Social Media Community Building

Building social media communities requires a deliberate plan. People are busy. There is a lot of noise on the internet and social media in particular. Many believe (incorrectly, I might add) that this is leading to a level of social isolation never experienced before. People who choose to be isolated will find ways or excuses to do so. All social media does is magnify who you really are.

I have connected with people all over the world. I was once challenged that those people aren’t really your friends just connections on a social media platform. Not true! We’ve done business together, collaborated on projects together, and shared meaningful experiences together. Connecting was my plan. Everything I do is about making those connections and making them as meaningful as possible.

Connections are as important as in your real life. The way you treat people online should be in sync with how you treat them in real physical world. The best part of social media is – delete / unfriend / block / report abuse option. Take good use of them whenever you feel like you are in a situation (again it depends on how you would treat them in real life) via: Is social connections on social media important? – Quora

There is tremendous value in being social. That value can be greatly enhanced by social media. It’s the opportunity to connect on a regular basis in a meaningful way. From those connections you find people:

• With less than noble intentions
• Who simply want to lurk
• Who are interested in you, but not your business
• That express interest in your business, but not you
• Who are potential business assets
• That could become potential business partner
• You might need as potential business collaborators

That crowd isn’t really any different than participating in a marketing event, attending a Meetup or networking event, going to a business leaders convention, participating in a Chamber Ribbon Cutting, or simply walking down the street. Consider the effort you put into building a social media community in much the same way.

Here are three tips to help you make the most of those efforts.

Be Real in Your Social Connections

Be who you are. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not. We see lots of fakers online. Eventually

genuineness wins out. Connections are made by and with people who are real.

If you have a unique slant on Cajun food then share it, but share it in the same way you would in person. In person you would blended your slant into normal conversation. You wouldn’t dominate conversation with it. If you did, people would eventually avoid you. Balance the number of posts you make with the number of comments you make on other people’s posts. Show genuine interest in your connection’s world. Don’t hesitate to show the world what else you know beside cajun food.

Be real in your social media communities. The only way you can connect with people is to be real. Let people know who you are. Share your life.

People want to connect to people who are real. Fake abounds in the online world. The real person will stand above the crowd. Letting people know you’re real allows meaningful connections to develop.

It isn’t enough to simply provide resources for consumers. It is equally important to give them a way to actively participate in the conversation by engaging their own social networks. This can be done in a variety of ways including sharing information with their personal network, participating in surveys, or entering contests. via: The Importance of a Personal Connection: Interactive …

Be Relevant in Your Social Media Communities

Connect with people around topics they need to know or have interest. Give them value around things that matter. When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston my Live Feeds that week highlighted the people and places that were making a difference in Houston. I don’t live there, but I know people who do. What was happening in their homes is important to me, but it was a matter of life and death to them. Share their posts. Check in on them. Connect them to resources or connect their resources to people in need. Use the social media community in exactly the same way you would use your local community.

Yes, your business is important, but so are people! If you are going to be relevant to your audience step outside your normal business focus to show you care.

When you focus on your business do it from the perspective of what is important to your connections. Put their needs first. If you’re an HVAC installer you might think that smart control thermostat on your best unit is a great feature to share. What’s important to your customer is keeping their family comfortable during erratic weather.

Use your social connections to listen to what’s important to them. Find out how they refer to the troubles they face. What language do they use? What’s their level of frustration? What have they tried that failed? Learn to address those things and speak that language and your relevancy will skyrocket.

When the recognized authority (you) responds personally to their problems, using their langauge, offering real solutions your value in the community becomes priceless.

Be Responsive in Your Social World

When your connections post in their social media communities respond. When they listen to your live feeds thank them. Comment on their comments. Not just the ones you like the most but everyone. There is no shortage of meaningless conversation on any social media platform. I’m not suggesting that you answer every time someone asks, “What’s your favorite vacation spot?” I am saying that you should respond to things that are relevant. Don’t forget the importance of relevance.

Below is a quote from a great article, “The Tale of Two Bakers.” You can do exactly the same things in social media that the one baker did to gain a portion of market share.

Every day when you open your computer, log into your social media, read or send emails, run an ad or call someone up – you’re entering a very busy high street.

So take an interest. Be part of their day. Add to their experience. Use social media as a conversation starter and a relationship builder and do it when you can, when your bread is baking, or while you’re eating your lunch time sandwich. via: The Tale of Two Bakers (And Why You Need to be on Social Media!)

Social media community building will expand your impact in the world. It’s worth every effort you put in to it. You may not see immediate benefits. It takes time to create impact. Building social media communities should be a vital part of your overall marketing strategy. It’s not a tactic that gives immediate results. Done right, it’s a strategy that positions you as the expert in your market. The long term benefit of that trumps the immediate benefit of a short term tactic every time.

The button below will take you to a page where you can assess your social media presence. Go there and discover how well you are doing in building a social media community presence.