Showing posts with label Personal Brand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Personal Brand. Show all posts

Friday, April 4, 2025

Using Social Media To Market Yourself?


One of the most common questions I get asked is how business owners can use social media to market themselves..



There seems to be a lot of information out there, in terms of how to use social media to market yourself.

With new tools being made available all the time, and older tools acquiring new features (I’m looking at you Instagram!), it’s enough to make anyone’s head spin.


The good news is, you can use social media in small ways to market yourself. At the end of the day, it’s a whole lot of little actions that can add up over time in a big way. Keep that in mind, as you implement social media using these simple, small tactics:

1. Show Behind-the-Scenes

Do you want to know what audiences on social media love? Behind-the-scenes content! I’m serious—they eat it up!


I’m going to go out on a limb here, and assume that the reason why behind-the-scenes content is so popular is because we crave to see public figures and businesses that are willing to pull back the curtain and show us their real lives. In the intangible yet constantly connected digital world, we ironically crave to make real connections.


One of the ways you can do this is by using the Stories feature on Instagram or Snapchat (if you’re still into it). For example, I make short videos, where I explain marketing concepts as I’m working on them. This gives a behind-the-scenes look into my business as well as provides value for social media followers. It doesn’t take a whole lot to do this either; the videos are literally 10 seconds long. It’s simply a matter of remembering to do it.

2. Live-stream While You're Working

A few days ago, I was interviewing the founder of a local meetup group for freelancers for my podcast. I posted about it on Instagram, and I instantly received requests to live-stream the interview. Since the people asked for it, we gave it to them.


It ended up being an excellent idea. Not only did I show viewers how I set up for a podcast interview (that’s the behind-the-scenes stuff I was talking about above), we also took live questions from the audience while I was recording. This was a hit—and all we had to do was fire-up Instagram and start recording a live video of something we were already doing anyway!


So, rather than trying to invent new content all the time, you can use social media to show people what you’re already up to.

3. Share Wins

Another small way you can use social media is to share wins with your audience, as they happen in real-time. Did you get featured in the press? Snap a picture of the article and post it on social. Did you hit a new milestone? Post about it on Facebook. Did a client text you an amazing testimonial? Ask them for permission to use it, take a screenshot of it, and put it on Instagram.

Guest Authored By Amanda Abella. Amanda is a full-time writer who specializes in online business and finance. She's also an online business coach and the Amazon best-selling author of Make Money Your Honey. Follow Amanda on Twitter.





The Bottom Line

It’s not difficult to use social media to market yourself, if you remember that it’s all about small actions adding up over time.

Using social media in some of the aforementioned ways can help you take things one step at a time and eliminate any potential for becoming overwhelmed..


    • Authored by:
      Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at GetMoreHere.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)

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    Wednesday, August 22, 2018

    Growing YOUR Social Media Reputation?


    Five easy ways to grow your reputation on social media today..

    Concerned that using social media to grow your reputation will take too much time?



    Wondering whether it’s worthwhile to build your online profile? Maybe you think if you post nothing, you are “safe.”

    Those feelings are understandable in this day of constant information overload. We are short on time and long on distractions. Yet, if you neglect your personal brand, you are allowing others to take control of your narrative.

    Building your reputation on social media doesn’t have to be time-consuming. You can do in just a few minutes a day and still be extremely effective. It’s easy if you follow these branding tips.



    1. Post Links To Articles You’re Already Reading

    Content can be served in many ways: standard news sites, YouTube, Flipboard, Apple Podcasts, Google Play and others. You likely have your own favorite content mediums and sites. Why not share what you’re already consuming?

    Once a day, save a piece of content that you find interesting. Then, when you’re ready, simply add a bit of commentary that shows your point of view on the subject and post a link.

    Curation like this saves you from having to create long posts but still allows you to share what you find interesting, introduce your point of view and provide value to your network.



    2. Follow Hashtags

    What hashtags describe your interests? Do you like #contentmarketing or #womenleaders? Are you more interested in #UX or #customerservice? Whatever your focus, you are sure to find a corresponding hashtag.

    Open your social media channel of choice and search the hashtags that interest you. You will instantly find a tribe of like-minded people.

    Follow those folks and respond to their posts. This is an easy way to build an audience that overlaps with your interests and develop a reputation as an insightful person.



    3. Create A Twitter List

    The constant, rapid stream of information on Twitter might be intimidating. That’s where lists come in. They make your stream manageable and targeted.

    Choose an area in which you want to be known as an expert. Then, build a list of people who are talking about that subject. That way, whenever you open Twitter, you can focus your attention on conversing with a relevant group of people.

    Twitter lists are especially important when you have several topics of interest. For example, I talk with people who want me to present about growing the careers of women in tech. I also talk about Doctor Who, my favorite TV show. There is not much crossover between those groups. That’s why I have a list for each.



    4. Join A Facebook Or LinkedIn Group

    Facebook groups can be ideal for developing professional connections. Joining a group lets you segment your business conversations from photos of your pets and kids. Moreover, you can talk with an audience that is discussing the same topics as you.

    LinkedIn groups work similarly. People from the groups you interact with might also enjoy your personal updates if you share articles or other data that fits their area of business.

    Therefore, you may want to invite them to join your personal network in addition to interacting with them in a group setting.



    5. Follow Influencers

    Influencer marketing is great for businesses and individuals. Influencers have audiences you may not otherwise have access to. Through influencers, you can tap into those audiences, too.

    Respond to influencer updates with insights. Share links to the material you read. Turn your comments into a conversation. This helps develop your influencer relationships and allows you to connect with their audiences to build your credibility.

    Guest Authored By Holly Chessman. Holly runs Holly Chessman Marketing, a premier marketing firm providing strategic advice, digital services, and social media guidance. Follow Holly on Twitter.





    "You don’t have to follow all of these self-branding tips but you do have to do something to build your personal brand. So, take control of your reputation. Even not posting anything says something about you. And worse, if you don’t manage your reputation, someone else will.

    Wouldn’t you rather be the one in control?" -HollyChessman


      • Post Crafted By:
        Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at YourWorldBrand.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Salt Lake City, UT. where I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)
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      Location: Midvale, UT 84047, USA

      Wednesday, April 25, 2018

      YOUR Social Media Virtual Storefront?


      Treat your social media like the storefront you want customers to see.

      Your virtual storefront needs to be as inviting as the real one..



      Running a startup in the social media space has led to numerous conversations with founders, professionals and others about the significance and value of social media.

      Social media is the digital representation of your brand. Whether you like it or not. It's the easiest way to communicate with your customers, users or fans of your brand. It's also the easiest way to shape the perception of your brand.

      I began to realize some intriguing similarities between how a business owner would treat the physical representation of a business such as a storefront and its representation on social media.



      Name

      One of the most exciting moments for a business owner is naming his or her business. It's typically an "AHA" moment when the right words roll off your tongue. Then you start to immediately think about the next steps in protecting your name.

      But what about social media handles on Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, etc.? It's important to make sure you reserve the name of your business on all social media platforms as soon as you can.

      This goes for your personal brand online as well. The brand consistency makes it easy for your fans to be able to discover your brand and engage. I've seen businesses (personal and company) begging Instagram owners with particular handles to retrieve them.



      Location

      Location is critical for any storefront. Deciding where to establish your business has an impact on the type of customer you will attract, how your storefront is perceived and how respected it is. When considering "location" for your social media content consider what your primary platforms are.

      If you are creating content geared towards business professionals perhaps you should consider making LinkedIn a primary focus. That isn't to say there aren't business professionals on Twitter or Instagram, but there's a chance you can build an audience more quickly through Linkedin with written content appealing to a"business-centric" platform. If you are in the fashion industry or building a attractive aesthetic is important Instagram should play a role. Knowing where to focus your attention is crucial. Long form video content may make Youtube compelling. On the other hand short digestible video clips may be better served on Instagram.



      Aesthetic/Brand

      Think about all the business establishments you have gone to. If the decor seemed off or the branding wasn't well put together it would be quite noticeable. Whether it was the color scheme, logo, lighting, etc. These all play a role on our thoughts about the business.

      It can be somewhat of an indicator to us as to how seriously the company cares about its perception and may even affect our spending behavior. The same applies to social media. How carefully a brand depicts itself on Instagram gives users a good idea of how seriously they take their brand and its perception.

      On Instagram use consistent editing with regards to content (video or images). Consider following a particular style or format and stick with it. On Twitter use hashtags associated with your brand to help people keep tabs.



      Consistent Content/Product

      Consistency is key. Imagine going to a restaurant and every time you went they didn't have what you wanted on the menu. "Sorry we ran out."

      It would be pretty annoying and not to mention frustrating. Or every time you went to your favorite boutique shop for that shirt you want to wear on a date and they don't have it in stock. On social media if you aren't consistently creating and posting it makes it difficult to justify users or fans coming to your page. They never know if there will be content for them to consume or if you are just on hiatus. It doesn't always have to be original content. You can repost content and give credit to the original creator as well. Just make sure to have a content creation schedule and stick to the schedule.

      Guest Authored By Kofi Frimpong. Kofi is founder of Getsocianado.com, matching vetted social media mangers with brands (personal or business). Kofi is formerly the founder of Brandslip, an influencer agency with clients including Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox and the NBA. Follow Kofi on Twitter.





      "An e-newsletter allows you to gather up all the interesting information about your business or industry and deliver it in a neat, simplistic package to your customers or clients.." -ZachThompson


        • Post Crafted By:
          Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at YourWorldBrand.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)
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        Location: Loveland, CO 80538, USA

        Friday, November 24, 2017

        Protecting YOUR Social Media Reputation?


        The last few months had been difficult for my client, Vikram (not his real name).

        The new CEO was questioning every proposal he sent to him, and his confidence was diminishing with every rejected proposal..



        So when a competitor offered him a job as Head of Sales, to begin with immediate effect, he accepted it gladly.

        If everything went as Vikram was foreseeing it, in eighteen months he would have a chance at being the Director of the competitor’s new venture.

        The headhunter gave Vikram a Letter of Intent and explained that the Letter of Appointment would be given on the day he joined. She assured him that this was the norm in the industry and he could go ahead and resign.

        Vikram wanted to let the world know that he’d landed this big job. He couldn’t wait to see the look on his boss’s face when he quit..

        “Micro-managing makes some bosses feel big. But remember, micro means small.” A few hours later, he tweeted, “Leadership 101: trust your team.”

        Vikram was quite straightforward and open about his political views and his witty one lines got him many followers. His latest tweet earned quick likes and retweets. Just before he went to bed he took a final jab at his boss and tweeted, “Can’t wait to say goodbye to this #ToxicCulture.”



        By morning, #ToxicCulture had gone viral and Vikram was fired for badmouthing his employer.

        Vikram called the headhunter and told him, “I have just quit my job. I could join next Monday.” The headhunter stammered nervously, “Don’t resign yet. They have had decided to delay the appointment.”

        Personal Brand

        When I started mentoring Vikram, he had been unemployed for three months. His confidence had been badly dented. The potential employers had done a social media check on Vikram and developed cold feet.

        According to CareerBuilder’s annual social media recruitment survey (2016), 60% of employers are using social networking sites to check the social reputation of candidates. According to a survey, a third of the employers have rejected applicants or refused to give an applicant an interview because of their social media posts.

        Employers are wary of the damage that can happen to their brand simply by association. But there are things you can do to safeguard your online reputation.



        DO

        --Share your knowledge of your domain, industry etc ( evidence of expertise and strong social skills strengthens your case as a candidate).
        --Take a minute to think before you write
        --Share information about things you care deeply about
        --Monitor and approve what others post about you

        Google has a tool called “Me on the Web” that sends you email alerts whenever your name is mentioned on social media or when your e-mail address is made public. You can choose to get alerts daily, weekly, or even real time. As Andreas Tuerk rightly mentioned in a google blogpost, your online identity is determined not only by what you post, but also by what others post about you.

        Klout —a service that measures online influence. It is based on the number of followers, frequency of updates, the Klout scores of your friends and followers, and the number of likes, retweets, and shares that your updates receive. Empire.Kred lists your social media profile on a social media stock exchange. Your social media reputation determines whether people invest or divest your profile.

        Other options to safeguard your social reputation are to ask a friend to simulate a social media search and see what comes up or run a report on your Facebook profile by using WolframAlfa.



        DON'T

        --Post extreme opinions, photos, and posts on the topics of politics, religion, or your current employer
        --Post hate speech or racial slurs
        --Share any sexually explicit content
        --Talk about or post pictures of substance abuse
        --Share proprietary information

        Social media creates a picture of us that is available for the whole world to look at. Make sure you present an image you want future employers to see.

        Abhijit Bhaduri. Abhidjit is the author of The Digital Tsunami. He is the ex-Chief Learning Officer of Wipro and alumnus of Microsoft, Pepsi & Colgate. He coaches CEOs and senior leaders and advises them on how to build a leadership team that supports digital transformation. Follow Abhijit on Twitter.




        “According to a survey, a third of the employers have rejected applicants or refused to give an applicant an interview because of their social media posts.."


          • Authored by:
            Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at YourWorldBrand.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)
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          Location: Loveland, CO 80538, USA
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