Using Social Media

5 Reasons Why Auto-Posting Makes No Sense

1. You can’t “Like” a status update on Twitter. You can retweet, you can reply, but you can’t “Like.” Why are you telling people to do something they can’t do?
2. You can’t click on a hashtag within a tweet on Facebook. You can’t RT a tweet on Facebook, so why are you telling me to do that?
3. It doesn’t provide any value to your followers in those separate spaces. 
4. It’s lazy and it makes you appear uneducated on how social media actually works. Sure, it’s easy for YOU to set up an auto-post (set it and forget it!)…but what do your fans/followers think?
5. It reinforces the fact that you are simply using these social networks to “broadcast messages” - and even worse, you won’t even take the time to customize those “broadcasts” to at least fit each social network, using the appropriate language and tools specific to that network. You could AT LEAST do that.
6. [BONUS REASON thanks to the suggestion of my fellow social pal Casey] You can’t tag Pages or People when you are sending a tweet to Facebook. 

It’s 2012 people! Haven’t we moved on from this lame practice yet? In the end you will get in what you put out. If you don’t invest resources to build relationships on Twitter, your account will never see it’s full potential. The same goes for Facebook. Sure you can do it…but don’t you want to do it right?!

Pinterest is one of the fastest rising social media platforms.  It attracts both bloggers and non-bloggers alike.  Recently, brands have hopped on an have begun using it to promote their goods.  It’s similar to Tumblr in that it shows the viewer hundreds of gorgeous photos.  It’s a virtual eye candy store.

Recent studies have shown that Pinterest drives more traffic to sites than millions of Google+ users.  That is one huge boat that we all need to be getting on.  Hopefully, it won’t sink.

Just like Facebook and Twitter, Pinterest has certain rules of use.  Not the ones that are in the sites guidelines but more like an unspoken code of conduct.

DO: 

1. Make sure to follow other Pinterest users from your particular industry.
2. Follow Pinterest users that have similar interests.
3. Choose Pinterst users that are in your target audience, people that would benefit from your brand.
4. If there are infographs that are related to your brand, use them.  If not, have them developed and start pinning them.  Infographs are big on Pinterest.
5. Make sure to repin others pins, particularly those who are in your related industry.
6. Use your business name for your account.
7. Fill out the About You section that appears under your photo so that your followers know…about you.
8. Get creative with the board names.  Have fun with it.
9. Feel free to pin videos!
10. It’s ok, go ahead and Pin your own stuff.  See “Don’ts” for what not to do with that.
11. Always add a description to your pins.  Make sure to change the descriptions written by others to make yours unique.
12. If your selling something, add the price to your pin.  That’s OK, you CAN do that.
13. Consider hosting a Pinterest party to create your brand awareness.

DON’T:

1. Have your Pinterest settings repin everything to your Twitter and Facebook.  They become more of an annoyance to those who follow your timelines.
2. Create boards strictly for your own business.  It presents itself too spammy and too self-promoting to do that.
3. Use your brands Pinterest account for personal pinning.  Just like Twitter and Facebook, personal accounts should be completely separate.
4. Use Pinterest if your brand isn’t quite compatible.  For instance, if you are a dealer in nuts and bolts, you might not gain followers due to fact that Pinterest users are there looking for the pretty.  But, if you are a shop that creates brilliant floral displays, then you’ve found the perfect platform for your voice.
5. Pinterest is fun and it’s so visual that it creates a big, time suck black hole.  So, my last piece of advice to you is…use caution when entering the Pinterest realm because you may never leave.