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10 Reasons Why Social Media Campaigns Fail

By on June 10, 2013 in Social Media

10 Reasons Why Social Media Campaigns Fail 300x199 10 Reasons Why Social Media Campaigns FailSocial media is the great equalizer for small business owners. It used to be that large companies always won business because they had big advertising budgets. Now, user generated content is more powerful because the nature of business has changed. The power is now in the hands of the buyers, so sellers must work harder to earn business. If you are using social media marketing, here are ten reasons why social media marketing campaigns fail.

  1. No Defined Goals: You must know what you are trying to accomplish with your social media marketing campaign. Are you trying to build a brand, demonstrate thought leadership, provide customer service or lay the groundwork to launch a new product? You need to know before you get started.
  2. Making Assumptions About Social Media Culture: A social media marketing strategy only works if you understand the tool you wish to use. Do not assume that you know the culture of any social media site. Spend time listening first. Facebook people do not want to be talked to like they are Twitter users. LinkedIn and Google+ give very different information about a potential target. You need to connect with people based on the emotional perceptions people have toward your online brand. This begins by spending time “friend-raising” first, before attempting to generate sales.
  3. No Niche Focus: Before you start using social media, it is imperative that you know exactly who your target audience is for your content. It should be obvious who your customer is by what you share online. Remember, niche to get rich.
  4. Inconsistent Activity: You must treat your social media marketing activities like a new job. Show up on time, do great work and be the last one to leave. Develop a daily social media routine. Do not start blogging if you are not going to do it consistently. Serious blogs are updated 2-3 times a week.
  5. Spreading Yourself Too Thin: Newsflash; you do not need to be on every social media site. Start building your online brand with the social media site that is most popular for your target customer.  Focus your efforts there, until you dominate, then move on.
  6. Unfocused Content: All of your target customers listen to the same radio station — What’s in it for me– WII-FM you need to make sure that your content is customer focused. Use the MAGIC formula for developing content. Motivate your audience. Give them helpful action steps. Help them attain their business goals. Create incentives for them to stay in touch with you. Show commitment to your customer’s success.
  7. Selling Too Quickly: When it comes to social media, you need to go for the relationship first, not the sale. No one wants to hear, “Buy my stuff, buy my stuff.” Traditional selling is dead. Successful social media marketing will drive your target customer to beat a path to your door.  Position your business as an invaluable resource.
  8. Not Knowing Your Keywords: Your keywords are the terms people use to search for your product or service on search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. You should know your top 6 keywords so that you can use them in your original content and social media feed. Your keywords should be reviewed every 6-8 weeks.
  9. Social Media is Not a One-Way System: You cannot take the “social” out of the social media marketing campaign. Personal engagement is a key element in successful online branding. You can’t automate your account without making sure you are also fostering personal interactions several times a day. When you put out a message, encourage people to discuss that message, and then as you respond to their responses, you will build a community online. Never push out content without considering what else your audience might be responding to.
  10. Outsourcing Your Social Media to a Newbie: Do not hire a fresh-out-of-college employee or intern to run your company’s social media marketing accounts. People do business with people they like, know and trust. This level of rapport can’t easily be reached by young employees who can’t add any value to social media conversations due to lack of experience.  You must connect and communicate to build community with contacts who can eventually be turned into commerce. Your target audience will be able to tell when a social media account is run by an uncaring/rookie employee.

Social Media Written On Chalkboard courtesy of KROMKRATHOG / www.freedigitalphotos.net

Do you have another tip to share on social media marketing?

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is America’s #1 small business expert. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. She writes a weekly column on social media for The New York Times. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. Her latest ebook, How To Become a Social Media Ninja; 101 Ways to Dominate Your Competition Online was released in 2012.

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It’s Time to Update Your YouTube Profile

By on June 3, 2013 in Branding & Marketing, Social Media

youtubeonechannel 300x165 It’s Time to Update Your YouTube ProfileIn June, YouTube is rolling out its newest feature; and if you haven’t already done so, it’s time to finally get a branded YouTube channel. Video is clicked on 41% more often than other content online.  There are estimates that by 2014, 90% of all content shared online will be video, so it’s time for a video strategy to promote your small business. YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine; take advantage of that.

YouTube is converting all accounts to its One Channel feature starting June 5, 2013. One Chanel is a new format that allows users to organize videos in tagged shelves on their pages. Users can also customize their active feeds. YouTube’s goal is to enable channel owners to organize videos and playlists to best fit their marketing strategy. The video giant introduced the platform this past Spring.

What can you do now to take advantage of the new YouTube feature? Set up your new profile and switch to One Channel before the mandatory conversion. (Remember what Facebook’s mandatory switch to timelines was like?) Here’s how to get started with your new One Channel page.

Consider the Overall Layout of Your Channel:  Make sure your layout is aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate. YouTube has replaced their skin layout with a banner instead, that runs across the top of a profile. Make your mark with this channel with your logo so your branding is apparent.

Record a Trailer: A great way to pull in potential subscribers is with a captivating video trailer that will serve as an “ad” for your small business. This should give an overview of your channel, which also welcomes users to your page.

Organize Your Content: To leverage YouTube, you must focus on small details. Metadata should be at the top of your priority list. Each video should have a compelling title along with searchable tags and a description of your content. Mastering your metadata information will help you build views as well as index your content.

Thumbnails Are Important: Audiences who flock to videos are visual, so give them a visual cue. Make sure your thumbnails are well-framed, attractive and accurately represent your video content. A decent thumbnail will attract viewers.

Use Graphics and Annotations: Annotations are text overlays or full screen graphics that appear at various points during videos. These are great for highlighting important content and making lists onscreen in “how-to” videos. You always want to guide your audience to any calls to action or towards other content. Just remember; keep things neat and don’t bombard your viewer!

Keep The Content Coming: You have to work hard to attract subscribers to your YouTube Channel. Post regularly to maintain your channel feed.  Tailor your feed to your specific audience needs by adjusting the share settings. You’ll be able to actively promote new uploads to specific groups of subscribers. Set up a schedule and editorial calendar for your channel updates.

Review Your Analytics: Pay attention to your YouTube analytics. Once you figure out how your channel is “working”, you can give your audience more of what they want. YouTube displays the data behind your channel’s viewership, subscribers, watch-time, audience retention, traffic sources and demographics. Channel users should review the analytics at least monthly to see what content is connecting and what needs work. The channel analysis is an important upgrade that can help you leverage YouTube to its full potential.

So far, over 100,000+ channels have converted to the new profile format. YouTube claims that converted channels have seen a 20% increase in page views. Try making the switch before One Channel format is forced on you. It’s fairly easy and could be rewarding to your brand. 

How are you using YouTube to promote your small business?

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is America’s #1 small business expert. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. She writes a weekly column on social media for The New York Times. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works and the ebook: How To Become A Social Media Ninja; 101 Ways to Dominate Your Competition Online.

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How to Build a Powerful Small Business Brand Online and Offline

By on May 16, 2013 in Branding & Marketing, Q & A Interview, SmallBizChat, Social Media

SMALL BIZ CHAT LOGO 20121 300x123 How to Build a Powerful Small Business Brand Online and OfflineEvery week I conduct interviews with experts on #SmallBizChat. In honor of my 200th episode of my Twitter talk show, the tables have been turned and my co-host Amanda Miller Littlejohn, decided that my fans might want to hear from me. #Smallbizchat takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9 pm ET. This is excerpted from my interview on branding and social media marketing. Don’t forget to grab a copy of my latest ebook How to Become a Social Media Ninja; 101 Ways to Dominate Your Competition Online and join my #Smallbizchat group on LinkedIn to get even more information on building a strong business brand online.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: What is the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make when it comes to branding their business?

Melinda Emerson: The biggest problem small business owners have is they market their brand too broadly.  If everyone can use your product or service, no one will. Don’t be generic with your small business; be specific in your branding. Your message must speak to your target customer. Your brand should say what you and your business are all about. I’m @SmallBizLady and my mission is to end small business failure.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: Can a business be marketed effectively without a strong brand?

Melinda Emerson: I do not think a small business stands a chance without a strong brand. Keep in mind your brand is everything you do. How you dress, who answers your phone, are you always late. Your brand is also your website, which is your welcome mat into your small business. You must make sure it’s tight and helpful.  Check out a recent article I wrote for the New York Times on having a strong website.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: What steps should entrepreneurs take to identify and define their brand?

Melinda Emerson:  First, they need to define their target customer. Then, they need to carve out a specific niche and secret sauce to stand out. The niche can be geographical, product specific, or it can be based on a segment of your target customer. If your target is audience is women, drill it down because that is not specific enough. It can be tween girls, young adults, single moms, professional women, soccer moms or baby-boomers. Just pick one and become the czar or czarina of that niche.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: I’ve heard you talk before about how important business cards are to a brand, Can you elaborate on your philosophy?

Melinda Emerson: Social media is great, but business cards are still important. Small business owners should invest in a real logo. Word art or clip art or those dreadful free business cards you can get from a template will not cut it.  Your brand should also be at least two colors and use quality paper to print them on.  A cheap looking business card will kill your credibility.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: Can a small business be effective in social media without a strong brand?

Melinda Emerson: It’s even harder to distinguish yourself in social media with a weak brand because there is so much noise online.  No one will pay any attention to a “me too” brand. You must distinguish yourself online and offline. How you conduct yourself in social media makes a brand statement. Is it clear who your customers are from your tweets? Well, it should be very clear.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: How should your brand influence your content strategy for social media marketing?

Melinda Emerson:  Once you have a defined target customer you need to focus in on that customer’s pain. People are moved to buy when they have pain. As you think about the content you want to develop, you should start with a list of your customer pain points.  If your brand speaks to your solution for solving the pain, you will have customers for life – if you can deliver service based on your brand promise.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: What are the signs of a well-defined brand?

Melinda Emerson:  When you become top of mind to anyone who needs what you do, your brand is well defined.  When you get prospect calls and they already have decided they want to hire you, and all you are discussing is their budget and your availability, your brand is well defined. When you stop needing to explain what you do or what your logo “really” stands for, your brand is well defined.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: How does branding relate to the broader marketing strategy of a business?

Melinda Emerson:  Marketing starts with a well-defined brand. You must know who you want to speak to first, then you develop your sales goals.  Now you know I tell my readers to only focus on 30 day sales goals, which will help you focus on weekly sales goals.  Once you have your weekly sales goal, you design your marketing tactics to meet your weekly goal.  How many calls, emails, tweets, handwritten notes, and networking events do you need to attend each week to reach your sales goals.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: How important is it that a marketing strategy be tied to measurable results?

Melinda Emerson:  If a marketing tactic is not measurable, it’s useless. But keep in mind that you must have a realistic goal for what you want to achieve. When you start using social media, it’s not going to start raining money in your business immediately. It took me 18 months of daily tweets to get noticed and respected.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: What are the marketing tools that should be in every entrepreneur’s tool kit?

Melinda Emerson: 1) Create a helpful website. 2) Develop a fantastic free giveaway to build an email marketing list. Some affordable email marketing services are @mailchimp, @constantcontact, and @aweber. 3) Update your LinkedIn profile to speak to your target customer, you are not looking for a job. Especially – secure recommendations from customers like the ones you are trying to pursue. 4) Focus on only one social media site! Too many small business owners are killing themselves trying to do too many social media sites. Claim your profile on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube but spend your time where your best target customers hang out online.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: How can social media add to the effectiveness of a small business sales strategy?

Melinda Emerson: The #1 thing social media marketing can do for a small business owner is drive traffic to your small business website. That said, social media doesn’t deliver results overnight. You must use the HELP Mantra consistently for 18 to 24 months to start seeing results. HELP stands for Help others, Engage people, Listen first, and Promote yourself with care. That last one is really tricky because it’s the one people really do not understand. Do not start selling too quickly before you have a relationship. Just be helpful and position yourself as a resource and your best target customer will beat a path to your door.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn: What are the top 3 priorities for entreprenuers who want to build a social media brand?

Melinda Emerson: 1) Develop some specific goals for your social media marketing campaign. 2) Know your best 5 keywords that people use in search engines to get information about your product or service 3) Conduct a listening campaign to figure out where your best target customer hangs out online and then join the conversation.

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9 pm ET; follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in : http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is America’s #1 small business expert. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. She writes a weekly column on social media for The New York Times. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts  Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works and the ebook: How To Become A Social Media Ninja; 101 Ways to Dominate Your Competition Online.

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