6 Things to Avoid in Starting Your Company Blog

Blogging tips for an effective social marketing campaign

Have you ever wondered what you should do when starting a blog? What about what you shouldn’t do? Targeting an audience, creating quality material, and basically generating interest in your brand are the ultimate goals, but there are a few habits that tend to reduce the value our blogs bring to our brand image.

There are certain situations to avoid when constructing and ultimately posting a blog. Start by developing a plan. Basically, your blog should start out as a summary of your profile and goals. But, there are a few more important details to keep in mind when setting up your blog. 

Top Six Things that Must Not Be Overlooked

1. You don’t have to make a blog a group project for your entire business. While advice and even guest activity are welcomed when helping construct material, it shouldn’t be the task of every part of your brand to simultaneously establish a blog. In some cases, it can be useful to spread out the development process, such as investigating a portion of your business separately in each blog. Just be sure that it doesn’t interfere with your brand managers’ endeavors, since that would affect the material in the blog and the ultimate success of your brand. Basically, don’t allow the work on the blog set-up to become a burden - or else it will cost you…

2. This leads to the issue of being unreliable. When a business owner is focused on their business, establishing a blog can seem like a to-do project that can wait on the back-burner forever. But, one of the worst things to do is to establish a blog and fail to follow up regularly. Just like the material in a newspaper, people look for new material regularly, whether it’s in the Sunday comics or the sports. Don’t ever neglect to put in your allotted time and be sure to maintain a regular flow of material.

3. Of course, you don’t want to rush yourself or generate for the sake of posting. A common mistake is to write in order to gain SEO favor instead of creating quality content. Keywords are important, but are only to be used sparingly. Sure it’s a great idea to gain visibility – but only temporarily. SEOs look for current “hot topics” that are favorable and will abandon materials that lack quality content relatively quickly. Additionally such blog material doesn’t really generate interest or conversation, making it something that an audience will see and forget as quickly as a mouse click.  

4. This brings us to the important fact that people avoid blog posters who tend to be just plain boring. You can write a whole lot of words and end up with nothing if you have no structure, readability, or even humor (a little humor goes a long way). 

The main principle is to generate interest and thereby improve word of mouth marketing. You want people to talk about you, not just read the material and continue to surf the web. Make them stop and consider for a moment a simple but applicable point that you make that they are able to relate to their everyday life.

5. Of course, time is valuable to everyone, especially to a business owner or brand operator- hence the reason for ghost writers and guest bloggers. It can be useful at times to gain the aid of a helping hand, but it’s even more important to ensure that the content won’t hurt your brand.

To enunciate we target copyright issues and infringement. There are certain apps available to ensure the content is original, and it is important to filter it through systems so your blog isn’t just a repeating machine or even worse an infringer. Nothing is more upsetting than finding that your material is the result of “copy-and-paste,” even if you weren’t the one to do so. You are responsible so make sure you take all action to ensure the security and sanctity of your material. 

6. Then there are the links to consider. Too many sites have links that don’t work and that fact is noted in the comments. That doesn’t reflect well on your image at all, even if the comments contain praise for content. It can paint you as unprofessional or unprepared if your links don’t carry your audience where they want to go with the click of a button. Speed and availability identify your brand as reliable and efficient. Be sure that you apply yourself in this department. 

Generating a blog can be simple, as long as you avoid some common mistakes. Don’t misuse your publicity or it may cost your brand in the long run. 

Keep People Hiding and Staying Away

Social networking tips for your small business or personal brand

Have you ever wondered why you have plenty of “likes” but so few interactions or conversations on your social pages? You post material and only get five likes and one comment on your feed, which leaves you wondering why no one seems to be paying attention to your feed.

When it comes to Facebook or other feed related social networks, getting a “like” or comment raises your visibility, but time also plays a role in visibility. How often they view your page also matters. Do they regularly check on you or interact with your feed? There are several variables that generate improved visibility. 

But, this means you have to start at the beginning. How do you get that attention?  What are you doing that is keeping your visibility low on your social network? What might you be doing so that viewers either un-like you or hide you in their newsfeed?

Maintaining visibility

Have you ever considered the fact that you are guilty of scaring people away? Whether you are saying the wrong thing or saying it far too often, there is the possibility that you are boring! Take it seriously, because everything comes down to generating interest, especially in a social, high-speed environment. And consequently, intimidation comes in many forms. You could be guilty of several different tactics that are hindering your social visibility. 

What makes up your feed? Are you selling it too hard, too much, or too often?

“If your feed is limited strictly to making sales or blatantly selling, many people will not pay attention to it. “ [tweet this].

Few people would constantly watch commercials all day long because they would rather be entertained. 

This brings us to the posts about random and irrelevant material to your business. They liked you because of what you have to offer them. Be sure that’s what you provide. Talk about things that are relevant, yet have a trendy application to them.

Then there is the art of: Memememememe! The worst thing you can do is think that it’s all about you! Be sure to include the activities of your contacts, customer conversation, and associated topics into your social campaign. If your viewers post something, follow up on it and turn it into a conversation (by the way, you need to comment on your own posts as well). Avoid thinking that everything on your page is about you because in a network, it’s all about everyone. If they share, you share. This is the basis for word of mouth marketing because if you present content that others are willing to share, many more will see what is going on with you.

This means that you should strive to make the experience interactive. Don’t limit yourself to just speaking to a crowd of wandering participants. Create games, generate questions, and get your audience interacting with you and each other.

Consider what you can do to keep your feed line smooth and applicable so that your viewers enjoy reading it. It takes quality information for an audience to want to interact with it rather than ignoring or hiding you from their feeds. 

Make Twitter Work Even Harder Bringing Good Word of Mouth

Improve your social marketing and word of mouth with Twitter

Social networks have proven themselves to be a very powerful asset to the business world. Through them, we have the convenience of sharing, discussing, and networking with others who have similar interests. A large majority of small businesses apply these social networks as their primary marketing strategy because they can reach so many people easily and inexpensively. 

Twitter has proven itself as a powerful networking resource that is dependable and extensive in its ability to reach a large audience effectively- as long as you know how to use the tools provided. Like most social networks, Twitter is perfect for utilizing word of mouth marketing. People share with each other, as long as you share with them. This is the primary principle to keep in mind whenever using a social network, because you must first talk to people in order to start a conversation. 

What you say matters

Because twitter has a character limit, there is only so much that can be said at one time. But, you don’t need to say a lot to make a point or start a conversation. In fact, keeping it short and to the point often stimulates the best responses. 

One thing to refrain from is tweeting one part of a statement and completing it in second tweet. If it’s too long to put in a single tweet, find a different way to say it or link back to a reference that will say it for you (other social networks or blogs). Therefore, anyone tweeting must be able to use words effectively. 

Find a different way

New tweets are good to keep fresh material flowing and improve visibility, but it’s important that any one speaking should take the time to talk back to their responses. The more times you tag participants’ names into your conversation, the more visibility you can achieve. Serious Twitter users will regularly check out who and where their names were mentioned on a regular basis, so this is a great way to meet new networks and interact with your audience. 

One technique to apply is the art of asking questions. A short statement would work to start, but finish by questioning the value of the subject at hand, such as how it applies to the reader’s life. This is a very effective way to stimulate a reaction and is applied to various marketing strategies because it tends to create a recall in the mind of the reader. They familiarize with the issue and are apt to respond far more effectively. 

Be a good investigative reporter

A great source of new material is to respond to popular questions- even those not posted directly to Twitter. Consider a FAQ that you seem to encounter or topics that are related to your business, and then offer a solution to them. Highly asked questions are often the prime meat of search results anywhere on the internet. “How to” and “Why is” questions litter the minds of readers and it’s great to bring up in conversation to draw attention. One technique would be to bring up the topic in a question form as well. Then, offer a solution during the conversation when you know you have attention. This will help to demonstrate that you are an expert in your field. 

Twitter is a gateway

Then there are the outside applications that Twitter dawns with appeal. Twitter is a window through which readers can get a taste of material and explore its source. This brings up the importance of titles in your tweet. When tweeting content from one of yours or an outside article or blog, choose select valuable information to share. Quote yourself or share the purpose of the project, rather than simply using the title of the content. The trick is to offer valuable information to the reader; so don’t just list a source and tag it with a link. Give the reader a taste so they will want to search for more. 

Of course, this also brings up the importance of watching where you place your links. The end can sometimes get cut off or hidden on Twitter feeds, meaning you will have to reformat it and tweet again (time). However, this can often become an eyesore on your feeds. You want them right up there in plain view- preferably in the middle or near the beginning where you can explain the relevance. 

Twitter can be a powerful marketing and networking tool for any business, as long as it’s used effectively. Make the most of the space you have and keep your content applicable to your audience in order to generate interest, so that you can develop a quality network in your social outlet. 

The Importance of Being Social 24/7

Man your social media sites for an effective social marketing

Socializing is part of business, even if you don’t think of it that way. The tactic is to basically increase visibility, encourage conversation, and above all, get your connections to interact with you. 

While creative and valuable content creates engagement, it is just as necessary to make sure that it is visible all day every day. This is the real trick because it’s hard to accomplish, especially if your social interaction is left to fifteen minutes during a break in business.

Expanding from “me” to “we”

The most effective social networking practices incorporate the art of working together. Scheduling tools can be applied, but the important thing is to have someone ready to interact at all times. Put together a team that can share the task of social networking. These can be various individuals within your business, and it will help to increase versatility within your social content. 

It is also necessary to follow your own topics. The social world is large and it isn’t likely that your business name will be limited to just your site. Such as in applications like Twitter, you’ll want to be able to follow up wherever your brand is used. This will help increase visibility and even create a larger following of people.

These strategies do make it necessary to construct a team to assist you. But, there are tools and apps available that are becoming popular because they allow scheduled postings and update notifications. Make the most use of your technology applications in order to ensure a constant online presence. 

Choose wisely

If it is too difficult to manage all of your social sites, choose the most valuable and stick to those. Don’t leave social sites lying dormant or unmanaged because that is one of the biggest negative first impressions your brand can make. Invest your efforts into the most valuable, and don’t leave your networks unattended. 

This raises the question of how valuable third party published apps are to your sites. Social links between Facebook and Twitter, such as Instagram and Pinterest have been disputed as having little effect on an audience. But, they are just as effective in their own ways. Different audience members may appreciate these apps, meaning you shouldn’t be concerned about using these apps because they can help increase visibility within a new audience. Additionally, the use of third party app posting tends to stimulate word of mouth marketing. Situation in hand- “did you see my Instagram posting of that cute dog?” Different audiences will demand a different approach. Don’t be worried about expanding your applications and opportunities. 

Maintaining a constant presence on your social sites is integral to your online visibility. Be sure to integrate a 24/7 social strategy to ensure that you make the most of your social networks. It takes determination and focus, but with the right team and the right strategy, you can turn your social site into a success. 

Brand Gaffes are More Visible in a Social World

Your social marketing strategy and brand reputation

Online marketing strategies vary in application and delivery. When it comes to social outreach, visibility is highest and most influential, which is where most mistakes make their biggest impression. Every brand has their own approach to their particular audience, but it is ultimately how they appear on the social scene that will determine the outcome of their present situation.

What are some lessons from brands like Progressive and Flo when using social? 

Always keep in mind that social never sleeps. An audience is always listening and interacting with each other, and utilizing word of mouth marketing strategies. What this means is that a brand has little control over how an audience will react to an incident. What they do have control over is how they react to it. 

Transparency is perhaps the most important lesson to be learned here. A Brand must build trust by being trustworthy and open. The more you try to hide bad publicity, the more social will spread the word. Admit mistakes and don’t try to hide them. Everyone makes mistakes, but bad publicity depends on the response to the mistake.

The best place to start is to establish your values publicly. Employ strategic clarity so that your audience understands what your brand proposes to deliver. You must be able to present a good image that matches what you stand for. 

What would you ask before launching an ad campaign like Mentos? 

These controversial ads are a very different approach than previously established, and the change in pace can sometimes be cause for discussion more than the message itself. 

It comes down to ad context then. Brand imagery should present what it intends to achieve, but in these controversial cases, we get a different effect from the ad’s context. If a brand was to do this, consider that there is an “edge factor” it is trying to achieve. The ad was controversial, but it worked for its particular audience. This means that a brand must also target particular demographics and place marketing strategies within an atmosphere they would be accepted in. Controversy can be effective at creating discussion as well, but keep in mind how to respond to negative or controversial feedback on your social sites.

It’s also good to remember that while your campaign may target your target audience, in today’s 24/7 social world campaigns can be taken out of context and can create “interesting” conversation just like what happened with Mentos ad which was targeted for Maxim readers.

This brings attention to the next situation. Is Chapstick good or bad for women based on their ad and how they approached their social strategies? 

In most cases, it could be stated that the ad was misinterpreted, but confusion can also be bad. What is your ad trying to achieve? It would actually appear that Chapstick is working to motivate the audience to buy more because they are losing it all the time. It could also be designed to start conversation, which it has. A lot of people do lose their Chapstick, so it appealed well there. 

The bad part was when Chapstick deleted comments from their social sites. The ad was possibly taken out of perspective, and resulted in a large amount of people feeling offended and sharing that through social outlets. The lesson learned is that wishing a problem away doesn’t mean it’s gone. Rather than deleting negative comments, it is the best practice to approach them and solve the problem. Explain the present stance and clarify the message. Don’t try to hide the problem because it will only get bigger.

Then we have the Southwest Airlines multiple charge fiasco- did it hurt their brand or will it remain unchanged? 

Initially, customers were very upset to find they were being charged multiple times. While Southwest will take a hit for the technical glitches, it does present the opportunity to solve a mistake. How they handle it will ultimately decide if it is damaging to their brand. 

This only enforces the lesson of being honest and upfront about the mistake. A brand should focus on fixing, apologizing, and compensating for any situation rather than trying to sweep it under the rug. Through effective customer service practices, a brand can turn a bad situation into good publicity. Though Southwest had to issue refunds and likely compensate extra, the public view is that the brand is willing to work to fix their mess and make sure their audience is happy. A bad situation was turned to good. 

A brand’s image is viewed through the eyes of social. Updates, virality, and otherwise word of mouth strategies make social a marketing tool that never sleeps. But, it is a double-edged sword that can hurt a brand if used the wrong way. Learn a lesson from brands that have been in that situation and apply it to how your brand employs the strategy of social marketing.