Ok, now that I’ve offended the half of you that read that title and decided I’m just a jerk and you’re just fine in your stagnant online presence, that means the other half of you who aren’t pansies and know things can always be better can continue reading and decide for yourselves. :)

Seriously, though, about 2 years ago, my social media pages sucked, too. The problem I was having – which maybe is your problem, too – is that I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to make my day-to-day activities sound interesting (I say this as I sit here in sweatpants typing while eating sugar-free chocolate while I chase my cat away from playing with items on my desk….so, you see what I mean.). I also couldn’t see how anyone would be interested in following my social media pages when all I’m doing is telling them about how awesome our services are – no one likes to sign up to see ads or commercials all the time!

So, that kind of thinking plagued me for a few years until I decided to start learning. I wanted to read, research, and learn all I could about how to run successful social media pages. And, while I’m not THE top expert on the subject, I have shaped myself into a very knowledgeable Colorado social media manager. So – let me give you some free advice…

1. Give your pages a facelift. Your pages should be easy to navigate with a catchy bio and great pics of you at work or play (if your work is in entertainment). For instance a Twitter bio that says “blogger, chef, foodie, and fun guy” isn’t NEARLY as eye-catching as “Do you love food? Who doesn’t? Amirite?? I’m a chef by day, a blogger by night, and a foodie ALL the time. Come learn all the yummy ways of life with me!” Ok…maybe I’m just thinking of food cause I’m hungry right now, but you get the gist. Be creative. Your SM pages are the bait – put out a good first impression so that you can reel in the big fish! (again with the food reference…maybe I should eat more of this chocolate. )
2. Your SM pages shouldn’t be ALL ads ALL the time. As I said – no one signs up to receive ads. In this age of “permissive advertising” (google that – it’s a real thing), you invite people to like and follow your page or email newsletter by offering something they’ll enjoy in return. This can be a weekly email with tips and hints regarding your area of expertise. It can be funny memes, cartoons, or videos that you think your particular demographic might want to see. It can be personal moments that might be heartwarming or hilarious to your audience. It can also be informative – posting an article about a topic your particular target demographic might be interested in reading. And, then of course you can post ads – these can be sales, product/service promotion, or your weekly blog. The interwebs gurus say you should shoot for an even split of thirds in your SM postings: personal, informative, and advertising.
3. Relationship marketing is key. After you’ve made a SMM (social media marketing) schedule – which you MUST…click here if you’d like my help with that – you’ll want to follow up on any retweets, shares, likes, comments, etc. Reply to comments, like all your retweets and shares, and invite any post/tweet “likers” to also like and follow your page. The more personable you are, the more people will want to buy from you, so be you – the light hearted, kind version of you who LOVES to chat with people and be friendly. Gone are the days when it was all about your product and location or ad placement…now it’s more about your product and your likability. So – be likable!
4. Be real. How do you normally talk? When you are talking about something funny, do you say “This comic is rather humorous, wouldn’t you say?” or would it sound more like “Holy Moses this guy is freaking hilarious!” That last one sounds more like me and maybe not you, but you get the point. Be real about your flaws (and laugh at them), be real in typing the way you’d normally say something out loud, and be real in your subsequent reactions and comments. The more you sound like a real person and less like a machine, the better your audience will want to stick around and listen to what you have to say.
5. Be consistent. If you only randomly post something every 3 or 4 days (or worse every 3 or 4 months – yikes!), then people may assume that you’re dead…or at least your business is dead. Treat your social media pages like the reception desk at your business – you’re available almost any time and ready to have interesting conversations with your potential client while they’re considering wether to purchase from you or not. They may not purchase today…maybe not until next week or next month, but by continuing to start interesting or funny conversations with your audience, you let them know you’re still here, ready when they are. Once you do your first few calendars, it will only take you 3-4 hours a week. 

Now, if you read thru all of that and feel exhausted just thinking about writing your own blogs and SM calendar, I’ve got good news for you! I can do it for you! I understand that the avg business owner is super busy and just does not have 3-4 hours per week to do this. Let me take the pressure off you and do that myself. I currently already have clients I do this for who are very happy with my work. Check out some options HERE!