Likes UP: 9 Ways To Access Social Relationship Riches by Evolving the Conversation

As a personality-based brand or business content writer in the social media field, someone must actually start the conversation. You can let your fans and followers write the content.

Evolve the conversation. If your fans and followers have started the conversation, jump in and join in the conversation, engage and evolve it. Initiate and evolve the conversation with your community.

For Both A Large Branded Business Or Small Entrepreneurial Enterprises

Listed below are ways to evolve your conversation sprinkled with sensible marketing strategies.

1. What are they saying? Do you understand and embrace how they talk about you? Go read other social platforms and Google reviews how people talk about you and your business and use that to inform your writing. Perhaps someone has talked about you in a YouTube video.

2. Write to (1) one action. As marketers, you are familiar with the CTA: Call to action. Make a decision to what the (1) one action you want your fans to take. On Facebook, choices for your fans are to “like,” share, comment, watch video, or click your link. Be clear and guide their action by stating specifically what to do. If there’s more than one thing, it can get too confusing. Determine what you’re trying to get the individuals in your community to do and ask them take one action. Keep it simple.

3. Simple images. Your own images, Infographic, or Pinterest images are great additions to a post or tweet. Your tweet or post copy supports the image. Better yet, your copy triggers a reaction to look more closely at the image if it is quickly flying by in the news stream. If you choose Infographics, make the smile or “clip” a small portion of it with a link the full version. The most enthralling Infographic with too much detail will lose your reader if it takes too much thought or too much time and it will get lost. Your clip should fit into a 400 x 400 jpg so it shows up neatly.

4. Activate and inspire first. Twitter tweets only have 140 characters but if inspiring can easily be retweeted. Facebook and Google+ posts can tell a story and you can establish your voice and your personal style or brand style. If you want your fans to post photos, you have to show and ask. Show them and lead by example with the types of photos you want to see on your page, and ask them to do the same.

5. Can you make it feel natural? You have an agenda.  Marketing has a calendar of activities to work into your promotion plan: sponsorships, contests, webinars, etc. How can you make these seem like they are not forced and still focus on on lifestyle content that is more human?  If you have to bolt on certain marketing messages, can they align with your voice, approach and tone? Check your automated in-advance posts to see that they are not out of sequence or contradictory with a current marketing push.  Your fans will recognize disconnects and lapses in authenticity and your overall engagement be affected.

6. Your style rules, but basic good writing still applies. You can’t edit a tweet, but you can delete and start over. You can edit a Facebook post and comments. Typos come fast and furious from mobile devices. Pay attention to grammar and proper versions of there/their/they’re or your/you’re. I personally type so quickly that the “r” is missing from “your” leaving you… => You books, which should read, Your books. Edit as needed.

7. Test and check analytics. Facebook has the ever confusing EdgeRank. Get creative and take chances with your writing on Facebook and check the metrics to understand what type of writing works on your fan page. This will help focus your writing efforts.

8. You’re only as good as… Like the movie business, you’ve only as good as your last movie. And you can’t wait too long in between movies. Every writer should continually strive to improve his or her craft. You should ask yourself, “How can I make this better?” Get feedback from fans and ask “How can I make this better?” People love to critique and give advice.

9. Choose your drama wisely. Some social media folks say STAY AWAY from the big 4: Sex, Politics, Sports, and Religion – anything that causes controversy or rivalry. Other social media folks say JUMP RIGHT IN to the big 4 and stir up the pot. This may reflect more your personal posts than your page posts. Dan Zarrella said in a webinar after analyzing Facebook data, Facebook is like Jersey Shores with lots of Sex talk. In the end, you must choose your drama wisely.

Bonus: The software behind social media platforms is constantly evolving: Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and others. Don’t languish, keep abreast of what’s new. If you haven’t done it, test the newer features like sponsored posts on Facebook.

#LikesUP for Evolving the Conversation and Relationship Riches