Business professionals who are branding and marketing their product, service or company have probably considered — or are already using– social media as a tool to help build awareness and tell the brand story.
Often the key aspect of social media — the blog– can be overlooked in the noise of Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and LinkedIn. Consider using the blog as the key component in your social media business marketing program.
It’s too easy to get caught up in the technology or the step-by-step how-to of social media. Too often questions get focused on a tiny detail and what is really missed is the BIG PICTURE.
The blog needs to be the home base in the social media efforts with the other social media communication tools reaching out from there. It’s where your photos, videos and most important content resides. The posts on Facebook, tweets from Twitter and status updates should point back and lead back to specific posts and information on your blog.
It’s critical to focus on the WHY of social media — as well as the HOW from a strategic standpoint. Here are several great resources for setting up your social media road map:
Focus on your brand first, before striking out with social media platforms
Brian Solis’ graphic offers a colorful array of social media marketing opportunities, but most importantly is the information in the center of the “peacock feathers”. The core of the social media prism is the brand. Once you’ve built up your brand you can then expand it onto social media platforms, and use the likes of an Instagram bot, for example, to help keep your brand name out there by assisting you in engaging with your followers/customers.
Ownership of the blog gives you control
You “own” the blog — a self hosted domain contains your content. The posts and updates you do on other domains are not under your control. The rules may change – and will change – so you need to keep your equity in your blog, and use the updates as a tool to communicate your blog.
Consider the elements of social media for a specific use
Take a look at the way Andy (from Orbit Media) has broken down the whole social media marketing into the content chemistry periodic table of content into one chart.
I love how he’s included the life of the media, how many words and what type of use. Great advice to think about how to repurposing content as well.
Keep your blog as the center of your social media.
The blog is the center core of your social media marketing programs. Nothing illustrates that as well as Mike Sansone in his dial8 program with 8 spokes coming from the blog hub.
Other posts that may help brand and market with a blog:
- 9 Ways to Measure your Brand’s Social Media Health
- How do You Increase Readership on Your Blog?
- Toolbox for New Bloggers: Great Sites for Getting Started
What blogging and social media resources have been really helpful to you in building your business? Please leave the URL in the comments below. Thanks!