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• Reply to Your Followers- One of the greatest things about Twitter is the interactivity. That’s why it’s so important to engage with your followers. Just sending a flurry of one way Tweets won’t help you build strong relationships. You have to take part in community discussions, and you need to respond thoughtfully to your followers with @ messages and DMs. Not only does this help you build quality relationships on Twitter, but it also works to improve your follower retention. See, your followers will be less likely to drop you if they know you and they chat with you on a regular basis.

• Don’t Follow Random People- Following an overabundance of people with varied interests will make it difficult for you build strong relationships on Twitter. Sure, variety is the spice of life, but it doesn’t tend to work so well on this microblog. Here’s why– the constant updates on Twitter can become frustrating if you aren’t truly interested in what they have to say. That’s why most people have very specific reasons for following somebody. Usually, it’s because they’re interested in the same niche as the person they’re following. So, by building a community that shares a common interest, you’ll be able to connect with your followers more effectively.

• Stop Selling Yourself- If you’re using Twitter for business purposes, you limit your chances of truly connecting with others when you constantly promote yourself. Instead, focus on adding something of value to the community. Send out useful links to sites other than your own; provide insight into important industry topics; and give quality information without any sales pitch attached. Think of it this way– would you follow someone who pimps their products in every single Tweet and who never interacts with their followers? Of course you wouldn’t; so, don’t be “that guy.”

• Learn about Your Followers- If you have people constantly adding you, it can be difficult to keep up with them all. However, it’s important to take the time to learn about the people who follow you. This doesn’t just mean following their updates. To truly learn about them, you need to read their profile and click on their website link. The more you know about your followers, the better equipped you’ll be to truly connect with them on a personal basis. Also, by showing your followers that you’ve taken the time to learn more about them, they’ll begin to pay more attention to you, thus creating a stronger relationship.

Post by Eric Brantner

Are you tired of your content not getting the attention you desire? Do you try in vain to hit the front page of Digg or Reddit or even niche social media sites? While much of it has to do with knowing how to properly promote the content, the truth is you have to know how to write hot social media content if you want consistent success. You have to understand what social media users crave.

Follow these 10 tips to help you write social media content that consistently goes popular.

1. Do Your Research- No matter what you’re writing, the first step to crafting a piece is to do your research. For social media content, that means understanding the type of content social media users desire. Determine who your audience is—are you going for success on big social media sites like Digg and Reddit or on niche sites within your industry? Understand which type of content seems to consistently go popular, and write about a topic that hasn’t been exhausted.

2. Write a Killer Headline- Your headline plays, perhaps, the most important role in determining how popular your social media content gets. Social media users have thousands of submissions vying to capture their attention. How can you stand apart from the pack? By creating a compelling headline. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel with your headline. You just have to make it enticing enough for people to click on it.

3. Follow with a Great Opening- If you’re lucky enough to write a headline that attracts readers, you better make sure you start off on the right foot. You only have a few seconds to convince the visitor to keep reading. That’s why it’s crucial that your opening paragraph sucks the reader in.  A lot of times, your opening paragraph is what will be used as the article description on social media sites. Make sure it cuts straight to the core of what your post is about. Which brings us to the next point:

4. Eliminate Fluff- Web readers have no tolerance for fluff. Don’t try to pad your content with non-essential text that doesn’t further your points. Online readers already have a short attention span; so it’s crucial to make sure you keep it focused.

5. Be Conversational- The key word in social media is “social.” Get rid of the stiff, boring content that lacks personality. Bring your readers into the conversation. Talk to the readers just like you would if you were sitting next to them face to face. An interactive, personal tone will generate buzz for your content.

6. Don’t Be “Salesy”- Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by trying to promote yourself in your social media content. Social media users will bury any content that displays ulterior motives. Your blogs need to add to the online experience by being useful and educational.

7. Stand by Your Opinions- Aren’t you tired of all the “me too” blogs crowding the internet? Doesn’t anybody have a new opinion anymore? While it can be scary to go against popular belief, you’ll never gain any respect if you don’t stand by your opinion. “Me too” content has been done thousands of times before, and that style of writing severely limits your chances of penning a popular piece.

8. Use Pictures- Well-chosen pictures act as a great supplement for your social media content. Let’s face it—no matter how great your writing is, few online readers want to be greeted with a long block of text when they click on your post. Pictures are great because they make your content easier to scan and they add another aesthetic to your piece.

9. Be a Resource- In a way, this goes back to point #7. If you want your content to rise to the top of social media sites and to generate inbound links, you need to write pieces that act as a resource. How can you do this? By going deeper. Provide detailed analysis that can’t be found anywhere else. Imagine you’re writing a post about free online tools for web designers. While this has undoubtedly been done before, the way you can make your piece a leading resource is by including the most tools and links to some hidden gems that others have overlooked. In short, you want your content to be a piece that someone can learn all they need to about a particular subject from.

10. Keep Trying- Social media marketing requires a long-term commitment. You have to keep trying to write hot social media content. The best thing you can do is to learn from your mistakes and to keep tweaking your approach until you hit on a formula that works for you. It’s a learning experience, and you just have to be willing to stick with it.

Would you add any tips to this list? Share your favorite social media content writing tips in the replies!

Post by Eric Brantner

The importance of establishing a strong social media presence has been discussed to exhaustion. You know that you need to be an active user on these sites because social media can produce numerous benefits for you and your brand. Of course, as the bandwagon for social media has filled up, many myths have been spread.

That’s why I’ve created this list of 10 social media myths to avoid buying into.

1. Great Content Always Goes Hot- This is one of the biggest mistakes social media newbies make. They automatically assume that a good article will catch fire online and spread throughout the Internet. It’s simply not true. Great content doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. It’s not enough to simply submit a good article. There are tons of other factors involved—who is submitting it, if it’s targeted at the right audience,  and how well it’s promoted (to name a few.)

2. There are No Rules- Another misconception is that there are no rules to social media. Some people believe they can do and say whatever they want without consequences. The truth is the community knows what everyone is up to. If they see you’re a shameless self-promoter, you’ll be buried. You’re better off following the rules of social media etiquette.

3. You Can’t Build Quality Relationships Online- I’ve heard numerous people suggest that it’s stupid to connect with people online that you don’t know in real life. They believe connecting with others is pointless and doesn’t lead to any lasting relationships with your brand. I couldn’t disagree more. Social media gives you the chance to be face to face online with your target audience. Even if they don’t go onto become paying customers, you still get valuable insight into what they think and what they react to.

4. The More Friends, the Better- On the other end of the spectrum, there are those who think that added everybody as a friend will get them social media success. Just because you’re connected with thousands of users, doesn’t mean you’ll build a strong connection with everyone. Remember, quality trumps quantity every time.

5. Social Media Marketing is Easy- This goes back to the first myth. Those who don’t understand how social media works assume it’s as easy as starting up a blog. They subscribe to the ‘if you build it, they will come” mentality. Fast-forward a few weeks when no one is visiting their blog or promoting their content, and they then swear off social media forever.

6. Social Media Won’t Last- There are numerous skeptics out there denouncing social media marketing as nothing more than a fad. They believe to get involved with it would just be a waste of their time. This couldn’t be further from the truth. While the face of social media will certainly evolve in the future, conversational marketing will not vanish. The internet is an inherently social platform. It’s this ability to connect with people throughout the world that makes it so appealing.

7. Social Media will Replace Traditional Marketing- At the forefront of the social media bandwagon are those who ignored the “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” advice. While I’m certainly a huge proponent of social media marketing, I’m not foolish enough to ignore the value of traditional marketing techniques. The best marketing strategy is a well-rounded one.

8. Social Media is a Cure-All- While social media is a great tool for online reputation management, it’s not a cure-all either. Again, don’t get so drunk on the idea of social media that you ignore the other problems of your marketing strategy. Social media is not a cure-all; it’s just another in a long list of tools you should be using.

9. Social Media is for Kids- When most people hear about social media or social networking, they instantly associate it with some 14 year old teen’s Myspace page. That’s not what social media is about. The fact is sites like LinkedIn are a prime example of social media’s relevance to the adult crowd. Trix are for kids; social media is for everyone.

10. Digg is All that Matters- I love Digg, but it’s not the be-all end-all of social media. If Digg is the only thing you focus on, you’ll end up being sorely disappointed. Again, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. There are numerous social media sites out there for you to take advantage of. Find the ones that fit best with your niche.

What social media myths would you add to this list? Share them in the replies.

Post by Eric Brantner

Since social media is, well, a social medium, it’s important that users understand the proper ways to behave online. No, just because you’re behind a computer monitor in your mom’s basement doesn’t mean all social etiquette goes out the window. It’s quite the opposite—following proper social media etiquette is a key to being successful online (and to making sure you don’t make a complete idiot out of yourself.)

1. Give More than You Receive- If you want to receive attention from others online, you have to be willing to give it first. It’s the old “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” routine. You can’t bust onto a social media site with a sense of entitlement thinking you should be a top user immediately. You have to earn respect from others. How do you do this? By giving more than you receive.

2. Don’t be a Keyboard Gangsta- Probably the worst thing about the Internet is the keyboard gangstas. You’ve surely run across at least one of these in your lifetime. They sit at their keyboard talking trash to everyone they encounter. They say things online that they would never have the nerve to say to a real person’s face. Don’t try to ruin everyone else’s online experience because you don’t have any friends in real life.

3. Add Value to the Site- At the end of the day, the thing that will earn you great connections with others is if you add value to the community. This means not submitting content that nobody cares about and not constantly promoting your brand. Before you ever submit anything to a social media site, ask yourself “Does this article really add value to the community?” If not, reconsider submitting it.

4. Don’t Sabotage Other’s Efforts- This is self-explanatory. Drop all of your e-beefs and hatred. Don’t try to bury others just for the sake of getting ahead. Making enemies on social media sites will get you nowhere fast, and you really do reap what you sow.

5. Remember that Cheaters Never Win- Instead of trying to game the system, why don’t you focus on building a successful social media presence the right way. Sure, you might be able to get some amazing results by cheating, but eventually, you will get caught. And once everyone sees you for the cheater you are, you can’t un-ring that bell.

6. Build Quality Relationships- People are more willing to help those who they really know. By building quality relationships with other users, you’ll always have someone in your corner to back you up. Remember, relationships require the participation of both parties; so, always be a good participant in your social media relationship.

7. Stop Pushing the Envelope- One of the fastest ways to alienate people online is to constantly flood them with requests for helping you out. Whether you’re constantly shouting your content or always Tweeting asking people to comment on your blog, eventually, everyone will lose their patience with you. It’s like the boy who cried wolf. People will tune you out if you’re constantly pushing the envelope.

8. Respect the Community- This might be the most important rule of social media etiquette. Show respect to the community. It’s not that hard to do. Just make sure you don’t step out of line, and always treat everyone the way you want to be treated. These are simple social skills you should already be following in real life; now, you just have to follow them online too.

9. Listen to Others- Your first reaction whenever someone disagrees with you online is probably to tell them how wrong they are. Instead of constantly fighting back, take the time to listen to what they’re really saying. Listen to the people commenting on your blog or Tweeting at you. Understand where they’re coming from. You don’t know everything, and you can learn from others if you take the time to listen.

10. Be Accountable for Your Actions- Because of the anonymity the Internet allows, there is little to no accountability online. People say and do whatever they please without facing any repercussions. Don’t be that guy. Instead, try to be honorable by taking responsibility your actions online. By being accountable, people will respect you, whether they agree with you or not.

11. Be Nice- All of these points add up to one thing—just be nice. Is it really too much to ask for people to be kind to one another? Call me old-fashioned if you like, but there’s nothing wrong with being nice to others online.
What rules of social media etiquette would you add to the list? Share them in the replies!

Post by Eric Brantner

The key to becoming truly great at online marketing is to constantly push yourself by getting out of your rut and trying new techniques. Many of us have gotten so caught up in following the same old formula over and over again that we never evolve. Sure, we get consistent results with our websites by playing it safe, but truly great results come when you push yourself out of your comfort zone, forcing yourself to stop relying on the typical SEO/ internet marketing crutches.

What follows is a list of 7 challenges that can ultimately help you sharpen your SEO skills.

1. Promote a friend’s website without changing its structure- If you provide SEO services to outside clients, you understand why this challenge is important. There are those clients who are stubborn and who don’t want you to mess with their site too much. They restrict you from fully doing your job, but they want the same great results you normally produce. This will challenge you to find unique ways to make their site visible in the search engines without altering significantly.

2. Generate 15 links to your lowest performing content- Let’s face it, we don’t always hit home runs with our content. In fact, sometimes our articles just plain stink. But what if you have a client who needs inbound links and doesn’t want you to write new content for them? You need to find creative ways to generate quality links to even your worse content. This doesn’t include spamming in forums or blog comments either.

3. Overhaul your website- Again; this pulls you out of your comfort zone. It can be easy to fall into a rut of designing every page with the same general look. Comfort stifles innovation. For this reason, I challenge you to completely overhaul your website. Include an element in it that you don’t usually use (video, graphics, interactive elements.) The more you push yourself, the better you’ll become.

4. Follow 5 new blogs and guest post on them within a month- Guest posting on other blogs is beneficial for several reasons. It builds new connections; generates inbound links; improves your site’s visibility; and it establishes you as an authority. The goal of this challenge is to help you find a completely new audience and to build great relationships in a short amount of time.

5. Follow 5 new blogs without promoting yourself- The reason for this is simple it’s not always about you. You don’t have to constantly be promoting yourself. Become an active member on 5 new blogs without ever promoting yourself. You’ll find that you can learn new things from others, and that it feels good to not have to be constantly marketing your site.

6. Write an SEO e-book your mom would understand. Quiz her at the end- I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard SEOs say My parents don’t even understand what I do for a living. If you can’t even explain to your own mother what you do, how can you clearly express the value of SEO Company to a prospect? Write a brief e-book over the basics of SEO, and quiz your mom at the end to see how well she understands it.

7. Get a press release published in a reputable newspaper or trade journal once a month- Online press releases have completely changed the entire press release process. With self-publishing, you no longer have to fight with editors to get your press release in their newspaper or journal. As a result, the internet is flooded with boring, poorly-written, keyword-stuffed press releases. Try to bring back the art of press release writing by getting one published in a reputable newspaper or trade journal once a month. This will make you focus on writing quality pieces that truly engage others.

There are several more things you can do to become a better internet marketer. How do you challenge yourself on a daily basis? Share your challenges with us in the replies you just might help someone become a better Internet marketer!