To visit past installments...
- Why social media / Internet marketing is important - (Part ONE)
- Where are you in the realm of this social media mania? (Part TWO)
- Goal / Strategy - SWOT, 10 Strategy Questions, Action Plan
- Ok I'm excited - where do I start? (Part FOUR) (Google Tools)
- Ok I'm excited - where do I start? (Part FOURa) Active Rain
- Ok I'm excited - where do I start? (Part FOURb - you are here)
- Time Management - Priority List / Schedule (Part FIVE - up next)
- How to stay on track, accountable & results driven (Part SIX - coming soon)
Focusing your efforts on where to show up without getting distracted by all the “noise” out there will help launch your presence and you will see results quickly. Focus on what has been tried and true first. After you tackle this, expand your horizons and keep an eye out for those cutting edge ideas.
First things first though – the places getting a lot of SEO and those “rooms” full of people.
In Part FOUR and FOUR(a) we covered some easy and free steps to boost your presence with some magic tools from Google. Part FOUR(b) is a shout out to ActiveRain and the wonders of blogging.
Continuing through the list…
“Don’t talk to an empty room. Go where the people are.”
· YouTube
· Yelp
Now let’s take a short walk through some other places to connect, stand, out, and show up…
FaceBook – This conversation could go on for hours and hours but I’ll just share a short do’s &; don’ts list that I am sure is all common knowledge…
DO – Create a Page for your business promotion and conversations
DO – Utilize a personal account to stay in touch with your friends, family, and sphere
DO – Mix it up on your business page with company information, listings, news, accolades, community, and lifestyle living in your area
DO - Think about what people are interested in and address that in an engaging way.
DO – Create conversations and thought provoking content
DO – Occasionally remind your sphere on your personal page that you are indeed in the business. Do this in a conversational tone. NO commercials. “Enjoying the panoramic view from the deck at my open house today…” Include a picture.
DON’T – Blast out commercials from your personal page
DON’T – Post anything (anywhere on the Internet) that you wouldn’t want your employer, spouse, or mother to read
DON’T – Post anything you wouldn’t be proud to have on a billboard for all the world to see
DON’T – Be like everybody else. Get creative and do what it takes to stand out and connect, turning those relationships into real life interactions. (And transactions!)
YouTube
This place is hoppin’ with activity and opportunities to stand out. Start by checking out your industry and see what’s showing up… Search for “Real Estate, Salem, OR”
Visit this blog with an example of a unique real estate YouTube Video and a great resource blog about Stupeflix.
StupeFlix is easy to use, free and helps you show up on page one of Google. How can you go wrong with that?
From a time management perspective, I focus my time primarily on gathering recommendations here. It is a powerful site with a lot of tools and gadgets to explore. If you don’t have endless amounts of time to be in front of a computer I recommend focusing on the recommendations.
What’s the best way to get a recommendation? To ask for one and to give one.
I also like the syndication feature of the posts. If you want to share a professional link, news, update, event reminder etc. post it here and check the little box to syndicate to Twitter. I’m not a fan of Twitter but if I can syndicate there with the the quick check of a box, that’s worth it and added exposure.
As stated above – I am not a fan of Twitter. I know there are many, many people experiencing success and this is again, a room full of people. I just haven’t connected with it. If you share this sentiment, I still encourage you to have a fully completed profile on Twitter and to syndicate there when you’re posting.
I’m on a committee for an annual Ladies Night Out event that raises funds for our local Chamber of Commerce. I included Twitter in my press release list to help get the word out about the event. We sold 7 tickets to the event from this site to people from out of town who had never heard of our event. So there you go, it is a room full of people and a place to show up. Weather you like it or not.
More than once I’ve been questioned on this one. “How on earth can I turn writing reviews into business?” Yelp gets a ton of traffic and it is an incredibly useful site. All the activity on this site turns into magic Google juice so reviews tend to show up on page one.
Go to Yelp and fully complete your profile, including information about your business and why you’re the greatest Realtor in the world.
Writing a review for your favorite restaurant, vet, coffee house, wine bar not only gives that small business that you love a boost – it is like an advertisement for you. If you shift your mind a bit and look at that computer screen as the magazine or newspaper of today, writing a review in Yelp really equates to an ad for you. And… it’s free.
On the flipside – if YOU do a great job for somebody encourage them to Yelp YOU. It’s a great place to gather positive reviews from your clients.
People are Yelping “Realtor, Salem, OR” and “Lender, Salem, OR” - do this yourself for some research and see who shows up. Do you show up? Does your competition? Does nobody show up? What a great way to stand out. Either way, be the first or join the crowd.
Consider creating a “Yelp” review request card or add it to the back of your business card. They have a recognizable logo and it’s an easy process for somebody to review you. Your benefit can be page one of Google.
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After you complete your profile and start participating in this small handful of sites you’ll be surprised at the results you get. All without spending a dime.
Thanks for reading my babbling! This is simple, attainable, FREE stuff that will help you increase your presence on the web.
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