Social Media – Page 7

Are You Curating or Hijacking the Content You Share?

November 19, 2012 By Linda Dessau

Social media networking is all about balance. Ideally, you want to be spending 80% of your time having conversations and sharing other people’s content, and the other 20% of the time sharing your own content and promoting your business.

Content curation is the formal term for sharing other people’s content. It’s a content marketing strategy that helps:

Solidify your credibility as a trusted resource in your topic area (your readers will think, “Sally always finds the best information!”)
Keeps you active on social media without having to always create your own content (imagine calling a prospective client and hearing, “Sure, I know you, you’re always popping up on my screen,”)
Cultivate relationships with the industry experts whose content you’re sharing (even if someone responds with a simple “thank you for sharing,” that could be the start of something. As a bonus, the rest of their network will see that message and may just check you out as well)

As more people realize these benefits and are using content curation (either manually or through software applications created for the purpose), I see some habits that could be unintentionally creating rifts instead of relationships and turning off your readers.

Let’s call it content hijacking, and look at how you may be doing it on your blog or on social media.

Hijacking content on your blog

It’s a legitimate and effective blogging strategy to use someone else’s content as the jumping off point for your own article (as I’ve tried to do in my recent posts about content curation and Twitter).

What I don’t enjoy is when I click on a link and find just a teaser – a summary and/or quote of the original content, so now I have to jump through an additional hoop to get to the content promised by the headline.

If you’re not planning to add to the content, stick with content curation via Twitter and other social media sites. Just be sure not to hijack there, either.

Hijacking content on Twitter

I know that 140 characters isn’t a lot of room. I know that you’re not intentionally plagiarizing. Yet when you post an enticing headline that leads to someone else’s content, without giving proper credit, you’re performing a bait and switch that could leave a bad impression on your network.

Content curation tips that will enhance your relationships and credibility

Read the entire piece of content before you share. Even if you’ve read the person’s work before, or it was recommended by someone you trust, make sure it’s something you truly want to endorse.
Use the author’s Twitter name. If you’ve discovered the content on the web (versus through social media), look for a link to the author’s Twitter account. Look to see if he or she has tweeted a link to the content, and RT (forward) that to your network.
Make room for the credits. If someone else has hijacked content and you want to give credit, go ahead and add the author’s Twitter name when you RT the post. To make room, you can delete the hashtags or replace the headline with a shorter description. Note (and I just learned this myself): If you need to revise the tweet in order to add the credit, use MT instead of RT. MT stands for “modified tweet“).
Acknowledge the source. For extra credits, let your network know where you heard about the content, by adding “via @name.”
Always share links right from Twitter or HootSuite so that you can add the attribution and control what people will see. Beware: if you check a box to “Share with Twitter” from LinkedIn or Facebook, or if you have your account set up to do that automatically, your Twitter followers will just see the headline and link and it will look like a hijacking.
Follow your content stars more closely. Create a Twitter list in HootSuite so that you can quickly and easily discover new content from your favourite experts and share it with your network – with full attribution, of course!

Want to be sure you’re curating and not hijacking? Learn more about our content curation services!

Twitter Tips from Inc.com

October 29, 2012 By Linda Dessau

Thanks to Jeff Korhan for recently posting a link to an Inc.com article, 10 Things You Should Tweet, and to Jon Gelberg for writing the article. It’s one of the best summaries I’ve seen for how to use Twitter to promote your business online.

If you’re not sure what you should be writing in your business’s Twitter updates, check out the article now! Then please come back because I have a few other thoughts for you.

How’s your balance?

On a recent webinar about blog planning, I talked about the balance between networking and marketing when you’re using social media. Too much networking without any promotion, and people won’t know how or when to refer business to you. Too much marketing without any relationship building, and no one will want to go near you.

In another post on Inc.com Hollis Thomases lists 11 Things to Tweet When You Have Nothing to Say, and she puts posting your own content at the bottom as #11.

She mentions the 80/20 rule, which is that 80% of your social media messages should be about other people (I would include connection/conversation in that portion) or showcasing other people’s work, while 20% should be presenting your own content. Nichole Kelly from SME Digital makes the same recommendation in a recent interview.

New! Want help finding great content to share in your Twitter stream? Check out our content curation services!

Your Twitter stream is another website

Like it or not, the minute you set up a Twitter profile, you’ve got another piece of online real estate to look after. A quick glance at your profile page will show someone a lot about how you’re using Twitter, and your balance between networking and marketing.

I suggest you monitor your Twitter page (http://twitter.com/yourTwittername). Anytime you notice that you’re veering over the 80/20 line, make an effort to rebalance the scale.

You’ve only got 140 characters to make an impression on Twitter. Use them wisely and have fun!

P.S. Please connect with me on Twitter @lindadessau.

Writing Original Content Versus Sharing Other People’s Content (Content Curation)

October 2, 2012 By Linda Dessau

When I read the title of Roger Parker’s post, “Writing Versus Content Curation for Personal Branding Success” on Dan Schwabel’s Personal Branding blog, my immediate reply was “Both, of course.” As I read the article, I discovered that Roger had come to a similar conclusion.

I do disagree with one point – that in order to succeed with original content you cannot delegate the task. As a ghostwriter, I have helped dozens of business owners create their own original content.

Roger points out the many benefits of creating original content for your blog, such as increased credibility, thought leadership and the ability to re-purpose your blog post content into other forms such as books, presentations or courses.

The secret to keeping your blog and website fresh with new content

And as I also reminded people recently at my Business Blogathon in Barrie, Ontario, you don’t have to write a full-length (i.e., 500 words) feature article every week in order to keep your blog fresh.

You can alternate your feature articles with shorter posts (i.e., 250-500 words), what I call “connective content.” Connective content might be your own personal reflections on the topic of your feature article, a case study of a client, or recommended resources. These “in between” posts could also be your own comments about related content that you’ve found on other blogs or via social media.

What is content curation?

The formal term for sharing other people’s content is content curation. Though you may not realize it, if you’re active on social media you’re likely already using content curation as part of your online marketing strategy. Have you ever re-tweeted or “liked” someone else’s link on social media? That’s content curation – that’s you saying, “Here is some content that I find valuable, and I’m sharing it with you because you might not have seen it otherwise.”

All of a sudden you’re taking on a whole new role for that person. You’re sifting through all the noise on the Internet and finding the best, most interesting and most important content in your particular topic area. When you pair that with creating your own original content, your value as an expert rises significantly!

Sharing other people’s content on your blog

If you’re already doing this type of content sharing on social media, you may wonder why you would bother doing it on your blog. Here are three reasons to consider:

Your blog is your home – your name is on the door, you decide how things are displayed and you own 100% of your content.
You can find it later – by organizing, categorizing and storing your curated content on your own blog, both you and your readers can easily find it later so it will continue to be of value.
Sharing other people’s content boosts your blog’s credibility with both readers (most importantly) and search engines – by curating and commenting on other people’s content, you enhance your own position as an expert in that area.

Of course once you’ve published the content on your blog you should also widely promote your blog post on social media.

Please be sure to give proper attribution when you’re sharing someone else’s content. For more information, check out my blog post, “How to Share Great Content Without Plagiarizing.”

Also, as Greg Bardwell of B2B Content Engine writes in his e-book, Curation for B2B Content Marketing, you should always read through whatever you’re recommending. “Just because a blog has a great title and you know the author or source does not make it worth curating.” Be sure you’re not inadvertently compromising your readers’ trust by sending them to a site or post that doesn’t share your values.

Sharing other people’s content is truly a win-win-win proposition. Your readers win because they have access to information they didn’t have to find on their own. The other expert wins because their content is seen by a new audience. And you win because you’re increasing your visibility, credibility and consistency.

Spreading the Seeds of Your Blogging Tree

June 18, 2012 By Linda Dessau

One of the most common questions I'm asked about blogging is, "Once I've published something new to my blog, how do people know it's there?"

There are three ways to spread the seeds of your blogging tree so that you can grow your audience and your business.

1) Wind

You can set the wind in motion by spreading the news that you have valuable information to share.

One of the simplest ways to do this is through social media. Social media – isn't that just for keeping in touch with your friends? Yes, that's one purpose, but social media is also a powerful tool for growing your business.

In an earlier blog post that provides ten reasons (and ways) to share your blog posts on social media, I discussed how blogging can turn social networking into business networking. Plus you can automate or outsource part of this process so it doesn't take over your day.

You can also share links to a specific blog post whenever a conversation leads you there. Let's say you meet someone at a Chamber of Commerce event. When he finds out what you do, he says, "That's funny that I should meet you today. I just had a situation come up where . . ." Since the purpose of networking events is make connections, not necessarily have in-depth conversations, let him know that you wrote a blog post on that topic and that you'll email a link to him later.

Following up after networking events can be challenging, which is why some people don't do it. These same people tend to comment that networking doesn't work for them. In the example above, following up was a lot easier. There was no selling, no "cold call" and nothing to be uncomfortable or nervous about.

You can email blog post links to other people as well. You can add a personal message and send it to individuals who might have a special interest in the topic, and/or you can email it to a group of people who have agreed to receive regular updates from you (and only people who have agreed). (Click these links for more details about email service providers and automating your blog post emails.)

You have plenty of other opportunities to invite and remind people to visit your blog. One is to mention it in your introduction or bio every time you do public speaking. Another is to add a blog link to your email signature, business card or QR code.

2) Bees

When you share your new blog posts with people in your network, in turn they can share them with their own contacts. Some call this "going viral" – when a piece of content gets quickly passed around the web. On your blogging tree, your contacts are the bees that buzz around from tree to tree, sharing the latest and greatest news. (That's why it's so important to be consistently publishing high-quality content!)

Make your content easy to share by posting permanent links via social media, and by including sharing buttons right on your blog.

You'll have the strongest relationships with people you have a genuine connection with, starting with those you already know. You also want to expand your network, and specifically seek out industry leaders who could potentially introduce you to many prospective new clients. Show your respect and admiration for them by sharing and commenting on their content, and then build on that starting point to make contact.

3) Fruit

When your readers indulge in the delicious fruit you have produced, you're planting seeds not only for them to become prospective clients, but for them to become prospective referral sources. They'll likely start by sharing your content via social media, and then eventually, someone will ask, "Do you know anyone who . . ." and they just might think of you!

Another way that your readers help you spread the seeds of your blogging tree is by sharing their own thoughts and comments. Depending on your audience, they may do this on the blog or by email, or they may just wait until the next time they speak to you by phone or in person.

Regardless of how you hear from them, listen carefully to your readers' comments. These ideas can be the seeds of your next blog post, whether you answer frequently asked questions or just focus on topics your audience cares most about.

If you work consistently to spread the seeds of your blogging tree, over time you will grow your relationships, your ideas and your business.

Linda Dessau, CPCC, is the author of Write Your Way to More Clients Online and the founder of ContentMasteryGuide.com. She offers ghostwriting, editing, training and consulting.

How Do I Keep People Coming Back to My Blog?

February 14, 2012 By Linda Dessau

This question came up from two different audiences recently. First while I was speaking to a class of business students at Georgian College about entrepreneurship and blogging, and next it was among the questions that attendees submitted when they registered for the Wellness Blogging Seminar.

Blogging has many benefits, but one of its challenges is that it requires your audience to come to you. However groundbreaking, creative, helpful, consistent or timely your blog posts are, readers have to bring themselves to your blog in order to read them.

So how do you keep people coming back to your blog? You need to keep inviting them! That was one of the housekeeping tips for living online that I shared on the Blogging Mindset webinar last week.

Here are five ways to invite people back to your blog:

Announce and promote your blog posts via social media – Not just once, but several times – your friends, fans and followers check in at various times in the day and week. Write a compelling “teaser” such as a question or headline that entices people to read more. There are many tools that allow you to update your social media accounts automatically when you publish a new post. You can also preschedule several messages at once to batch your tasks (just be sure you don’t automate your entire social media presence!).
Display your latest blog posts in your email signature – You can do this manually by updating your signature each time you publish a new blog post (be sure to use the permalink) or use WiseStamp to do it automatically.
Send regular email broadcasts with links to your latest informative articles – If your focus is on sending valuable, helpful content, these emails will always be a gift, not an intrusion.
Send blog post links as responses to questions – One of the benefits of building a mountain of content is that when people ask common questions about your area of specialty, you’ll likely have one or several blog posts that answer the question. Whether you’re replying to an email or popping into social media or an online forum, a well-placed article link can boost your credibility and build new relationships.
Provide an RSS subscription – RSS (really simple syndication) is a way to automatically send your latest blog posts to people who’ve specifically requested to see them. If someone has an RSS reader, they can either search for your blog and add it to their account, or when they’re visiting your site they can look for this icon:

You don’t need to jump through SEO hoops to get people back to your blog, but you do need to make an effort to keep inviting them. That’s just good housekeeping.