In a past article I had mentioned blogging and why all businesses really should embrace it. I mentioned the concept of a "Social Media Boomerang" and now would like to expand on this subject and explain why it's the secret sauce to every single profitable B2B blog.
Let us examine your business's website. When trying to optimize your web site, you will be in competition with thousands of other sites. Your blog is no different. Simply posting new content material won't create a surge of new site visitors. Rather, there are actually several steps you need to follow for a prosperous B2B blogging course of action:
1. Produce a brand new blog post
2. Tweet the headline of the blog post
three. Upload the new blog post to your Facebook fan page.
4. Show the new post in LinkedIn
5. Add a video clip to your YouTube channel
Automation is key!
If this seems like a great deal of work, don't worry. Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn all have tools and plug-ins that aid in automation. Here some of these tools:
- SocialOomph.com
- HootSuite.com
- TwitterFeed.com
- Ping.fm
- TweetBeep.com
Currently, the YouTube course of action is less automated and will demand a few additional tools of the trade. Due to this, a lot of firms tend not to automate updates to their YouTube channel. That stated, YouTube is now the 2nd largest search engine within the world, above Yahoo and Bing, so don't assume it's not worth your time and effort to include YouTube within your B2B social media technique.
Make it effortless to share, bookmark & discuss content material
You can find quite a few search marketers that do a fantastic job of allowing their users to bookmark, discuss, and share content from their website. When surfing the web look for icons such as Like, Buzz, Share and Tweet. If you were to click on Tweet for example, the article is sent to your friends and followers on your Social Media network; all that with 1 click of a button! B2B marketers should follow this approach and make it uncomplicated for those following your blog to share with their friends, business associates and online network.
Developing a viral marketing network.
As defined by Wikipedia:
"...viral marketing and viral advertising refer to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives (such as product sales) through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of pathological and computer viruses. It can be word-of-mouth delivered or enhanced by the network effects of the Internet."
So, although each and every blog post may not "go viral" in the sense that most of us think of it, blog content is indeed spread and shared if you've spent the time and effort to build out your social media network.
Instead of waiting for new prospects to visit your site and stumble upon (no pun intended) your blog, be proactive by sharing content with your target audience who in turn will share with others in their network if they find the information unique, compelling and engaging.
Throwing the "Social Media Boomerang"
While developing social media strategies for B2B marketers, Barry Bowman has coined the term "Social Media Boomerang." The idea is simple enough:
1. Make a post to your company's blog,
2. Promoting the content material via LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter is considered "tossing the boomerang"
3. The boomerang returns when new visitors come to your web site to read the whole post and jump into the conversation.
Benefits of this full circle approach
Use Social Media to gather interest, find new customers, help increase links to your internet site and more. However, make sure you also bring prospects back to your web page and capture their information by offering valuable information and assets.
Most prospects are willing to complete a basic registration form in order to receive a whitepaper, eBook, industry research, webinar, demos, or a discount on services. Remember that networks like Facebook and LinkedIn are used to gather interest, but you want the prospect to register via your web-site instead of a network.
Start reaping the benefits of the social media boomerang today:
1. Post unique, engaging content to your blog
2. Promote this post through your social media networks
3. Drive prospects back to your website
4. Get information about prospects by having them fill out a registration form
5. Engage!
