How to market with Twitter

Twitter is a valuable and powerful tool for growing your business and brand, but it can require a delicate touch to get the most out of this fast-paced social platform. Here you will learn how best to utilise your 140 characters to ensure that you attract as many new customers as possible while also keeping engaged with your existing base.

Source: blog.twitter.com

 

 

 

What is Twitter?

 

Twitter is a social media platform which allows you to broadcast messages (tweets) of up to 140 characters to other Twitter users who have chosen to follow you. Likewise, your own feed consists of messages which those people whom you follow have sent out. Beyond this you can also send direct messages (DMs) to individual users which will not be displayed to anyone but the recipient.

Twitter has 255 million active monthly users, and the company itself is valued at around £11 billion with 3000 employees – it itself is a major player not only in the world of social technology but in the broader spectrum of international business. Learning how to profitably engage with it is vital for any company with serious aspirations.

 

How To Use It

 

The defining characteristic of Twitter is its pace. Tweets run through your feed in real time, and can often be gone as soon as they are read. Engaging with Twitter thus requires constant attention and a recognition of the fact that this is not a space for slow and deliberate conversation – although it can be a launching pad for more direct communication, either B2C or B2B. Twitter is an ocean, and you must learn how to sail.

 

Getting Started

 

The first step is to create a profile. This involves choosing a name, or handle. The best option is your own name or company name; if this is already taken, choose something close to it that customers can recognise and associate with your brand.

Fill your profile with as much content as possible without making it appear overstuffed: choose a profile picture (either a headshot or your company logo – avoid making it too detailed or fussy as it will appear as a small image on your followers’ screens); provide contact information such as email, telephone number, and address; write a short bio to let visitors to your page know what you’re all about.

Once you’ve built a profile, you’re going to want to follow some people. Choose those related to your business, including rivals and peers, so that you can be a part of conversation about your industry. The more people you follow the more followers you will attract in return, and combined with an attentive and well-managed tweeting strategy this will snowball into wider engagement with your brand.

 

Source: socialmediaseo.net

 

Pleased To Tweet You

 

Two vital parts of Twitter are retweets (RTs) and hashtags. Understanding and utilising these tools will ensure that you and your company get the most out of what Twitter has to offer. If you’re still on board with the sailing analogy, these are the sails which will help you best catch the wind of branding opportunity.

RTs involve resending another account’s tweet from your own account. Not only is it a simple way of agreeing with someone’s point or helping to spread quality content, it also builds good relations. Retweeting others’ tweets will make them more likely to retweet yours in return, helping to spread your message and brand to a wider audience. Don’t overdo it, though – no one likes someone who bloats their feed with unnecessary retweets. Be judicious, be selective.

Hashtags are words or short phrases preceded by a #, which are searchable across the whole of Twitter. Engaging with popular hashtags allows you to take part in discussions outside of your immediate circle of Twitter acquaintances, and careful application of trending hashtags to your own posts can help bring you exposure from a wider audience. As with RTs, however, don’t overdo it. A #sentence filled with #unnecessary #hashtags can #annoy your #audience.


The most important advice for Twitter is to have fun. Twitter is a platform which thrives on light-hearted and good-humoured exchanges, and large companies like Old Spice or Taco Bell who manage to walk the fine line between playful interactions with other users while keeping their message on-brand do reap the rewards.

http://www.socialmediafrontiers.com/2014/07/social-media-marketing-tips-twitter.html#.U9Tinc90yM-

10 Ways To Make Your Video Go Viral

I almost didn’t write this post. 

Because I wanted to keep the magic behind my viral video to myself. Because of my ego. Because I would have loved to brag that I just sat back and it took off on its own. But that’s not what happened.

I did a ton of marketing, and it started long before the video was released. Going viral was not an accident — it was work.

I tried a lot of things. This is what worked for me.

1. Don’t be “too good” for marketing

I almost didn’t put together a marketing plan. Because what if I did all this marketing, and then the video still flopped? That would’ve been embarrassing. Then I realized how stupid that was.

It’s better to try your damnedest and fail than to hold back and always wonder what if.

If you put all this effort into your video, why would you rely on luck for the last leg? Swallow your pride. Give your work a fighting chance. Put together a marketing plan. This article will show you how.

2. Understand how things go viral on the internet

 

You see videos on YouTube with millions of views and you wonder — where did they all come from?

Here’s how my video, Girl Learns to Dance in a Year went viral:

Day One: 80k views
First, I posted to Facebook/Twitter, and submitted it to social news sites like Reddit and Hacker News. I personally asked many of my friends to share it. I tweeted it at well-known dancers. I emailed bloggers who had covered other viral dance videos.

Of all the things I tried, Reddit paid off. It got to the top of the GetMotivated subreddit. I did this by following the advice in this article.

Day Two: 800k views
Bloggers who had seen it on Reddit the day before started publishing articles about it. First Kottke. Then blogs like Mashable, Jezebel, and Huffington Post.

Blogs drove a ton of traffic. Each blog is a giant marketing engine with millions of readers and twitter followers. It’s in their interest to get the article as many views as possible, because each view is an ad they can serve up. Understand how the money flows. It’s all about clicks and advertising dollars.

Day Three: 1.8 million views
It made the YouTube frontpage. I’m not sure how it got there, but I suspect the blogs were sending it so much traffic that YouTube’s algorithms picked up on it.

Try many things. You only need one of them to pay off in order for your video to go viral. For me, that thing was Reddit. Your thing might be different. Your goal is to get major blogs to write you up, because their marketing power is ridiculous.

3. Release on Monday or Tuesday

People watch YouTube videos when they’re at work. They read the news at work. Release your video on Monday or Tuesday to give it the whole week to gain momentum. Weekends are speed bumps.

I chose Tuesday because people are busy catching up with email on Monday. I got lucky with the timing because there wasn’t any major breaking news that day. Releasing on a slow news day will help you.

Mind your holidays, too. Don’t release when people are not at the office.

4. Figure out who has a stake in your video

If your video takes off, who are all the people and companies who might want a piece of the action? These people can help market you.

My YouTube description was full of links to possible sponsors — to the Lululemon and American Apparel clothes I was wearing. To the Lift app I used to track my dancing. To the BART train station I danced at. To the music I danced to. They’re all things I genuinely believe in, so I was happy to send traffic their way.

I contacted all these companies and asked them to share the video. Some of them shared, some of them didn’t. Try them all.

5. None of this matters if your video isn’t good

You can get your friends to share. But only the strength of the content can get their friends to share. If you are serious about making good content, read Made to Stick.

Why will people share your video? People share things when they feel emotion. What emotion will your viewers feel?

Some emotions spread better than others. Emotions that spread: awe, excitement, amusement, anger, anxiety. Emotions that don’t: contentment, sadness.

6. Tell a story

I’m a decent dancer for a year of practice but I’m nothing compared to the pros. There are thousands of dancers way more talented whose videos didn’t go viral.

Girl Learns to Dance in a Year went viral because it wasn’t just another dance video with cool moves and cool camera angles. It wasn’t about how good the dancing was. It was about how awkward I was when I started, and how I got better with practice.

And it’s not just a story about dancing. It’s about having a dream and not knowing how to get there — but starting anyway.

People want stories. That’s what all TV, movies, and books are. Tell a story.

7. Make your video shorter

The first thing people do when they play a video is check to see how long it is. It helps them decide whether to watch it. 10 minutes: forget it. 2 minutes: I’ll give it a shot. 30 seconds: Heck, might as well.

Make your video as short as possible while still keeping the heart of the story. The editor and I literally spent hours shaving off seconds to get the video down to 1 minute 51 seconds.

Short videos spread better.

8. Write a viral title

Here’s a quick test. How would you finish this sentence:

Hey did you see the video of __________

Fill in the blank. That’s your title.

Here’s a bad title: My Journey of Dance, a Year of Movement

Better: I Learned to Dance in a Year

Even better: Girl Learns to Dance in a Year

Best: Girl Learns to Dance in a Year (TIME LAPSE)

9. Know what you’re willing to compromise

What are you willing to do for views? Are you willing to compromise on your beliefs? If so, which ones?

I made a compromise. I believe that grown women should not be referred to as girls. Then I named the video Girl Learns to Dance in a Year. It rolls off the tongue better than Woman Learns to Dance in a Year. I had decided I could live with that compromise.

I almost named the video Asian Girl Learns to Dance in a Year. I’m really glad I didn’t do that.

You have to decide what you can live with and what you can’t. Figure this out before you release because once you hit publish, you can’t take it back.

10. What to do once you go viral

People will criticize your work. This is good because it gets them talking. There are lots of comments about how I’m a terrible dancer, or how I got worse on Day 365. People left racist and sexist comments. They even debated the definition of time lapse. Try not to let all this get to you. Controversy is good.

Viral videos have a short shelf life. You have 15 minutes of fame, and your job is to open as many doors as possible in those 15 minutes. Create as many opportunities as you can. Ironically, the week I released the video, I barely danced at all. I didn’t go out and celebrate. I went home and responded to as many emails and tweets as I could.

Make sure the media can get a hold of you, and it’s not hard to find your email address. Media interview requests will start coming in. Accept them. National TV may contact you. Feed the media beast.

Know where you want to direct your traffic. I linked to my blog, website, and Twitter from the video. They were all ready to go. One thing I messed up was I didn’t have an email signup form ready on the Dance In A Year website. I’ve fixed that now, lesson learned. Be prepared.

Why I did it

I wanted people to see the video because it represents what I believe in.

When you watch a professional perform, you’re seeing them at their moment of glory. It’s intimidating because you don’t see how you could ever get to where they are. You don’t see the moment they started, when they were a beginner just like you. I wanted people to see the beginning.

The best response to the video has been all the people who reached out to me, newly inspired to learn. Learn dance. Learn guitar, Korean, beatboxing, drawing, parkour. That brings me a lot more fulfillment than the video view count numbers.

http://www.karenx.com/blog/10-ways-to-make-your-video-go-vira

Beginners Guide: How To Start A Blog With Blogger.com For Free

Many of my friends have been asking me, "Is there any way to create a blog for free?" Definitely yes! You don't need to spend so much if you only want a "diary" or a simple blog where you can share your personal thoughts or life story.

I'd recommend Blogger.com, it's one of the easiest blogging platform out there. It should only take you 5-10 minutes! Trust me, it's like signing up on Facebook :)

The only disadvantage is you won't have your own domain name. Your site's URL will be like this: yourname.blogspot.com.

Here's a tutorial on how to create a blog with Blogger:

1. Go to Blogger.com
2. Login using your Gmail account or Sign Up if you don't have a Gmail.
3. Google will ask you to confirm your Google+'s Profile first, so when you post, your profile will be shown.  If you want to post under a different name, click "Switch to a limited Blogger profile". 

       4.  Click "Continue to Blogger".

       5.  Click the "New Blog" button.

        6.  Enter your desired blog Title and Address then click "Create blog!" button

      7.  A notification will pop up "Your Blog has been created!". Now click "Start Posting" link to post a
           new blog post.

     8.  You can click the "View blog" button to see how your blog looks like and so you can experiment  
           with it!

How to start posting a new blog post

1. View your blog by visiting your url, for example, mine is twelveskip.blogspot.com
2.  Click "New Post" button.
3. Now you can start writing and experiment with their system. Change fonts, add images, links, quotes,  etc.

 

 

4.  Click "Publish" when you're done, or "Save" if you want to publish your article for later.

How to change your theme

1. Go to blogger's homepage, click the drop down menu beside your blog's URL, then select "Template"

           

    2.    Now there will few templates will show up, hover and click "Apply to Blog" to activate   
           the theme you like

 

     3.    Click "View Blog" from the top menu to see your new template!

How to Customize Your Blog

You may modify some parts or elements on your blog such as your blog title, description, sidebar, blog address etc. Here are some quick tips:

• To change your blog title, description, privacy, blog authors or blog address (or blog URL): go back to your homepage > click the drop down menu > Settings
• To re-arrange, add, edit or remove gadgets on your blog, go back to the homepage > select "Layout" from the drop down menu.
• To add a new page, go to the homepage > choose "Pages" from the menu.

 http://www.twelveskip.com/guide/blogging/946/beginners-guide-how-to-start-a-blog-with-bloggercom-for-free

The 9 Most Powerful Blog Promotion Tactics From Top Marketing Experts [Infographic]

So you’ve got your blog up and running, and you’ve been writing a bunch of quality posts. Yet the traffic isn’t quite what you wish it were. What do you do?

Well, Brian Lang from Small Business Ideas Blog asked precisely that question to over 40+ experts from fields as diverse as SEO to (believe it or not) Real Estate. We took the information and laid it out in a coherent infographic. Enjoy!

 

 http://brookbusinessservicesltd.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/the-9-most-powerful-blog-promotion.html?spref=fb#.U8e5RrGbli8

 

Perfect Social Media Posts (Infographic)

People like to say there's no such thing as perfect, but at the rate customers' attention spans are decreasing, social media managers can't risk posting updates that aren't close to perfection.

What does a perfect social media post look like?

An infographic from My Clever Agency has the answer. It explains in detail what strong, engaging and effective social media posts should include. While we've gone over what good Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+ posts look like, this infographic has been updated to include YouTube, Instagram, Vine and Tumblr.

Are you ready to achieve perfection? Here are a few tips as to how:

YouTube:

• Carefully name your files. You want your videos to be searchable, so when you upload a video, make sure the file name includes strong keywords, not just "Movie1.mp4."
• Include a call to action. What do you want viewers to do after they watch your video? Give them instructions in the description section, and include a link to your website.

Instagram:

• Use captions. Add captions to your photos to grab followers' attention and prompt discussions.
• Follow basic photography rules. The graphic recommends following the rule of thirds, which says the subject of your photo should only take up two-thirds of the shot. This will make your photos more visually appealing.

Vine:

• Be still. Invest in a tripod to prevent your video from looking shaky. You don't want to make fans nauseous.
• Master the infinite loop. The goal is to create a video that will seamlessly loop over and over. Try to make your final scene blend smoothly into the first one.

Check out the full graphic for the rest of the tips:

 

 

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/235236 

Become the boss online

It is one thing committing to building a social media presence, but to become influential is a whole different beast of a task. Whether it be for the benefit of business you work for, or just for personal pleasure, being an influential contributor on social media feels good, but there are somethings you must do in order to reach this goal.

Source: digitalinformationworld.com

 

Focus on your expertise

Master a topic so that people trust your opinion. Make yourself the number one source of information in that specific topic and people will flock towards your profile. The key here is to go beyond the realms of just reporting news in a simplistic, journalistic manner, and create an opinion that will spark a debate in your community. Healthy debate is key here, so don’t make your views so strong that people feel that they are being forced into a belief, or even worse are suffering from attempted indoctrination.

Stay active

The biggest error to make when trying to establish yourself online is not staying active. In order to be taken seriously in a very competitive area, is important to make sure that you have social media activity going on day in day out. This ensures that your followers will see that you are constantly updating your profile, whilst dashing out the latest information. It also shows that you are a highly motivated individual, and your passion for the subject in hand is not just a flash in the pan. Even when it gets tough and the views are not coming in at the rate you want them to, persist and you will see the benefits in the long run. Remember that you are doing this for your followers who rely on you for quick, accurate information.

Establish a community 

Establish a strong community and it will take a lot to break your momentum. Seeking out other experts in your field and inviting them to your discussion will work wonders, as you will have created the most comprehensive debate in your topic. It shows supreme confidence, that you are willing to invite the competition to come and join your discussions, and sends out a message to them that you are the one to look up to in that market. If they do join up, they will no doubt attract a heavy following also, and in turn this could increase your fan base a huge amount.

Source: socialsteve.com

 

Share your content

Remember to share you content throughout social media. It is not just about Facebook and Twitter, so share to as many platforms as physically possible, and this way, your content gets widely read. Post the content publicly and then push it through social networks. By pushing your own content you send out warning shots that you have the ability to not only master a certain topic, but also create your own writing and opinions on it.

Creating a strong demeanour online can be tough as everybody is trying it these days, but with persistence and good knowledge of your niche, you could be influencing the social media congregation in no time.

 

http://www.socialmediafrontiers.com/2014/07/become-influential-figure-on-social.html#more 

Building an Opt-In List: Tips for Laying the Groundwork (Series 3/3)

In the first two installments of this article series, I shared how an opt-in list (e-mail subscriber list) can benefit just about any business… but how many businesses get off on the wrong foot with their lists by not laying the groundwork first. I  gave two of three tips for establishing a profitable list:

1. Get your customers to know and trust you first

2. Find a product or service that people actually want and/or need

(Missed the first two installments or want a refresher course?

Get them here: Part 1 | Part 2 )

All caught up and ready to go? Great! Let’s move on to the third and final tip…

Tip #3 – Make friends with other opt-in list users.

This is especially beneficial if it’s someone who has already launched and is running a successful opt-in list. No matter how much research you do, there’s nothing like having a firsthand account from someone you trust. Experience is still the best teacher.

Experienced opt-in list users will be able to tell you what to do and what not to do, because they’ve gone through it. While different situations occur for different people and businesses, the general concepts are still helpful. They will be able to share with you what worked for them – and, just as importantly – what didn’t… which will shorten your learning curve and help prevent you from wasting valuable time and money on strategies that don’t work.

Building a profitable opt-in list doesn’t happen overnight. It takes preparation and effort. But with these three tips for getting started, you’ll be on the right track!

http://seanroach.com/06/building-an-opt-in-list-tips-for-laying-the-groundwork-series-33/

Building an Opt-In List: Tips for Laying the Groundwork (Part 2/3)

In the first installment of this three-part article, I covered the importance and benefits of an opt-in list (e-mail subscriber list) for your business. (Missed Part 1? Read it here!) I also revealed the number one mistake people and businesses make with opt-in lists: jumping right in without laying the groundwork first.

My first tip showed you how to start establishing credibility with future subscribers before you start your list. 

Now, let’s move on to Tip 2!

Tip #2 - Offer a product or service that people want and need. This sounds like a no-brainer, I know. But you’d be surprised how many businesses invest tons of time and money into developing and trying to sell products that there’s little to no market for. They choose a topic, product or service that they think will be popular and earn money – usually something they themselves are interested in – only to find out that’s not the case.

An opt-in list with millions of subscribers won’t do you any good if it’s not converting into sales. In fact, it could end up losing you profits, due to the time it takes to maintain your list, create newsletters and put together special offers–whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring a copywriter to help.

Want to avoid this? Do your research. The forums that you joined and set up in Step 1 will help with this, as you interact with potential customers and hear direct from them what kinds of products and services they’re looking for. Market research can be a complex process, but here are some basic  questions to ask yourself to start:

1. What real benefit does my product/service/information offer to a person or business? What will it do to help make their life or business better?

2. Conversely, what problem does my product solve?

3. Does my product have real, tangible value that can be communicated easily to customers?

4. Is there a specific market for my product, and is it large enough to sustain sales?

5. Is what I’m offering different in some way from my competitors? Is there something that makes my product stand out?

If you can’t answer these questions or if the answers are “no”, you should re-think your product… or even go with something else.

The bottom line is: If you provide a product that you’ve researched well and learned about, you can carry it forward. Invest your time, effort, and money in a product you can sell and the subscribers to your opt-in list will benefit from.

http://seanroach.com/06/building-an-opt-in-list-tips-for-laying-the-groundwork-series-23/ 

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Building An Opt-In List:Tips For Laying The Groundwork

How many times have you been at a popular retail store and the cashier asked you for your e-mail address? All the time, right? Why is this? It’s because these retailers – who have entire departments dedicated to marketing and customer outreach – realize the importance and value of an opt-in list.

Opt-in marketing (also called permission marketing) is simple: a person supplies their e-mail address voluntarily so you can keep in touch with them through e-mail promotions, newsletters and online catalogs. The benefits? You build brand loyalty and keep customers in the know about offers and incentives, sales, upcoming events and new products.

And guess what? They’re not just for the big guys.

Nearly any kind of business with an online presence (and that should be every business) can benefit from opt-in lists: trainers and consultants, authors, network marketers, online retailers and service industries. The big guys do have an advantage going in, though… a long-standing, established name brand. People are willing to opt-in because they already know the company’s products and services. They already know they want the coupons and special offers that will be heading their way.

See, the number one mistake people and businesses make with opt-in lists is jumping right in. They choose a topic, product or service that they think will be popular and earn money, put a newsletter sign-up page on their Website… and nothing happens. Either no one on the list is buying, or no one is opting in at all.

Thankfully, this is a challenge that can be overcome. Over the next week, I’m going to share three steps you need to take to lay the groundwork for a profitable opt-in list… whether you’re just starting out, or reviving an unprofitable list.

I’ll go ahead and give you the first tip now…

1. Get your customers to know and trust you first. I touched on this a bit ago… A certain truth in opt-in marketing is that money will only come in when your subscribers (and potential subscribers) believe and trust in you. They want a product or service that’s a good exchange for their hard-earned money… and they’re not going to sign up with you – or buy from you – unless they know you can deliver. You need to establish your credibility and expertise before you begin, no matter what your business.

How?

Here are some ideas. Post many expert articles, using article sharing sites like eZine Articles or HubPages as well as social media sites. (LinkedIn is an especially good place to share business-related articles.) Write about topics that you know and use on your site. Is your business more service-based? Post how-to guides on sites like wikiHow, and/or video tutorials on YouTube. Join online forums and provide expert advice and recommendations. As you do this, you’ll build a base with other forum users… and can eventually ask them to join your list. Friends make good customers!

When you feel that people trust you as a go-to source of knowledge and expertise, you’ll be able to start your list.

http://seanroach.com/06/building-an-opt-in-list-tips-for-laying-the-groundwork-series-13/