Organic Social Media
I loved the tag line of a blogger that I follow, “Be Human”. Yes, she was referring to social media, Twitter, and Facebook. As a social media expert and strategist, it felt like a huge relief to read this and be reminded of our humanity behind the social network platforms.
Social media and online marketing campaigns are hugely successful and have big impact, when there is a natural flow and voice behind each platform. The people behind the computer are not robots, and our targeted audience is human too! Yes, we are using technology and digital means to communicate, but we are human.
I’ve listed out three key reminders and thoughts to keep in mind while executing a social media strategy. Here you go…
- Write as if you were speaking to someone, in person or on the phone.
Have you ever been so excited about something and called a friend to let them know? They get excited too! Why does this happen? It happens because in the moment you are speaking from the heart and the person on the other end of the message can feel it and hear it. Its not a sales pitch to enroll them in your excitement, it is sharing from the heart. Creating content from the heart and from that deepest place of passion is what will ignite others on the receiving side of your posts and tweets.
- Post content as you feel inspired.
Now, I’m not saying to totally ditch the automated systems as they are super convenient and can give you a day off when you need it. What I am saying though, is when you feel inspired by relevant content, post it! Just like speaking and creating content from the heart is felt and warmly received on the other side, inspiration is contagious. We interact in our daily lives through what inspires us. We are not robots automating every hug, every smile, every phone call or hand shake. The online world is just as responsive as our family, friends and co-workers are. People dig inspiration and can feel it. You are much more likely to capture your target audience attention and their heart by letting some of your social media efforts be led by inspiration.
- Listen and Engage.
One of the key aspects to effectively gaining followers and friends while building and nurturing your online community is by listening. Think about this one as a real life application. For example, my mom always calls me and rambles on and on about herself. Yes, I have the patience to listen and am excited to hear her voice, however it wears off after about an hour. But its important to not that SHE feels good being heard. The only reason I lose patience is because I want to be heard. Same goes for our internet interactions!
Our online communities are a delicate balance of giving and receiving. If we are always posting about our service or our product and never commenting or liking others shout-outs, we are ignoring a huge side of the equation. A great tool I have found to balance the conversations online is to check out everybody else, before I post or say anything. It may seem like a stretch but I like to ask myself at the start of every day, “What is my internet family saying today”.
This post is to be continued, as there are so many key areas in which we can focus our social media engagements and make them more like real life. When we remember our humanity, we remember others humanity. Not only is it an excellent approach to supporting and building your customers, clients, donors, and friends on the internet, it’s a fantastic way to enjoy the bigger picture and grass roots of marketing!
Sponsor links:
