a blog post or a picture or a saying, the content you share is always key. When people see that you make an effort to share helpful and informative content, you can be assured that people will interact with you. Concentrate on quality vs quantity.
2. Be real - Don’t be a copy cat. Listen to what your audience is saying. Concentrate on what they need rather than worrying about what others are doing and copying them. Don’t pretend to know everything or pretend to be interested in a particular topic just to get someone’s attention. In the end if you are not authentic people will know and will end up being disappointed in you and ignore you altogether.
3. Focus - Know your passion and focus on things you like. Interact and share with people with the same interests as yours. Believe us, you will get more interactions and engagement this way. You will have a lot of things to talk about and share.
4. Experiment - If you think about it, there is really no right or wrong in social media. Why do you see people complaining that they are not that successful and give up interacting? We feel that the biggest reason is that people don’t take enough time and make the effort to experiment and observe the results. That is really the only effective way to determine the best course of action.
5. Reciprocate - Give freely and you shall see that others will be ready to interact and engage with you on a more regular basis. How do you give back? There are so many ways to do that. On Twitter you can retweet, on Facebook you can like a post or comment and even share a message on your friend’s timelines. If you love certain blogs, share the articles, comment or just say hi.
6. Use available tools to enhance productivity - There are so many tools out there to help you make interacting and engaging with your community easier and more productive. Most people say they don’t have the time to always be on their computers. In those cases, there are mobile and tablet apps available for you to use anywhere and everywhere you go. You need to be present for interaction to take place and get increased engagement from people.
7. Listen - With so many people tweeting or posting on different social networking sites simultaneously, it gets a harder and harder to really listen. That is when analytics help. There are many tools available that allow you know what your audience is clicking on or responding to. A tool we love is Buffer because it helps us see the types of posts our friends like to read. We can also check the comments and interactions on our own blog and social sites. By doing this we can be sure that we are sharing relevant material with friends, family and our community.
8. Connect with people offline - If you have the means, go and attend conferences and Tweet-ups. Believe us, we have built better and deeper relationships and connections with so many people because we go out and meet with them whenever we get the chance. Choose at least one conference to go to once a year, or better yet, connect with people locally. Attend Tweet-ups and social meet-ups and take your online conversations face-to-face.
9. Think before you act - When we are upset or mad at a particular person or situation we tend to just pour out everything with a vengeance without thinking and let our emotions rule us. We advise people to do what we do and take a deep breath before hitting the send button. Sometimes if our message is taken out of context, it can destroy a relationship rather than make it stronger. We are not saying to ignore your feelings but rather think for a minute before you act.
10. Don’t let others dictate your actions - Just like in your offline life, never let anyone dictate your actions. Have your own voice. Social media is a great way to share and express your opinions. Be firm but flexible and always be respectful of others.
Social media becomes fun and a great platform to grow as an individual or expand your business when you get maximum engagement. We shared here with you 10 simple tips that have helped us both enjoy learning and sharing online. Did we miss anything? Do you have tips that you want to share with us? Leave us a comment. We would love to hear from you.
Image Credits: Marty McPadden
About the authors:
Marty McPadden founder and host of PodJamTv is a professional photographer, videographer, blogger, apple geek and a Production Supervisor at ESPN one of the largest sports network in the world. His vast knowledge in the above mentioned field will allow you our readers to tap into tools, apps, reviews and tips that he has learned and mastered over the years. How to’s and hacks that will allow you to have a richer online experience.
Misty Belardo co host and co writer of PodJamTv is an experienced blogger, designer and a self proclaimed Twitter-holic and an avid Facebook user is a Senior Production Manager at Barefoot Proximity, one of the most awarded advertising agencies across the globe. Her experience with writing, designing, SEO and brand and advertising strategy will give readers a point of view of what happens behind the scenes in the digital sphere.
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