Social Media Broadcasting

Building your Tribe & Establishing your expertise.

Accurately describing a social network on paper is at best difficult. Many different sites, reports and tools work together with the online consumer ecosystem to create a flow of information from your business out into the social universe. Once the message is consistently present, listeners find it and "tune in."

The best example I can use is that of a radio station broadcast. Online content and social media tools create the information "broadcast." Those looking for information on your brand, product, or area of expertise find you in the social stream through search engines, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. If you demonstrate expertise through useful content, and are consistently present, your tribe "tunes in" to your social media channels.

If you are a business, stepping into this new medium can be confusing. Here are the five key steps required to successfully design and execute a social media marketing strategy.

• Publishing: Everything starts with content. Written and hosted on primarily on your website, blog, or YouTube channel, the content is the key element of your company websites. New content attracts search engines, website visitors, and those who want to know more about your brand, or area of expertise.
• Broadcasting: Broadcasting tools allow you to take content and spread it across the social media universe. The right broadcasting tools also allow you to link to content created by others, and add their content to your broadcast. Using our metaphor, a radio station doesn't products all their own programming. By hosting other experts, their own reputation grows, and so does yours. After we've created content, our next step is to gain followers.
• Listening: You must listen to your customers and to your own broadcast. How far does your reach extend? Are you getting feedback? Are others connecting with you? You can listen through specific web-based tools feedback tools, evaluate the effectiveness of your campaign, and adjust your strategy whenever necessary. You status as an expert is earned, and the information you've provide is the currency.
• Marketing: After you generate a listening audience, the friends and followers are converted into buyers, which happens the old-fashioned way. Prospects become customers when you give them a reason to purchase now, and make sure that the value they receive is greater than the money coming out of their wallet. After you establishing yourself as an expert, the next step is offering incentives and perks to purchase now.
• Connecting: Pushing information outbound is the first step in social marketing. This process creates what I referred to as Inbound Marketing. Now your prospects are contacting you. Facebook, Twitter, your blog, email, etc are the telephone of the 21st century business, and businesses don't stay in business long if they don't answer their telephones.

In the next five posts, I will discuss each step in more detail. If you're not using social media, your business is already at a disadvantage. You can find "How To" tutorials about specific tools across the web. This series will help you grasp "Why" social media is the key to connecting with your businesses next generation of customers, clients and stakeholders.

If your business is ready to take the plunge into the social media pool, contact timothy@startrankingnow.com, or visit our website at www.startrankingnow.com. Our global team of experts will improve your online visibility, and help you create your online social media broadcast.

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What Makes Your Facebook Fanpage Design Fan Worthy?

The popularity of Facebook as a social networking platform cannot be undermined. It is not only used by individuals, but also by business houses to improve their fan base. From fast food restaurants to commercial banks, all have their fan pages to keep in touch with existing clients as well as attracting potential ones.

A Facebook fanpage design is therefore important for increasing the popularity of your business, and making it known.  In this post, the discussion will be carried forward on how to make it more effective.

Make It Unique
A business fan page should have some unique components so that it stands out in the crowd. If it ends up looking like any other ordinary web page, then it is better not to design it at all. You need to brainstorm ideas in order to make it distinctive.

Do not rush into it. Instead take your time in finding useful resources so that you come up with something innovative. Adding more value to it is one way of making it special. Now, what does it imply? When you want to add some value, it means you have to offer something extra to your users.

For example, give visitors some tips on reducing stress if you are into the health care sector. Try solving problems of your fans, and they will be delighted!

Answer Your Fan's Questions!
The best way to add more vitality to it is by answering questions of your fan base. Be in touch with them on a regular basis, solve their little issues, and engage in a lively conversation with them. You can also post some interesting question, and request users to voice their opinions on it. All these techniques will help you create engaging content that users will love reading.

Add Video or Flash Content
Facebook also allows you to add Flash content or videos to take the website design to the next level. You can incorporate the 'Invite Friends' box, and also entice fans by using Flash animated graphics. Make the page richer by adding attractive templates. You can also personalize such templates as per your needs.

Landing Page Can Make A Difference!
This is most important. Half your battle is won if you are able to create a stellar landing page. It should be uniquely designed, but at the same time easily understandable. Your objective should be to attract as many visitors as possible, and turn them into your loyal fans.

To make it strike out, you have to think of something outstanding as well as alluring. The best way to do it is by adding quizzes, puzzles, surveys, contests, promos, and of course some amount of premium content. Surveys and quizzes are very effective as the online audience love participating in such activities. And premium content will also make users feel that they are rewarded for being your fan.

You can even take the assistance of any customized web development professional to add some call-to-action graphics in the page. It will enhance the popularity of your fan page.

Do you have some queries? Feel free to share.

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Why Facebook Fan Page Design Is a Must for Every Company

Fan page is the ideal platform for customer interaction. On your fan page, you can present any information about your company and attract your fans. One of the biggest benefits of fan page is that it allows you to connect with millions of fans. Facebook fan page breaks geographic boundaries and makes your business popular all over the world.

If you still have not grasped the power of a fan page, let me explain some of the major benefits of Facebook fan page design.

1. Enhanced SEO: Facebook fan pages are indexed by all major search engines. That means whatever information about your company you may share in your custom fan page, Google will read it and give your site a better rank in SERPs. However, for better SEO, you should link your fan page with your website.
   
   Linking your site with your fan page has another benefit as well. Some people love surfing corporate fan pages in Facebook and when they like a particular fan page, they visit the official site.
2. You Can Use Your Branding Elements: Unlike your personal Facebook profile; you can use your branding materials in the fan page design and give your page a unique look. For instance, you can use your corporate logo as the fan page profile picture and match the fan page color scheme with your website design.
3. Anyone Can See It: Your target customers don't have to be a Facebook member to see your fan page. Anyone can search for your fan page in Google and visit it. However, Facebook will always ask the visitor to sign up.
4. Great Marketing Platform: Facebook has more than 500 million active users. No other online marketing medium will give you an opportunity to connect with so many people without spending a single penny.
5. Unlimited Fans: Unlike your personal profile, unlimited number of people can join your fan page. You can share your new product images, video etc. on your wall and inform a global audience within minutes.
6. Wins Customers' Trust: Fan page promotion is always better than a paid advertisement. Facebook "like" works like a recommendation and when people see that their friends "like" a company's fan page, they trust the company immediately.
7. Cost Effective: When you develop your custom website, every new functionality increases your web development budget. For instance, if you want to create a forum for customer feedback, web designer will charge you extra money for the additional work. However, when you design a fan page, using free applications, you can easily organize polls and take your customers' feedback.
8. Make Your Business Profitable: If you have an ecommerce website and want to increase your business, start offering discount coupons to the non-fan visitors. This marketing strategy will not only boost your business, but increase your fan base as well.

After reading the benefits mentioned above, you must have realized the importance of a fan page in social media marketing. If you don't have a fan page yet, then hire website designer for customized fan page design.

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