The Conquest for the Social Media World: The Finale

 

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When I was a child, my father told me the story of Alexander the Great weeping when there were no more worlds to conquer. I cannot guarantee your business' success on social media, I can only share the best knowledge I have from those who know more. If you do conquer the social media world though, I hope you are more grateful than Alexander. For our final three platforms, we will be discussing LinkedIn, Flickr, and Periscope.

LinkedIn

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LinkedIn is considered "the best business networking resource on the internet." I have heard that LinkedIn is a lot like being in a gang, once you are in you cannot get out, and you make a lot of connections while you are there. Nonetheless, LinkedIn can be a tremendous resource for your business. Here are eight strategies for marketing your business on LinkedIn:

Engage with the most influential figures in your industry.
It turns out you can actually pay for ads that appear before the influential people in your business field.

Boost your company’s search engine page rank on Google.



Make it easier for Google to find you by selecting "full view" on your profile page, and rename the website and blog links so it is easier for a search engine to find them.
 
Sit down to an all-you-can-read buffet of market research.

Find LinkedIn groups that will connect you with the right people. You can also create a poll to survey members to learn more about them.
 
Monitor your prospects and customers.
Getting a Sales Navigator/Business Plus membership gives you the option of seeing who has viewed your profile, so you can follow up with them.
 
Clarify what your company stands for.

Use your company description wisely. Make it short and sweet.
 
Learn about the media covering your industry.

Journalists often share their knowledge of different industries on LinkedIn. Learn what you can from them!
 
Position your company as an industry thought leader.

Respond to questions, and comment. Show the industry what you know.
 
Engage potential customers with LinkedIn-hosted content.
Connect your LinkedIn profile with Twitter, and sync your blog. This will help you connect with users that might just be your next customers!
(Source: How to Use LinkedIn for Marketing)

Flickr

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Flickr is a photo sharing resource with an outstanding ability to reach out to customers through visual appeal. Flickr has become a big name, but is not quite the same medium as Facebook or Pinetrest. It was not designed to be a marketing platform either. However, this doesn't mean that your business cannot benefit from a Flickr presence. Here are five ways Flickr can help your business:

Tell your company's story, through pictures

Tell your story, and encourage your audience to be a part of it. Ask the community to share photos of their experience with your company. This will help you grow closer to your audience, while spreading brand awareness.

Always avoid the hard sell
Do not post advertisements on Flickr, it was not designed that way and people will be turned off. This does not mean that you cannot post images of your upcoming products, just make sure the photos are relevant and desirable.


Integrate Flickr into everything you're doing on the Web
Make sure users can hop between your social media platforms with ease. Link to your Flickr page from your Facebook page or blog, or vice versa.

Allow and encourage others to share your content
This is what Flickr was designed for. Allow your viewers to freely share your photos, and limit them as less as you can.

Join relevant groups and participate in the community
This is the same with LinkedIn and almost all social media platforms. Find the groups that resonate the most with your target audience and get involved!
(Source: How To Use Flickr To Improve Your Small Business)

Periscope

Periscope is the most popular live streaming application. It helps relay information quickly and helps connect you with your customers in a new and unique way. Here are 12 ways in which real businesses have actually used Periscope successfully for marketing, and how you can too:

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Humanize your Brand

Periscope is the perfect opportunity to give your viewers a close up view of your business, and best of all, build an emotional and personal connection with you.

Behind the Scenes

Show them what makes your business special by making them feel like an insider.

Product Demos

One of the best way to get me to buy a product is by showing its features in video format. Do it for your business live!

Tutorials

Once you have shown its features, teach your viewers how to use it.

Showcase Offerings

This can vary, depending on what types of products or services you sell. Sometimes, showcasing an offering helps with the customers who are on the edge about making the purchase.

Live Events

If your company is hosting an event, share it with the world for all of those who cannot make it.

Live Q&A

This is especially good for service based businesses. Getting questions and giving immediate answers can be a great experience for your customers.

Webinars

This is another great way to engage your viewers and encourage quesions.

Crowdsourcing

Conducting a survey live is a great way to receive valuable information from your viewers and customers.

Announcements

Make them feel special by allowing them to be among the first to see your new offers live.

Exclusive Offers

No one likes to turn down freebies or exclusive offers. This is another great way to make your viewers feel special.

Customer Service

Take it beyond a simple Q&A. Engaging one on one with your customers can ensure them that you care about giving them the best customers service possible

Humanize your brand

Humanize your brand

1. Humanize your brand

1. Humanize your brand

(Source: 12 Ways to Use Periscope for Business)

So there you have it. With these tools at your disposal and the social media world in your hands, there will be little between your business and the thousands of customers that are only a click away.

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