This post was most recently updated on May 18th, 2012
In a course I’m taking called “Social Midas” with Mari Smith and Guy Kawasaki , one of Mari’s quotes keeps running through my mind: “Content Is King, But Engagement Is Queen”. And, she adds, “the Queen runs the house”.
Engagement in the various Social Media platforms is so important if you want to develop good connections and, even more, relationships. When we engage with someone there are certain things to keep in mind. When using Social Media, you cannot spend too much time on any one platform.
There are so many, that you’re best advised to focus on no more than two, although you have to keep up your presence on each one so you won’t get lost in the shuffle. When I say “keep up”, I mean you must be “engaging” on a consistent basis. Here are some tips how.
Go to Facebook twice a day and post something that is of interest to your readers. One trick I use is that when writing a blog about something, I will find an article pertinent to it and post it on my Facebook Page. This gives more value to my blog and at the same time takes it one step further.
Scan through Facebook and when you find something of interest, “like” it and comment on it. When commenting on something, give the author a little praise for the effort they put into delivering value (assuming they did). You can also ask a question in your comment. This will help engage people to join that conversation and keep in going.
Example: The other day I had a question about a Facebook problem. I immediately jumped over to my friend and mentor Kimberly Castleberry’s page “Just-Ask-Kim”. She gave me the answer to my problem by a post she wrote about that EXACT issue. In turn, I shared on my status update that “I had trouble with FB and Kim gave me this link to solve it.” That was shared so many times and people started to ENGAGE in the subject. I received “Yes me too” on the comment section. So the shares and comments went like wildfire.
So what did this do for me? I received tons of attention and friend requests because I used Facebook to get the word out that there was an “answer to a problem” that other people might have encountered.
I know many of us have automated twitter programs we use to send scheduled tweets. I don’t.
I visit my Twitter via Bottlenose to read my tweets, so all my friends-streams are in one place that is most usable and convenient for me. I go there three times a day, scan out tweets, and maybe retweet something good, and reply when it is appropriate. Once a day I go the extra mile and click the link to a blog or article and leave a comment. I’ll then tweet back how I enjoyed it.
I always try to engage with the author of a good tweet.
GOOGLE+
Google+ is a great platform to be on because we want to make nice-nice with Google, right?
This one can suck me in so I need to be careful, time-wise.
I’ll search updates from people I am interested in, comment, plus them and maybe go to their link and comment if it is of true value to me and to my readers. I can ENGAGE on that site quickly because it is all about the pictures. Do a quick scan and plus some interesting people.
I call LinkedIn my “Secret Weapon”.
I’ve been using it a long time and have a good amount of success with it. So many people believe it is just for job searching, but it is not.
I’ve written my strategies down in a previous post called “LinkedIn – My Secret Weapon”. Feel free to check that out, but in the meanwhile, if you are using this platform… Start with joining a group in your niche.
Focus on just one group until you get the hang of it.
There are so many people hungry for good information that you can contribute to. Start ENGAGING with some folks that have put up some useful information. Do the same as you would do on Facebook.
Comment that you enjoyed the article and give them some credibility. Leaving a good comment always is a great way to start knowing people. You will be notified via email when someone comments in your group and you can visit them if it perks your attention.
Also, your blog feed is up and running on LinkedIn. So people will take notice of your activity.
KLOUT
More and more people are on Klout, so I had to jump in, too.
I visit it only a few times a week, and “K” people I know.
But I am there, so people I know “K” me back, too. I only really ENGAGE on that platform in that way. I personally am not too keen about Klout, but I like the perks (ha ha).
I was going my merry way on Pinterest having fun.
It is a creative platform that I visited to re-pin, comment or to “like” people’s boards. I enjoyed leaving comments on certain things I was interested in to validate the person pinning.
But it was not until I took Kimberly Castleberry’s course about how to use Pinterest properly that I had the “Aha!” experience.
I’ve learned so many Do’s and Don’ts about it that I am currently re-doing my boards. Based on stats I have a new perspective. Also, I’ve learned so much that I can’t write it all here.
If YOU want to know more, it is on My Facebook Page – in the “Pinterest for Business” status.
ENGAGEMENT on Pinterest is easy once you know how to do it correctly. But be sure to make it your business to learn it right.
YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CIRCLES
These are just a few examples of the Social Media platforms. Get involved and learn how to ENGAGE in these circles. If you are on any Social Media site, of course you want to put out your own information and links. That is all well and good, as long as you do it sparingly and avoid spamming. But remember, your priority is to ENGAGE with others.
ENGAGEMENT will take time. So I would suggest to take two of your favorite sites and spend more time on them. Give the others a quick scan, but fit them into your schedule at least once a week so you and your brand won’t be forgotten on them.
It is always important to give excellent content, but ENGAGING will build better relationships and bring more people to you because they notice you are interested in what they have to say. People like to know you are paying attention, and people are… after all is said and done… the true substance of Social Media.
CALL TO ACTION: Are you Engaging in a systematic way? Are you present on the most important Social Media platforms? Are you balancing your content-sharing and engagement levels?
I would like to know what your favorite platform is, and also if you are having trouble spending too much time on them.
Blessings,
Donna
Hey Donna, great tips on using social media. Scheduling time to regularly engage on these networks consistently is key, as you discuss in your post. Going there once or twice and expecting success won’t do it. It’s gotta be part of your marketing routine.
Hans Schoff recently posted..It’s Time To Get Real – Are You Prepared?
Donna,
Excellent article.
I messed around with Klout and I did ok, however, I found that it was a slight waste of time since there were not as many people using it just yet. I think I will have to come back to it later on when more people have caught on.
Adam
Adam Snyder recently posted..3 Dumb Services Business Ideas That Made Money
Adam, I still cannot figure out Klout and really think that the stats are pretty bogus….but, it is a social media platform and I go on it once in a while.
Hey, I got some perks: Free trident gum, and lipton tea. ha ha ha
The best perk I received was bottlenose which is still in beta, but it puts all my tweets in order.
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Stop Horsing Around On The Internet
I agree! Social media brings out the best of everything and engaging on different aspects of internet marketing. 70% is needed.
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Hi Donna,
the tip about posting some article that is relevant to the latest blog post on the Facebook page sounds like a good idea.
Thank you for giving a brief overview on how to use the platforms and the links for further information.
Cheers,
Caryn
Caryn recently posted..Latest Trend or Life Changing Service
Hi Caryn, and thanks for visiting. Stagnating our links to the social platform gets more attention to it. If we shoot it out all in one day…it is gone!
We must also remember that on any social platform, we are seen by only 16% of the people.
Cheers!
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Procrastination
Donna, I find that I can really only give my proper attention to one social media place and that’s Facebook. Probably because its funner than the rest and that’s where most of my real friends are. Not coincidently, that’s where I get a lot of traffic when I post an article.
Only have just started using Pinterest. I post my articles there but that’s about it. Twitter has become nothing more than a promotion medium for me. Very little interaction there.
Great post Donna.
David Frey – MarketingBlogger.com recently posted..How to Get 2,000 People On Your Next Webinar
Thank you David. I must agree that Twitter is nothing more than a promotion medium. Facebook is the leading edge in my book
Thanks for stopping by
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Fear – Don’t Let It Stop You
Great post Donna…We have shared some thoughts before on the social interaction being “Queen”. while content is most assuredly king, how you project your message and interact with others is equally important. When an individual takes the time to show interest in what others have to say, it creates a sense of authenticity that stands out in the crowd.
Very true! We need to take that time to personalize our messages with each other. It only builds stronger connections. And that is a PLUS!
DONNA
Donna Merrill recently posted..Fear – Don’t Let It Stop You
Donna,
It’s always fun to come to your blog. You’re interesting and ENGAGING!
I find it interesting that you have an actual schedule for going by your social media sites. Keeps you “pinned” to the computer. I am hesitant to get a smart phone for that very reason. Heaven forbid that I’d be out of touch for a meal. LOL!
Thanks for your great insights and loads of info.
In Clarity and Success,
RICK
Rick Lelchuk recently posted..What Is It You Really Want?
Hi Rick, My secret is out…I don’t have a smartphone! Yes it is true. People laugh at my phone, but why should I have something I don’t want to use? If there comes a time where I have to travel too much, then it would come in handy. But for now, I’m more home based.
I laugh when people get all steamed up because they can’t reach me instantly. Didn’t you get my call? Didn’t you get my text? HA
I have a life! I enjoy being in my garden – walking my dog – going out to dinner with my husband and talking only to him!
This is why I have a schedule. This is why I am an entrepreneur. I am master of my life. And I love it!
Thanks for visiting Rick
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
I know it’s not social, but Google Alerts can be a very powerful marketing tool as well. I agree on Klout. It’s not always the most accurate. I wouldn’t necessarily go changing any of your social media strategies based on what your Klout score says.
I love Google Alerts! Have been using it for the past month now.
Donna Merrill recently posted..Fear – Don’t Let It Stop You
Hi Donna,
This is another fantastic post and you have given some really great tips to create a nice balance of engaging in social media and time issues. Any of us who are in social media know that it can really drain time because connecting takes time! It’s so easy to get carried away because engagement is fun! It’s fun to socialize offline, so why would it be any different online? Following these guidelines can really help increase effectiveness on each of the platforms. It is important to choose a couple and focus on those, yet “keeping in touch” with the others is also a great idea.
I love Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. I like to personally tweet, however I use Buffer and I’ve used Hootsuite in the past. These are tools that help with time constraints and prevent us from bombarding people with our content, but as you mentioned, socializing manually is much better. After reading your post, I need to develop my LinkedIn engagement. Klout has recently surfaced and I appreciate your comments of how you approach it. Great tips! Thanks.
Raena Lynn
Thank you Raena Lynn.
Going the extra mile on social media and engaging in conversation with those you resonate with is a great way to get to know them.
I have made JV’s with people, had people coming into my funnel and so much more just by engagement.
I just love it when we share each other’s lives, tips, and education.
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: marquitaherald
May 14, 2012 at 1:08 pm #
You are clearly a social media pro my friend! Great tips and advice – I must admit I waffle a bit when it comes to LinkedIn. I’ve met some good people, made some contacts and learned some stuff – but I see more pitching that collaborating. Twitter – well I do have it automated and wouldn’t have it otherwise because I’d never have time to work on my books or my new coaching series. The difference though is I plan and schedule a few key tweets each day, fill in with goodies I find as I’m working online during the day and usually I stop by and try to comment, retweet interesting stuff twice a day. It all really is a balancing act and I do believe there’s one other element to take into consideration Donna. We are not all in the same business and what works great for you, may suck for someone else whose business may be health food, or an author who writes ‘how to’ books. That’s why it’s so important to learn and take advice, but to balance that with a clear vision of what exactly our business is and where our ideal customers hang out. Thanks for the terrifi read!
marquita herald recently posted..How to Turn I Wish Into I Will
Hello my friend! We all do have to find where we get the most action on our social sites. I would never advise anyone to spend all their time on all of them. They would accomplish nothing but chatter. We do need to work on our products and our email lists, etc. That’s the part of business that we need to focus our attention on.
Social Media is important. BUT..we cannot take too much time on it. Looks like you have a great system going.
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
very interesting post thank you for sharing it with us i really enjoyed reading about it.
Twitter: DavidMerrill101
May 14, 2012 at 4:26 am #
This is an awful lot of great info, Donna.
I think one of the reasons many people don’t explore social media more fully is because they don’t really see how it leads to list building and profits.
That’s why I was especially intrigued to see how you discovered that Pinterest is actually a very powerful way to do both: build a list and profits. That’s a pretty impressive recommendation. Worth reading a second time… very carefully 🙂
Ha Ha Thanks David. And in case you didn’t know it…he is my husband. We do work side by side in internet marketing, but he doesn’t do much Social Media.
I guess I never told you all the stuff I learned on that webinar. Hmmmm maybe at coffee tomorrow.
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Hi Donna,
Sorry for coming so late to your blog, being so busy lately 🙂
I like that quote, content is kind but social media is queen. I think it’s really true.
There is not doubt that social media takes time and it’s really an investment of our time to do it right and to do it regularly.
I have to admit that I used to be very bad at social media, but I’m getting better. These days I spend hours per week, checking new posts on Facebook on both groups that I belong to in order to participate as I should 🙂
I sill have a bit of trouble understanding Klout, but I will find my way around it.
Thanks for this post, Donna 🙂
Sylviane Nuccio recently posted..Moving and Living Abroad – Interview With Annie Andre
Hi Sylviane, Actually there is a lot said about Klout. I’m not sure they are really taking stats and doing it correctly. But that’s the word on the street. ha ha I visit it once and a while so I can give K’s to my peeps and we all earn perks. That’s how I got “Bottlenose” and it is a great twitter tool. It is a wait and see for me.
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Guy kawasaki is the man! Had to get that out there. Thank you for sharing about the “Queen of the house.” I find that people talk about using social media to drive traffic to them. This article made me think that social media really can be used like driving to the traffic and letting it form around you. It is like being a likeable person at a party.
Thank you for the tips.
Ryan recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Yes, it is like being the bell of the ball! ha ha
I often view social media as going to a party and chatting with people. Some of which I hide from, and others I find engaging.
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: Lisapatb
May 13, 2012 at 1:58 am #
Great tips and I love the king and queen analogy here. I have not heard of Bottlenose – will have to check it out. I do use buffer but I love being live on Twitter to go back and forth with many that I feel are my friends. It’s my favorite since it’s short and sweet. I love using LinkedIn for my day job – great way to connect with business people and I must admit I haven’t been too active in the groups as I should. I do like Pinterest but will check out that info you pointed out too. Thanks for sharing!
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Hi Lisa, I would suggest that you click the link about Pinterest. I set mine up an tore it down after that learning capsule! There are so many changes (as usual) but when dealing with Pinterest, I had found there were people “masking” under a picture and it really wasn’t theirs. As I was cleaning up my boards, I found that when paying attention to what I learned in this webinar was that when I clicked on the tiny url, it took me to various places – some of which I did not EVER wanted to be associated with.
So be careful out there my friend!
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Hey Donna,
You’ve shared some fantastic tips. These days I’m only focusing 3 social media sites – Facebook, Twitter and Blokube. All three sites are a great place to get more exposure and engagement.
I spend 30-50 mins everyday on Twitter and reply to tweets, thank those who have shared my content and interact with other bloggers in my industry.
I would be the first to admit that I don’t spend much minute on other sites like Linkdin & Pinterest. Google+ is one that I need to be active on.
Thanks for taking time to share these fantastic tips, Donna. Have a great weekend.
-Dev
Devesh recently posted..10 Things To Do Before Launching A Blog
Looks to me like you have go the system down Devesh. We need to focus on two or three and the others a tiny bit just to keep up our presence.
Awesome. It is good to see that you are working the program he he
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Awesome article Donna! This is a valuable resource that you put together and I applaud you for sharing all this great information. So many people get muddled down with exactly how to organize their time and efforts when it comes to social media.
Engagement is certainly the key factor in getting noticed and building that trust and confidence with your audience. I love Mari Smith and Guy Kawasaki insight and how they share wonderful tips and ideas just as you are doing here.
I would like to add that recently I learned some other tips in encouraging engagement …. one is to build curiosity and don’t give away the goods … which in turn will get your audience to visit your blog, site or social platforms. Once they get there, hopefully your good relevant content will keep them coming back for more!
Always enjoy your blog and what you share Donna. Thanks again!
Lynn Brown recently posted..Creating Videos From Your Blog Posts
Thanks Lynn! There are endless ways we can encourage engagement. Glad to see that you are putting it into action.
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
I’ve been suggested a lot of times I should join LinkedIN but I never bothered much, lol. The joining groups strategy sounds good. I’ll give it a go. 🙂
Donna-Thank you! I feel sometimes that I cannot handle all the social media sources so I find myself spending most of my activity on facebook and twitter. I will repin sometimes to Pinterest but I haven’t even touched google+ and linkedin yet. But I will be doing so very soon! Thanks again for posting this!
Twitter: AdrienneSmith40
May 11, 2012 at 5:18 pm #
What great tips you’ve shared Donna and I’m going to bookmark this post and study it more.
I need to get on a better schedule I believe with using the different platforms. As you probably know, I post four times a day on Facebook. I do this for both my profile page and fan page and share different information. I locate blog posts or videos for my fan page that I believe my fans will enjoy learning.
I spend the same amount of time on Twitter and will reply to tweets and thank those who have shared my content. Plus I interact with others and have conversations. I don’t go that extra mile though like visiting another post and commenting from a tweet. Okay, I’ve done it a few times but not on a regular basis.
I am not very active on LinkedIn or Pinterest mainly because I don’t find people on LinkedIn as social and I just haven’t had the time to spend on Pinterest. Google+ is another one I enjoy I must admit. I can get carried away there checking out the different posts too.
I really appreciate the tips you’s shared here so thanks for spilling the beans. Very helpful my friend.
~Adrienne
P.S. Happy Mother’s Day Donna!
Adrienne recently posted..How To Create An Infographic
Hi Adrienne. Well you are doing well. What I have learned from my training is to focus on two to three social sites and be strategic about it. I see you are! The other sites can be done once a week, just to show a presence.
As you know I’m a great fan of Linked in because I made many connections there from groups I am in. Also the feed burner on it shows my activity. People from out of the blue say to me that they see I am very busy on LinkedIn…. Social proof once again!
Thanks for the mother’s day wishes,
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
I love the tip you used about Facebook. I had a problem with my website running slow and I ran across a post from Barry wells and he wrote a post about how to find what is slowing down your blog. I shared it on my FB fan page for anyone else looking to solve that problem too.
This was a fabulous idea because we all have issues with certain things and it’s nice to have some simple solutions to help get through them when information is shared. I try and use my FB page to share and engage with my fans. It’s growing slowly and I love it because I don’t think I could handle more than that.
For me personally, engaging with fans is always my first priority because if anyone takes the time to visit, comment and read my work, I can’t help but feel honored and blessed.
Sonia recently posted..Blogger Spotlight: Jason Fonceca, RyzeOnline.com
Absolutely Sonia.
I see you engaging so much and that’s great! It is a great way to be branded and also good for “attraction marketing” When I look at your picture, I instantly know what you are all about. That is what we all strive for. You are doing an excellent job.
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
H Donna,
Great article full of tips easy to use, as always!
My favourite are Linked in Facebook and Stumble upon.
Althoug I like twitter as it is fast and with few words it aloows you to contact people, I still feel I am on a learning curve!
The way I like to engage most is through linkedin, in groups and asking questions with a blog post I syndicate, mine or others’.
I like what you said about finding a pertinent post publish it and ask a question in it and then syndicate it to engage with others. I will try this!
Thanks and best wishes;)
Awesome Patricia!
Yes, that last part is working well for me with my Facebook followers. It helps the conversation get motivated.
Thanks for coming by
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Hi Donna,
what a wonderful post from the desk of a true social media professional. I couldn’t agree more that content is the king and engagement the queen. But there’s no point in engaging with people about mediocre content, right ?
Both creating great content and engaging takes time, there’s no doubt about, and this is the part most people fail miserably: They under-estimate the time frame.
I share your views about the platforms you mentioned, I will have to study Pinterest, Google+ and Linkedin a bit more than before.
Well, when it comes to Pinterest, no one really has true experience so far. What we definitely say though is that basically the same rules apply as everywhere on social media: It’s social, no over-promotion. What I love about it is that it stresses the fun part. Even Facebook can be very serious sometimes 😉
Probably some take it too seriously, myself included.
Thanks again and have an awesome weekend ahead
Be blessed
Oliver
Welcome back Oliver, Social Media can eat away your time so it is important to pick two that resonate with you and rock it. The others, well, it is important to have a presence on. I try to be on twitter, but I’m not automated yet. I don’t know why, but it just doesn’t fit with me.
When it comes to Pinterest, the numbers there are phenomenal. The stats show there are more women than men on that platform, but I’m seeing more and more males coming into it. It is all visual and the trends are visual these days.
After taking Kim’s course, I had to strip down so many “boards” of mine that contained spammers which in the end, doesn’t do anyone any good.
Linkedin has been a favorite of mine for years because I find there are more business minded people I can connect with.
Time is the one factor we have to keep in mind. We need to discipline ourselves on each platform.
Thanks for visiting,
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Hi Donna, I really liked what you said about content is king but engagement is queen. No matter how good is our content if no one share it, it will not be read by many people but if we build relationships through social media and engage with them frequently it will be very possible that these people will start sharing our own posts so if our content really worth it it could go viral, thanks for sharing…
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Hi Kostas,
Engagement is so important for the “Attraction Marketing” aspect on Social Media Platforms. I said it before and I’ll say it again: People buy People. That being said, engagement is so important.
Thanks for visiting,
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Well for me, social media is very important especially when we have business.. It is even important in blogging and bloggers are already aware with it..
Really good tips, Donna! It’s funny how we spend all our lives “engaging” people in the real world – we talk, we ask questions, we share – and then social media stares at us and we don’t know what to do! Argh! Social!!
I think they important thing to remember is that whatever tool you’re using, there are just people at the other end of it. Talk to them, teach them, share with them. It works in real life, why not online?
Sometimes businesses forget that and use social media as just another sales channel. Buy this, click that, join this. those are the ones who will be ignored or wonder why “it’s not working”.
I’ve actually never heard of Bottlenose – I will have to check it out! I use TweetDeck and although I do schedule tweets, because part of my goal is to share content I find around the web and I certainly don’t want to spam everyone all at once, I keep TweetDeck open all day so whenever a message comes in I can usually respond pretty quickly. Then every so often I check up on my streams and talk to people in real time.
And I definitely agree that you have to be on Google+. They rule search so it can’t hurt to be there!
Thanks for these great tips and for reminding us that it’s ALL about the engagement.
Carol Lynn recently posted..You’ve Got Facebook’s Timeline For Business! Now What?
Hi Carol
I love what you said “I think they important thing to remember is that whatever tool you’re using, there are just people at the other end of it. Talk to them, teach them, share with them. It works in real life, why not online?” That is the key factor Carol! We have to “work” those sites.
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..5 WAYS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Frankly,
This is the first time I’m hearing about Bottlenose ever before. But, I’m glad I know it now. BTW, this blog is a great source for information because this is my first time on this great platform as a reader and commenter. I do not want to leaving such an engaging blog like this 🙂
@Donna, I’d be expecting more awesome posts from you in couples of weeks.
Olawale Daniel
Olawale Daniel recently posted..Why Bloggers Need to Be in Good Health in Order to Make Money and 12 Tips for a Blogger to Stay Fit
I got my bottlenose as a perk from Klout.
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