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In high school we all wanted to be liked…to be accepted by a group of people as part of their “in-crowd”. You remember…the cool kids who seemed to rule the hallways while others salivated at the double-dutch opportunity to laugh at one of their jokes or be thrown just a nod of acknowledgement. As adults in the business world (most of us anyway unless you are a 20 year-old Zuckerberg wiz kid), we aren’t all that different. We enjoy rubbing elbows with the “movers & shakers” in an effort to acquire business connections that will hopefully profit us in relationship and in contribution to our wallets.
It’s in these efforts that we come to understand and implement strategies to be liked, which easily translates into the business marketing forum to obtain business relationships…profitable ones hopefully. In the world of Social Media, especially on Facebook, we come to understand on a more global level, the Power of Like. If you are not on Facebook-well golly gee willacurs you should be. Why?
#1- it’s free. In a world where next to nothing is this is 100% gratis!
#2 – much like blogging and having a business website; it gives you UNLIMITED, GLOBAL access to people and other businesses. Many people/businesses are now searching Facebook for products/services in lieu of traditional worldwide web searches.
#3 – many businesses on Facebook are already “Liked” (or unfortunately Disliked) and have reviews/comments on their pages which makes their business report card accessible in a glance.
#4 – again, it’s free. No marketing budget needed.
Do you really need more persuasion? If so, here’s an elementary concept taught outside high school hallways in the game of real business life…
In the world of Social Media…Like=Relationships & Revenues
And thanks to Mark Z-that’s the Power of Like
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Indeed! A Meta Tag? Sounds like some very technical lingo us mere mortals only know if we are in the “web biz” or subscribe to Wired magazine. So here’s the answer…Meta Tags or Title Tags are HTML code or word tags which instruct the search engines,aka Yahoo, Google, etc., to “spider” your site. Ok here it is in my jargon without the MIT degree: keywords or descriptors that are in the background of your website which make the title of your business or what you do, easily searchable on the web…Ta Da!
Optimization: Ok what’s with the big words right? Web optimization is the process of making a website & its content as easily searchable as possible and the words used to describe your website effective. Title Tags and/or Meta Tags (stop frowning-go back to paragraph one for a minute…see, all better) are very important for a consumer or other businesses to find your website within a certain number of search results. It’s like bronze to gold medal ranking in the WWO – you know…the worldwide web Olympics. And honestly we all want the gold right?
So what’s the point to all this? Meta Tags help the search engine match the keywords to a relevant page on your website each. That’s why each webpage of your website needs to have customized Meta Tags that are optimized for specific keywords. Better tags, better results, more access to your website, more business, and the crescendo goes to…more money. Yes, we love the last one. So the point is to make your website work for you, literally. I mean isn’t that the point of having one anyway?
*P.S. Meta Tags can be used in blogs or various other forms of Social Media too.
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When you think of some famous blogs that you frequent during the day, I’m sure many names come to mind. Some of those blog authors have followers and readers in the thousands if not more. We all follow them, waiting to hear some tidbit about the next big thing, or some advice on how to do something you already heard elsewhere. They’ve been around for some time and so we trust their judgements and opinions. All of that is fine and dandy, but what about some peers you may have met recently at a local networking or social event? I’d like to challenge you to read on to see a different perspective on this topic.
With all the mediums for sharing content and social media, I’m sure you have many connections to people you’ve met or network with. In person these people can tell you a great deal about their products, services, insights, and tactics to what they do best. Of course not too much data, but still some really informative stuff. Check to see which of them has a blog or some type of frequent distribution of content. Read a few posts and see if what they’re talking about makes sense. See if it sound relevant to your current business needs or hold some great tib-bits you can use in the future. If you’re not already signed up, I suggest you do so now.
Why Your Comments Are Important: With the various types of publications, there are also many ways for a reader to comment on his or her thoughts. This is a great option because it allows for a conversation. This gives you a voice to either compliment or challenge the content given. Nothing stirs up multiple reply comments on blogs more than when different people have different views on a topic and continue to weigh in to try and prove their points.
Share and Promote: If you found the post thought-provoking, share it with your peers and associates. This is where social media is at its best. Use the Tweet or Facebook buttons to share the post. Coming from you, it will seem like a good and relevant read to your associates. Get them to weigh in or validate the discussion. Think of it as community building. We all know word of mouth is the best form of advertising, so the same benefits apply here.
How Much Time It Really Takes: You may think it’s a painstaking process of hours when really it isn’t. You’ll be able to tell within the first paragraph whether or not the rest of a piece will be worth your read. Once read, take 5 minutes to write a comment. It can be a short as a few words to a paragraph if you feel led to write more. Most blog sites have their comments section ready to go without the need for you to sign up with some service before you’re able to post. Sharing on the internet is takes about 30 seconds with the help of pre-installed social media buttons.
What’s In It For You: Think of the “Golden Rule” here. If you’re already blogging for your business, wouldn’t it be great to hear from people within your community whenever you publish a post? I’m not going to set a false expectation that for every comment you place, or post you share you’ll in turn receive the same for your own. However it does make for good recognition when you are at networking events where these other bloggers are attending also. It’s a great ice-breaker for striking up a conversation. Aside from being a part of the conversation and that warm fuzzy feeling, you have a few things to look forward to. You’ll also get a track-back to your own website or blog if you entered it into the fields when submitting your comment.
No time like the present, so start now by commenting below. Our blog even has this cool feature where it will mention your latest blog post if you check the “Comment Luv” box. And of course if you have something of value to add to the conversation, we’d love to hear it!
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For a modern lesson on a classic fundamental, let’s take it back to elementary school for the 5 W’s (and 1 H) for a moment shall we? Who, What, Where, When, Why & How…although not in that particular order.
WHO…you of course! Don’t think blogging is for you or beneficial to your company? Read on my friend…
WHAT’s the point of business blogging? To communicate clearly to a wide variety of readers (either from your business sector or to one who is interested in acquiring your company’s expertise) and reach them on a virtual yet tangible level that says 
wanna do lunch…via Skype?
HOW can a blog work for your company? Let me pass on what I’ve come to understand. Basically, if you are a small to medium-sized company, more than likely you have a limited advertising/marketing budget if any. This may in turn affect your ability to rub elbows with your industry-related business colleagues and the frequency of networking opportunities. But guess what? If you have a semi-talented employee who can write pretty well or hire a content writer like myself (hint, hint-plug, plug) you can be well on your way to leveraging social media to your advantage and profit margin.
WHY and the WHAT points are somewhat synonymous. You (or your superiors) want to have a corporate blog which elevates you/your company to a WORLDWIDE PRESENCE. This taps you into the local and global business market by creating dialogue via your company website to an UNLIMITED number of people for almost FREE. Need I say more? Ok but just because I can hear the anticipation…
WHERE is Waldo, Jane, Bob or whatever your name is? Where do you pow-wow and have your swank & usually expensive lunch meeting to seal your deals? Your couch if you’re lucky! In 2012, most freelance and small business owners work from home or out of a local Starbucks. You can save time and money with this fantastic networking tool by using a little of Father Time and a smidge of talent to take your business to the next level and into an unlimited marketplace. No expense account required.
WHEN you choose to use social media to your advantage, you win-plain & simple. Oh and today is a great day to start.
Still saying blah, blah, blah?????
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A content writer or business blogger (whether plume or keyboard, or in my case, both) takes on the identity of his/her subject as though they are vicariously living as the CEO or decision maker for that business entity. It is in this forum where jack of all trades requires that you master, at least on some level, all & not none. A good content writer or blogger assumes the identity of employee/employer and advocate for that business.
Taking on a client who is part of an industry in which you’ve never been employed can seem overwhelming or to some impossible. Do you take that client on and fluff your credentials as though you have had a million clients in that same industry…a been there done that so of course you should hire me attitude? Or do you let them know how darn good you are at research and how becoming a student rather than a “know it all” behooves them and your craft? Because any good content writer will tell you it’s about RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH …and yet more RESEARCH. That includes your company client, their area of expertise, their competition and what’s not being said/done/reflected in their own and competitors marketing identity. You have to write it like you live it, in it…their world, their conference rooms and marketing strategy meetings.
Recently I took on a client in a very interesting and technical industry. And I certainly can admit some hesitation and anxiety prior to the pitch. It was seemingly too technical for a person who spent a good deal of my career in a very white collar legal environment. But I soon realized that this is what it’s all about. What content writers do-we morph. And through many hours of research and allowing my brain to think outside its confines and experience, I soon became intrigued and began to write in such a manner that impressed me (really it did) and my client. This is what allows you to write from a position of “seeming” expertise and authority rather than obvious novice.
So stay encouraged my fellow content writers and bloggers- embrace what you don’t know, learn what you need to and then write like you live it.
In high school we all wanted to be liked…to be accepted by a group of people as part of their “in-crowd”. You remember…the cool kids who seemed to rule the hallways while others salivated at the double-dutch opportunity to laugh at one of their jokes or be thrown just a nod of acknowledgement. As adults in the business world (most of us anyway unless you are a 20 year-old Zuckerberg wiz kid), we aren’t all that different. We enjoy rubbing elbows with the “movers & shakers” in an effort to acquire business connections that will hopefully profit us in relationship and in contribution to our wallets.
