Here is the thing that kills me about working in the internet marketing realm:
Everyone is so busy talking about tricks to social media, infographs, how to grow your blog to x in x amount of days, blah blah blah blah... We have all heard it all.
Here's the real "secret" to succeeding in this world:
GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMERS/CLIENTS.
You could have the best strategies, the best ideas, the best stupid Pinterest boards, and you will receive very minor success in the short term... But give it a few months and you will see all of that success go away.
Why?
Because why would most people waste their time following and trying to start conversations with a brand/company/person who doesn't give a shit about them?
We have all had these experiences: You @ reply someone, or comment on their FB page, or even try to get a conversation started on LinkedIn and you hear crickets back.
How do you feel about them after this? You don't give a shit. You think they're a rude asshole and you unfollow them as soon as you can.
Fuck a social media strategy. Here is where most brands fail:
1. Are you starting conversations? Or are you just pushing your content? If you're just talking about yourself, you will be left by yourself.
2. Do you respond to people who talk to you or ask you questions? When you customers ask you questions, and your response could have closed the sale, but instead you don't even answer it, why the hell would they buy from you or hire you?
3. Do your posts enhance your followers life? If you're an exercise blogger and all you talk about in your posts is about your life and whatever it is you're doing, you're not providing value. People follow you because they think you're an expert about something and they also would like to know the knowledge you do.
4. THIS ONE IS THE WORST AND IF YOU DO THIS I WILL BE AT YOUR HOUSE TO GIVE YOU A KICK IN THE SHIN: Do not fucking auto-reply your followers. When I follow someone back and I get this spammy DM shit about "Thanks for following: Here's my blog." You're a tool and quit social media now. The few people I know who are KILLING it in social media did this: When I followed me back, they sent me a DM to just say hey and comment about a tweet I did recently. Whether what these people tweet about relates to my life or not, I simply don't care because I felt like a bond was made and I want to be their bff. End of story.
I promise you, if you aren't where you'd like to be in your social media, please please reach out to people. Start conversations. Give a shit. Comment about their pictures. Provide value.
Then, in no time, you will be dominating.