Tag Archive | "go media"

10 Suggestions to Making a Killer Facebook Page

Posted on 25 February 2011. Tags: , , ,

So…do you need Facebook pages?  Here are some reasons why:
*Branding:  These pages are a wonderful way to develop your professional brand on Facebook without taking away from your own PERSONAL profile.  This allows you to have the best of both worlds without hurting your brand positioning.
*Target Market Communications:  You are able to connect and speak directly with your target consumers right on your page!
*Feedback:  It is a wonderful place to post items that you want to receive feedback on, survey or just have your audience kick around an idea to see if it would work.
*Newsfeed Visibility:  Again, this is a main reason why these are powerful.  Anyone who connects to (or “likes”) your page, when they log into Facebook on the main screen they will see your updates.  This is very powerful!
*Professional Promotions Hub:  This creates a main hub where you can direct people that are interested in your product/service.  It is also great to put on your email signature, email blast, suggest to friends and much more.

And that is just the beginning!  But instead of persuading you to jump in….how about I just give you some ideas of how to do it yourself.
Here is my list of the 10 things that you can do to launch your page effectively:
1.  When you are asked for a picture, make sure to use your logo or you logo incorporated with your product or service.  Make sure that your web address is visible!
2. Have videos?  Upload them and promote them DIRECTLY on your page.
3. Fill out the “Info” tab to the full extent, packing it with information, keywords and website links.
4. If you have a range of products, in the “Photo” tab, create photo albums around your product ranges and in the caption portion give links to click and purchase.
5. Make sure that your blog feed is connected to your page so that all new entries will be automatically sent there.  If you don’t want to automate that, everytime you update your blog, post a link on your Facebook Page wall.
6. Do not link it with Twitter!  Not all of your “tweets” will be suitable for your Facebook Page wall, and sometimes you will forget they are linked.  I suggest staying away from this.  Also, it can look lazy.
7. When you are posting to the page, don’t constantly “sell” or “push” things are your audience.  Make sure your posts contain something that is either educational, engaging or entertaining.
8. When you are happy with how the page looks (and all of the information is COMPLETELY filled out) suggest it to ALL of your Facebook connections.  Even ask your friends to suggest it to their network.
9. Consistently monitor and update the page.  A good solid page should have at least one update per day and all comments responded to.
10. Use the “Discussions” tab to create questions that you want your target consumer to answer.  This is good for customer feedback, development of new products and much more.
But remember…this is just the beginning.  There are lots of wonderful applications, custom Facebook Pages (created using FBML) and much more! Hopefully this will help you get started on your way to being a Facebook Page success story!
To see how I have used Facebook to brand my firm, “Like” our page here.

Posted in How To, Personal Branding, StrategiesComments Off on 10 Suggestions to Making a Killer Facebook Page

Navigating Facebook: The Difference Between Profile, Page and Group

Posted on 25 February 2011. Tags: , , , , ,

If you’ve ever tooled around Facebook chances are you’ve asked yourself this question. You are not alone in your confusion.

Though at first glance these different incarnations may appear to be the same, there are very clear distinctions. To achieve even mild Facebook success, this is information you must know.

Facebook Profile (Home)

The Profile is your mandatory starting point. This personal account (think of it as your FB home) is required before you can move up to pages and groups and is limited to “one per person.”  Setting up a second account may violate Facebook’s Terms of Service, which could cause all your profiles to be removed.

The Facebook profile is about you, the individual. Though you can build beneficial business relationships here, it’s intended to be more personal. You can, however, mix business and personal. By using the Friends List feature, you can send out status updates, photos and notes.  This takes a bit more presence of mind but can be an extremely useful tool for both targeted marketing and reputation management.

The FB Profile limits you to 5000 friends (the average personal user has about 120 contacts).

Facebook Page (Workplace)

Designed for self-promotion, your FB Page is a sort of mini-storefront. As such, use a friendly, casual, but professional demeanor. Provide useful information, links to articles and blog posts, images and video — anything that creates perceived value. Because all status updates appear in your fans’ news feeds (making it visible to all their friends), FB Pages can help attract new fans (customers) through existing clients.

Analytics tools are provided and customization is available, allowing you to monitor your progress and bring your pages to life. With unlimited fans and multiple administrators possible, Pages becomes the best choice for businesses.

Facebook Groups (Club)

Find like-minded individuals through the FB Group (or Club). People like to do business with those they trust and feel most comfortable with. A group can be organized around your business or product, creating a community – but be sure to provide something of value to your members. This is not the place to market aggressively; instead it is a forum where customers can get advice or to learn to use the products you sell.

FB Groups can be Open (anyone), Closed (group admin approves members) and Secret (Only members and those invited know about the group).

Are you using your Profile to its best advantage, as a stepping stone to creating your Page and Groups?

Posted in How To, StrategiesComments Off on Navigating Facebook: The Difference Between Profile, Page and Group

10 Ways to Tweet Locally

Posted on 25 February 2011. Tags: , , ,

So you’re tweeting away on Twitter about your latest blog…posting links to industry related articles…engaging with people, and so forth. You’ve followed some of your favorite folks, tweeted about your favorite place to eat sushi, and others are now following you. Like the dentist in Calgary and the life coach in Scotland.

What about the users in your own backyard? How do you find geographically closer prospects who may be interested in your offer?

Top Ten Local Tweeting’ Tips:

1. Twitter Search. Type in your city’s name to access a list of Twitter users in your region. The advanced search feature finds peeps up to a 15 mile radius.

2. Do a simple Twitter search for people tweeting about your area using the # (hashtag). Simply type– #your city name– or abbreviation in the search box.

3. Twellow – (Twitter + yellow pages) is exactly what it sounds like — a listing of Twitter users. Access your region by clicking on Twellowhood, then your location on the map…or type in your city and state.

4. Follow Twitter trending topics. On the right side of your Twitter page, choose the closest city to yours, then watch for topics of interest to follow.

5. NearbyTweets and GeoFollow offer constant listings of your local Twitter pals and their tweets. GeoFollow lets you bulk follow.

6. Why not Tweetup? A meet-up (offline) of nearby Twitter friends arranged – you guessed it –via Twitter. How to find these elusive group blind dates? Try Meetup (an event site with a special section for Tweetups), Twtvite (a site like Evite but for Twitter) and by searching tweetup geographically, on Twitter Search.

7. Localtweeps – started as a localizing site utilizing the hashtag, this one allows you to register and allows others to follow you or click on your website. You can search by zip code as well.

8. Look for apps- there are tons out there and more fresh apps are created every day to help you to find people in your area. TwitterLocal, Twinkle and more.

9. Twitaholic (formerly Twitterholic) –Not affiliated with Twitter, but the top twitter users in the country are listed here…and so are those hot shot Tweeters in your town. Just type in your Twitter ID under “your Twitaholic ranking.” Once it comes back, click on the name of your city, next to your stats.

10. Search the lists of your local followers and those that you follow in town. This search is bound to yield some like-minded locals.

Do you have other Twitter search tips to share?

Posted in How To, Personal Branding, StrategiesComments Off on 10 Ways to Tweet Locally

What Are You Doing Wrong on LinkedIn?

Posted on 25 February 2011. Tags: , , , ,

So you’re ready to get started networking on LinkedIn and converting those contacts to leads and partnerships. But what’s the best way to go about it?

Think of LinkedIn as your online resume. It’s a spot for potential employers/clients to find out more about you. Make sure to completely fill out your profile (including an appropriate photo) and keep it updated. (The more complete the better – LinkedIn profiles adds to your overall SEO power.) Don’t forget to ‘tag’ your profile with the appropriate keywords, as it will help others find you.

Get the custom URL by clicking the “Public Profile” link in your edit tab.

Add LinkedIn to your email signature. This encourages everyone you come in contact with to link to your profile.

Import your existing contacts.  This couldn’t be easier. Just let LinkedIn import your contacts. Once it does, you can customize a list of connections.

Get connected with anyone you meet professionally. This is a cornerstone of relationship building. That company might not look like a client today, but could be a perfect fit tomorrow. And they have lots of connections you don’t.

Use the LinkedIn Browser or Outlook toolbars. These toolbars make it easy to see LinkedIn summaries of other members and allows you to invite new connections straight from your Outlook or Gmail.

Don’t invite people you don’t know or have never met or corresponded with. LinkedIn keeps an eye on how many people mark you as “don’t know” after a request. Remember, by connecting you are associating yourself with this person and their reputation – be sure you want to. (Same goes for accepting folks on your page.)

Some final thoughts:

Reciprocate recommendations. If someone takes the time to write one for you, do the same for them. It’s just plain smart and good etiquette.

Request introductions. Don’t hesitate to ask a connection to introduce you to a new connection. All they can say is no. And they hardly ever do.

What else would you add?

Posted in Community Management, How To, Personal Branding, Strategies, ToolsComments Off on What Are You Doing Wrong on LinkedIn?

Converting Your LinkedIn Connections to Customers

Posted on 25 February 2011. Tags: , , ,

Last time you checked your LinkedIn stats, you had a good number of connections, and it seems to be growing every day. But what does it all mean? How can you take those numbers and turn your connections into business?

Here are a few tips to get you started.

Create a strong profile

Don’t even think of beginning a growth campaign without a strong profile. It’s the first place people go to learn more about you! Make sure your profile is not only complete, but thorough and engaging.

Give and request recommendations

Ask colleagues, former employers, clients and subordinates to rate your work by writing a recommendation. Reciprocate by recommending others as well. Those who visit your profile definitely read these recommendations, and they can be a strong motivator in getting prospects to contact you.

Join or create groups

Look for groups that fit your target or industry, those with lively discussions and invested members. Do you see a niche that needs to be filled? Create your own group. Either way, you have to add value by joining in or initiating discussions that showcase your expertise. LinkedIn groups are all about sharing your experiences, advice and tips to make a connection. This is valuable to group members because it provides a forum to be heard, an environment of camaraderie, and insights into new tools and advances. But don’t just join groups serving your own industry! Think globally- join groups that may serve your future clients.

Take the time to answer questions and help others solve their most pressing problems. Once you’ve established yourself as knowledgeable and willing to contribute, people will look to you for help.

Be careful about selling

LI is about sharing, not selling. Some LI members break this rule, but you shouldn’t. This will only alienate the very people you hope to attract. Once you’ve established a relationship with another member, it’s ok to talk about your services.

Now what is your story?  How has LinkedIn worked for you?

Posted in Community Management, How To, Personal Branding, Strategies, ToolsComments Off on Converting Your LinkedIn Connections to Customers


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