Susan Does Social

In the same way that a more effective workout yields better results in less time (think HIIT vs. easy elliptical), a more effective social media process yields better results in less time. 2018 may be the year you pare back and use your social media tools more effectively.    Social media is a tempting drain of resources, time and energy if used incorrectly. Small business owners and entrepreneurs can be sucked into endless webinars, Facebook groups and chats about perfecting their social media strategy and getting the most likes and clicks. But, the bottom line is, are you doing what is essential for your business? This year as you move forward in social media and content marketing, keep these three simple tenets in mind.  You don't need to be everywhere to be heard.  Better to brand well and be social on one or two key platforms than have a diluted presence on many. How do you decide which platforms you should be on? Find your users, and go where they ar...

The answer, hands down, is Google My Business. Getting Found Online (excerpt from an article by @teamarchlea) One last way to differentiate the two services is what comes up when you type in your business name on Google. "If you only have Google+ set up, only your social network will show up, with your posts and number of followers associated with it. However, if you have Google my Business set up, you’ll have access to those additional business details on the side of the listings, from a full citation (Name, Address, Phone Number) to your business hours, to your website URL. Google my Business provides a far more detailed and comprehensive look into your business as a listing." Read the full article here . So, what does this look like IRL?  One builds your business, directly on the Google search page, where 60-85% of your traffic is coming from, while the other puts posts in the wasteland that is Google+. And, now that Google My Business has posts for a...

"Content can no longer be a commodity, churned out in a word factory. We need handcrafted artisan content. It takes longer to create, but you don’t have to make as much of it, either.   Focus your resources on a few  pillar pieces  that deliver real value. Content that inspires readers to spend time on the page, explore further, and share with others will beat commodity content every day of the week." from @toprank Yes! I am so ready for the rise of artisanal content.  Yesterday, I was speaking with a new and exciting company, and I told him that my job is to amplify your message, to promote your passion. But this isn't done with an interchangeable set of words, search terms and keywords that I use for every other client. Each brand should have a unique voice, building their presence in the community. We have so much today that is commodity--voice, presence and passion will make the difference in 2018.  Here's the rub. Much like artisanal bread or...

Black Friday is over. Now, what do you do with the rest of December? B2B and B2C have dramatically different Decembers, but planning for both is crucial for business success and sanity in December. Hopefully, you were ready for the holiday rush in November and put it all on the line Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Now that the major shopping weekend of the year is in the background, it's time to automate as much of your December as possible while maintaining your relevancy so you can recharge your creativity and get ready for 2018. Major dates to highlight in December last day to ship at flat rate last day to order for Christmas delivery Seasonal closures Dec. 26th sales This is the month to communicate with your customers via email or Facebook posts--let them know the best way and when to order your products for Christmas delivery, and make sure any sales or specials are advertised. Competition is fierce for each dollar this month--make the most of your brand loyal c...