Social Media Game Plan 101

You’ve got an idea for a business or you’re dipping your toes into the digital marketing realm and just need some basic understanding of “how it all works” so you can market your personal brand, products or services using smart web and social strategy.

Learning the basic key elements of blending search and social is important for an online campaign. The information below can be used by any small business, but I created this one for real estate, in particular. (The apps are bonus!)

Search & Social:

1. Develop a web presence that mixes both Search Engine Optimization and Social Media Optimization. Search engine optimization is created by using specific keywords and phrases which match what the consumer is specifically looking for. Social Media Optimization is adding social media features to the content itself, including: RSS feeds, social news and sharing buttons, user rating and polling tools. (Half the fun of finding something really useful on the web is being able to share it)
2. Become a trusted adviser online via a website/blog and social channels: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, etc. For example creating content that shows your expertise in the market place with statistical data, national and local real estate reports, opinions and neighborhood photos, videos and stories to show local knowledge.

Content Creation and Curation

1. Develop a content marketing plan –for example, when you start a blog, decide how often will you post. Who is your target audience and what type of information is key to them? Develop an “editorial calendar” that helps with consistency and trust among your readers.
2. Create content based on your expertise, niche, or location
3. Identify content sources from which to share. (News sites. Alltop.com, Broker Dashboard)
4. Supplement created content (Information you create yourself) with curated content (links and information you find and then share on the web).

Establish an Online Marketing Hub

1. Utilize WordPress.org as your professional site and content marketing hub. WordPress is quickly becoming known as the platform of choice for blogging and as an alternative to HTML programming, due to its ease of use, and thousands of design themes, plug ins and widgets to customize the site. WordPress.com can also be used as a free and easy way to start blogging, but when you use WordPress.org, you register your own domain name and have better search engine optimization for your site. (I can help you do this through my “website division”)
2.  Post fresh content at least once a week to showcase expertise, niche and location
3. Add relevant features: Listings, IDX home search, email newsletter, market data and neighborhood pages.
4. Develop a distribution strategy. An effective strategy is creating a post on the blog. Then posting the link and a short lead in to a Facebook business page. Facebook pages can also be linked to Twitter, which then distributes your content to more people, helping it to go viral. You can also use your link when commenting on other bloggers posts and in the comment sections of local newspapers and media outlets.  Posting a video to a YouTube channel, also creates a link which can then be distributed through your social media channels, as well.
5. Placing links to your Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts directly on your site helps people interact with you and your content in the channel they feel most comfortable using.

Get Mobile

1. Get yourself, your team and your office mobile with the RIGHT devices: smart phones that are enabled to handle apps and email. Many Realtors are utilizing iPhone, Android, WindowsMobile, and Blackberry to great success.
2. Get your productivity apps: Dropbox, Google Apps. Expensify, Evernote, Docusign, Dragon Dictation, WebEx, Skype, JotNot Pro, etc.
3. Get your networking apps: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIN, YouTube, FourSquare, Yelp, etc.
4. Become more efficient with the use of apps and doing anything from the office from your mobile phone.

If you have questions about using search and social or how they can be tied to a new website for your product, service or personal branding efforts, I can meet with you for a one hour complimentary session. Mahalo!