When you start thinking about your business or the marketing of your book and the impact that Social Media can have on it, you may feel a bit overwhelmed. Figuring out where you need to start can be a daunting task as you try to make sense of all the thousands of social platforms that are out there. (and they change every day.) But rest assured, it can be done and you can maintain your sanity.
So, let’s break it down. When you first begin your entrance into the social market, you want to hit the big three first. The “big” three consist of the following:
I am sure that you have heard of all three of these at some point. You can not get on the internet these days without seeing something from Facebook or Twitter; and I am sure that you have read your fair share of blog posts from your favorite sites. However, when you first start, I recommend that you visit each of these sites and get your feet wet a bit. Learn how to navigate each site. Take a look at some blogs out there to get an idea of how they flow and how you want yours to look esthetically. Take a look at different blog platforms, such as WordPress or Blogger, to find one that fits all your needs. This will help you to start thinking about the sort of content you want to send out, as well as what type of personality you want to convey to the public.
Once you have done this, just pick one platform to begin with. I recommend Twitter, because out of the three, it is the simplest to set up. It’s system will walk you through the set up process step by step. The biggest key to remember while beginning, is to brand everything you do. When people find your account, you want them to know who you are right away. So, remember to add your logo to everything! Place your website URL on each account, cross link your Twitter and blog urls, badge your blog with a Facebook box and a Twitter feed. The phrase to remember here is, “All roads lead back to your website.”
When you have all three of these set up, you will want to badge your website with Facebook, Twitter and blog buttons. Doing this completes the circle of Social Media for your company….everything connected to everything so to speak. Most of our clients post these on each of their website pages and they will also say something to the effect of “Find us on.” This will open you up to network in ways that you were not able to network before.
So what does this mean for you and your business? Well, simply put, you are totally connected. You have now opened yourself up to a new market and brand new sales. You have also made it easier to maintain existing sales as well. Just as the internet is infinite, the well of potential new clients or potential new sales is infinite by completing the circle of Social Media. In other words, someone who finds your blog can now buy your book or product on the spot via a store app, or can now get lead back to your website and that means more visibility to your business and possibly money in your pocket.
I hope that this article has helped inspire you to test the waters of the Social Media Market. Still feel daunted and find yourself looking for help? Contact ZLS today to learn how we can help you and your business or market your book.
Anna Patten is the Director of Marketing at ZLS Publishing. She currently handles all on line networking for ZLS and their clients as well as their professional blogging needs.