The Copywriter Corner: Is Social Media Working For You?
Posted by Beth Hrusch on Mon, Jun 22, 2009
It's hip! It's happening! It's...social media! You know, we talk a lot around here about content marketing and how, in its many forms, it is transforming Internet marketing. One thing I have noticed, however, in my travels through the web, is that people tend to get a little squeamish when the topic of social media comes up. Content marketing and social media? Together in the same sentence? Why, that's just wrong!
It's OK. We understand! Most people on social media sites are, well, socializing. They're not interested in your business, right? Well, maybe, maybe not. It could be that they're not interested because you're not offering them anything of value. The truth is, social media can be an effective marketing tool and a powerful vehicle for content. Your level of success with it depends on the way you use it.
Here's something you may not know. The vast majority of people using social media for promoting their businesses do so without first establishing a content marketing strategy. Trying to sell goods and services on Twitter or any other social site without good content is, quite literally, putting the cart before the horse.
Before you can interact effectively with people, you need to figure out their needs, problems and concerns. You need to offer them solutions and give them information that will help them. This is content marketing 101. Remember, your content needs to be full of useful and compelling information before anyone will pass it on to other social site dwellers.
Want to go viral? Want to get retweeted, friended or dug? Create awesome content. Distribute it far and wide by whatever means necessary. Sit back and wait for people to start talking about it. Soon, they will come crawling out of their social media hidey-holes to find you.
It's only a matter of time.