Do you really understand social networking? Ever been “liked” on Facebook? Done any tweeting lately? At first glance, social networking can look overwhelming and difficult to understand because it uses a lot of jargon, and so many players are in the field.
However, the one thing I like about social networking is that you are dealing with people. Not a Google bot.
Social Networking Strategy
Social networking allows you to connect with current friends or make new one's while sharing updates and such on these platforms. If you have a site or blog, then you already know that it is important to create:
- Friendships– You can form long-lasting bonds with people you meet online. By building your social networking sites, you inevitably find others who share your interests.
- Communities- Connecting with other people is one of the greatest ways to improve your blogging experience. Other bloggers are using social networks to connect with those who share their interests or passions
- Audience- Bring more eyeballs to your blog. The fact that these eyeballs belong to people you already have things in common with is a plus.
In general, social networks that have blogging tools are good for, well, social networking! If you're starting a business or professional blog, these blogging tools were once considered “amateurish” or unprofessional. Over the last couple of years, that attitude has changed dramatically. It is now a requirement that bloggers use social media sites and their tools to promote themselves.
The Most Important Social Networking Strategy
Recently, I was asked to speak at a blogging convention in Louisville, KY. While there, I was surprised at how many people asked me this question: “What is the most important part of social networking?”
Basically, the key is to know your audience and to choose what information to share with them. The more information that you can share among the social networks you use, the more attention that you can bring to your blog. You take the time to identify your audience and choose your networks where that audience is active. Be sure that the social media sites where you spend your time are those that likely can repay your efforts.
You are looking for interaction with others on these types of sites. Don't just throw links at them! Make friends and communicate. This is what is going to drive your reputation higher on these platforms
Prompting interaction is key
In order to tie your audience with the latest blog post that you have just shared you must make sure that your top priority is content. Making sure that your blog post is informative and helpful, or causes some sort of emotion that makes the reader react to what you have just written is what is going to take to get them to share it.
BONUS VIDEO from Ms. Ileane : How To Find Your @ Mentions on Twitter and HootSuite
Connecting with your audience
You can tie your blog and your social networks together, letting blog readers know about your actions on social networks and vice-versa. The payoff? More readers and, hopefully, more readers from the audience that you're trying to attract.
Essentially, if you participate in a social networking site that has something to do with the topic of your blog, the friends you make on that network naturally fit into your target audience. And the readers of your blog are also likely to want to join your social networking updates, bringing along with them their groups of friends, family, and colleagues, who may in turn be interested in what you have to say!
Once you get the connection, don't drop the ball! I can never say this enough, but being “social”, is the most important part of social networking sites!
Don't Underestimate the Power of Social Networking
Always be there. Create a posting schedule and stick with it on these sites. Let the reader remember who you are if you are trying to make that connection with them. Be sociable and interact with people, because the end result will be that of a person that will end up loving your content!
One other thing…
These social networking sites are there for you to use. They are there to bring your site's integrity to the next level. It's exciting to understand that these types of social networking sites are there waiting for you to be a star…
Don't disappoint.