In previous posts we have talked about the importance of social media in driving traffic to your website and blogs. This integrated approach to marketing makes sense, and makes the most of your time and energy.

But what if the whole Facebook, Twitter, social media scene fills you with dread? In your head you know it's good for business, however the actual process of setting yourself up in these forums can seem daunting.

Fear not! Help is at hand, it is surprisingly easy to get underway and once its done it is very rewarding!

First things first. To start a business page click on one of the following and load your business name, username and vital information.

Facebook
Twitter
Linkedin

Next start a blog. Blogging is king and enhances your online presence. These blogs can provide the detailed information about your business that you wouldn't ordinarily post on Facebook. A link can be created to the blog from your Facebook page.
The link below gives great info on blogging options.

Wordpress

Now you have your business page set up, use it!!
Search through Twitter and Facebook for people, organisations and groups who share similar interests, products or information to you.

Share content. Content could be any of the following:
Your own blog posts
Customer testimonial
FAQs
Links to other interesting blog posts (provide
attribution
and proper source credit)
Photo
Live and recorded webinars
Product and service updates
eBooks
Handbooks
Quotes
Questions
Videos (YouTube is a great place to start)
Industry articles


Believe you are adding value to your day, on and off social media, business success is driven by influencing an audience.

Adjust to Succeed!
Consistency matters on social media. That means post regularly, anything that can humanise your company is helpful and don't expect instant results. It takes time and commitment to build up an audience.

A good rule of thumb is to respond to at least one social action a day. If on Facebook "like" someone else's comment or page and get in the habit of liking all comments made on your Facebook page.

Most social media sites also have inbuilt measurement tools. Facebook has "Insights". Located in the admin panel you can see how your
posts perform, you will be pleasantly suprised.  This ultimately helps you tailor the page to suit your target market. 

Be flexible with your social media. Some posts will fly, some will fall flat. Don't give up, keep at it and watch your audience grow. 

Last but not least
Create a social media calendar and think of it as 'Relationship Building'! 
There are many ways this can be achieved here are a couple of examples.

Daily (10 and 60 minutes)
Respond to comments  
Update posts
Comment on new web sites relevant to your niche
Try BufferApp to schedule your social media content in advance.

Weekly
Guest post writing and pitching. When done right, traffic increases in a powerful step-function, and when done regularly, guest posting is one of the best techniques for getting more and more
qualified readers.
Back up your posts!
Look into your Twitter (or other social media) metrics.

Monthly 
Brand and Niche Monitoring
Check out competitors, niche ideas, and mentions of your brand, and products.
Always try to respond when someone mentions you! Think 'Relationships'.

Yearly
In depth analytics and comparisons.
Look at what has performed best and optimize  activities to reflect what is working. 

Failing to use analytics and tracking tools is like trying to build a house without wood and nails.

Well the crazy season is over and things are starting to quieten down and even out as we head into Autumn.

While it can be nice to slow down and reflect on the busy season, why not take the time over Autumn and Winter to really  look objectively at your business, in particular your website.









Unless you regularly update your site, chances are as your business has evolved with the addition of staff, operational changes etc.. the website has become outdated and doesn't display your business in the best possible light.

Another thing to remember about websites is they have moved from just a tool for information, into a powerful prospecting tool and a tool to gain more business. It's not enough just to have a site and hope that someone will happen across it.

Your website can only attract business, if it attracts visitors. The best way to attract visitors is through search engine optimisation, the use of social media and regular blogging. All these activities enhance your sites visibility.

A great exercise for this week is to visit your site and search it just as a customer might.
As you do this ask yourself the following questions.

1. Is the site easy to find. How did it fare when you Google searched for your business?

2. Is it easy for those that aren't tech savvy to navigate their way around the site?

3. Are all your links and pop up windows working properly?

4. Is the website tidy, complete and provide some worthwhile information about your business and what it can offer?

If you find your site lacking it may be time for some TLC.

So let's start at the beginning. Some of the lingo used when promoting your business online can be confusing. Click on the picture for a cheat sheet to help guide you through the lingo.

You have a QR-Code already? Great! If not, you have to create your own QR-Code. A QR-Code can be used to point your customers to all types of useful information. You can choose the type of presentation and which Information the client will get. The advantage is that your customer can easily go to your website or your  blog. They need only a QR-Code reader on their smartphone, which can be downloaded on from the apple or android websites. You'll even see now, signs, stickers, printed product information and promotion materials, using QR Codes to not only gain attention but also represent an innovative and useful addition in the field of marketing and self-expression. So it`s your choice how you present your information to your customers. Read for more Information here