4 Crucial Steps for a Successful Social Media Campaign

December 27, 2010 by Daniel Sharkov|

Social media is gradually starting to shape the new business landscape. Both offline and online companies are beginning to take advantage of the phenomenon, which really took the internet world by a storm in the last few years. Thanks to sites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, brands that no one would recognize a few months ago have now turned into a leading force in their respective niches. Although getting 1.5$ million dollar boost in saleslike Sony did after starting their Twitter account is most likely out of most people’s reach, the example is a clear evidence of the power social media sites possess.

So now that I’ve got your attention or maybe not (oh well…), let’s get straight to the essence of the article. I will give my answer to a question that is probably boggling a lot of you and namely, what is the social media strategy that works and what you need to do for a successful campaign? Read on to find out! Stop Being Shy

Even though most realize the potential, many don’t feel comfortable sharing information with others. Letting shyness limit your networking efforts is a big setback. After all social media is all about communication as the name itself suggests. That is why being open to
new relationships with other people is a crucial piece of the puzzle.

So to overcome the problem, you first need to take a minute and think what the cause is. For example back then when I was making my first steps, one thought was really holding me back. I believed that no one will care about my opinion when opposed to the gurus. Yes, this might partially be true but it turns out that most of the folks you will come across are actually very friendly and happy to hear what you have to say. I have pretty comprehensive observations on Twitter and the fact is that tweeples will mention you to say a positive word rather than telling you how much they disagree on a subject.

In brief when someone doesn’t like your opinion, in most cases he’ll just skip away without saying it. It is a different matter whether that is a good or a bad thing though.

Find the Big Players in Your Niche

Getting to know the voices everyone is listening to, can be a big helping hand for your undertaking. A positive vote from the guys on the top of the ladder definitely makes a difference. A lot of people have gotten a head start that way. So what can you do to get noticed by the big players?

Doing a favour of some sort is always a technique you can count on. Even something as simple as retweeting an article you liked can be the start of a conversation. Who knows – it might even turn into a new friendship!

Blog commentingon the other hand certainly gives you a better chance for interaction, since comments there are almost always getting a reply. Personally that is by far the best approach when it comes to building relationships with like-minded people. Spending time writing quality and value-adding feedback is well worth it.

Stop Talking and Start Listening

A thing to remember when it comes to social media is that nonstop chattering about you and your business is only going to be a waste of efforts (see social media success). Social media is a vast medium with millions of people taking part. Expecting that each and every individual is there for you is plain naïve. It just doesn’t work that way.

After finding your target audience, first take some time to understand their interests better. Call it eavesdropping if you want –
start listening to the subject being discussed and add up only if you have at least basic knowledge. Otherwise just skip to the next discussion. The key to leaving a
positive impression on others is showing you are well-informed. After building that foundation, saying a word or two about you won’t be taken as a blatant self-promotion. That is what you are striving for.

Don’t be an Expert on Everything

Although I have come across a lot of individuals claiming to be just that, honestly I don’t believe that there is someone who can truly be called an expert on everything. You eventually realize that those people are nothing more than copycats, stealing somebody else’s work.

There is a big difference between having expert knowledge and a basic clue about something. It seems like many people can’t or just don’t want to understand this.

If you want to get the most out of your social media efforts, concentrating on a single topic you are best at is what you should do. Just go for it– start pumping content related to that topic. If you are good enough, people will soon start recognizing you. It will all just come ‘natural’.

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