Why You Might Not Be Getting the Best Results from Social Media – Reade Milner

Are you spending time marketing like it is 2010?

Full disclosure – I’m a big fan of R&D – Ripoff & Duplicate What I am talking about here is completely ripped off from Gary Vaynerchuck of VaynerMedia. The best skill that you, as a marketer for you personal or business brand, is to do marketing like it is the year in which we actually live.

This is a weird concept, because we are so addicted to the best practices and proven tactics. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t a bad idea to use those tactics, especially when starting out. It isn’t that those forms of media don’t work, but they are more expensive and you receive diminishing returns.
I’m just saying, don’t miss the boat in 2015 on the best forms of media at this present time. Are you on Instagram? Vine? SnapChat? Do you know what a selfie is?

Here’s the tough part – what if you’re wrong about a particular medium? Well, that might just happen. Not every new piece of technology turns into the next Facebook. Sometimes you get a Google Buzz, at which point, you have to cut your losses. Fortunately, if you’re testing and experimenting effectively, you’ll be able to double down on the networks that are giving you the best returns. It’s like investing in the stock market. You’re going to lose some short-term money, but if you’re a savvy, active investor, you give yourself the best chance at long-term success.

It isn’t about predicting the future, but it is about staying current and knowledgeable of the new trends and specifically, what has people’s attention. Another great principal I learned from Vaynerchuk is that, as marketers, we are really just trying to borrow people’s attention. Commercials used to have people’s attention in the 1960’s. Ask yourself how often you pay attention to tv commercials today. You know what you do pay attention to? That 10-second Snapchat that you know is going to disappear forever once that timer runs out. As a marketer, if you can capitalize on what has people’s attention, you can win on social media.

Here’s a few resources I use to stay relevant and at the cutting edge of marketing technology.

Social Media Today

A great resource for how-to’s and instructional articles, as well as expert insights from a bevy of experts around the world.

Techmeme

This is like the Reuters of the technology sector – providing a no frills, unfiltered view of the newest news and technology. It’s a great way to make sure you are the first to know about any new developments. That little advantage could be enough to give you a head start in the social media land grab.

Twitter.com/search

This is an incredibly useful tool for finding the conversations and people that you need to be interacting with. You can get really granular in your search queries, all the way down to geo-location, which is especially helpful if you are in a local business or are focusing on a specific sector of the country. Once you find those areas you need to penetrate, its time to jump into the conversation. Ask questions. Answer questions. Offer to help where you can. But beware, don’t just barge into a room full of strangers and start asking them to buy stuff. Save that for later, once you’ve established some credibility. Wait until you’ve provided consistent value to them, on their turf, and then invite them back to your property before going in for the ask.

Gary Vaynerchuk

Since I got this whole concept from Gary, it just wouldn’t be right if I didn’t acknowledge him as a great resource. He really hangs his hat on his ability to keep a pulse on what people are actually paying attention to. I never miss an episode of his YouTube show/podcast – The #AskGaryVee Show.

Mashable

If TechMeme is the Reuters of the tech world, then Mashable is the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. The absolute top of the list when it comes to timely, relevant news and in-depth analysis of the things that are at the forefront of our minds as marketers.

Social Media Examiner

Michael Stelzner has really built a fantastic resource for social media marketers. The articles on this site are all extremely thorough and will actually educate you, rather than just inform. I have probably learned more from these guys about how to actually use social media for business and personal branding than any place else. These guys are dedicated to consistently creating great content, and they just refuse to lower their standards.

Consider this your “welcome to 2015 marketing kick-starter package”. Use these resources to make sure your marketing is modern and relevant. Only then, will you be able to start gaining some real traction.