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Archive for Inspiration

11 Oct 2012

Facebook • Inspiration • ShowPony • Social Media • Tips • Work

Organic Growth: 6-Steps to get more Facebook page likes

FYI: Organic Growth: 6-Steps to get more Facebook page likes was originally posted on the ShowPony blog. Be sure to LIKE us on Facebook and FOLLOW us on Twitter.

If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me for easy, quick tips on how to build their Facebook page audience, I would be a very rich woman. Listen up folks! Generating buzz is not rocket science, but it is a skill.

A good Facebook page should be about generating GREAT CONTENT first and generating LIKES second. Here at ShowPony, we use a “party” analogy frequently. You want to make sure your house is clean, presentable and in order before you invite guests over. Same goes for social media channels– don’t invite folks to your page until you have a solid stream of content, blog posts, photos, etc. When new potential LIKES (people) come to your page, you want it to be warm, inviting and on brand.

STEP ONE: Ask yourself –“Is my Facebook page ready for a party?”
Many of us get stuck thinking that there is only one way to grow a Facebook audience – through Facebook ads. While targeted ads with great messaging, imagery and demographics are a sure fire way to make an impact, don’t pull out your wallet just yet. There are no quick fixes when trying to grow a Facebook audience. I encourage you to have the mindset of quality over quantity. Keep the following in mind: “Start small. Earn trust.”

STEP TWO: Ask your personal network to LIKE the page.
This might seem like a no brainer, but one of the initial steps in growing an audience is making a plea to your trusted network. Tap the audience you already have connections to.

The ShowPony social media team (go us!) is using Organic Growth Tactics to grow our Facebook audience. This push for 200 LIKES on Facebook help us not only reach our goal - we surpassed it by more than 50 LIKES.

STEP THREE: SHARE the page with your personal network
Follow the simple inforgraphic below to SHARE your page (or the page you are wishing to promote) with your personal network. This simple tactic gets a link to the page in front of your peeps in a simple Facebook post format.

STEP FOUR: Ask professional work colleagues, coworkers and trusted community partners to LIKE and SHARE the page
Here’s where it gets more complicated. Once you’ve presented the page to your networks, ask others to do the same – teamwork! Reach out to your professional colleagues and see if they will vouch for your page. Remember, with organic growth tactics the key is to leave no stone unturned.

To make this step easier on your colleagues I recommend drafting a post for them to make the barrier to entry for that party minimal. “Facebook Friends! Please check out (insert Facebook page you are trying to grow).”

STEP FIVE: Tag other companies in messages to share the love
I always tell my clients, the best way to get people to step up for you is if you step up for them first. I make clients create a short list of Facebook pages that they would want a “@mention” from and then we go about giving those targeted pages some Facebook love. I suggest starting with 2-3 Facebook pages, preferably of trusted Facebook partners. Again, make sure you LIKE the page you want to @mention on Facebook first and then post something that includes them for your whole audience to see.

“The @ShowPony team would like to give some Facebook love to @__________ for their support. We’re lucky to have great business partners!”

Have you ever used a @mention on a Facebook page? There’s no time like the present! Make sure to LIKE the page you want to mention first, then follow this great infographic.

STEP SIX: Start a grassroots @Mention campaign
Once you’ve given love to other pages via @mentions on your page, now is the time to ask for a favor in return. All a “@Mention” campaign is is having your Facebook partners do a post on Facebook that mentions your Facebook page/brand in a positive light – hopefully including a call to action of either to LIKE or SHARE your page.

As I see it there is no exact formula for organically growing reach, but these methods do help. Read, learn, apply and then repeat – try these Organic Growth Tactics for your page. Some will work, some won’t. Test them, try them and eventually if need be, pull out your wallet and start a targeted Facebook Ad campaign (…a blog with tips on THAT will be coming soon!)
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Bonus! Two more things to keep in mind:

Set goals: The ShowPony team is actively setting goals for our social media growth. Right now, we are letting our audience know that we are trying to reach 200 likes by Monday, October 1^st. By making it public we are holding ourselves to a standard and there is a sense of urgency for our followers to help us.

Track numbers: You won’t know what is and what isn’t working with an Organic Growth campaign unless you keep careful track of your LIKES. Be sure to take a daily audit of LIKES and SHARES and compare them to what tactic you are using. You might be surprised which step works best for you!

Molly K | No comments

17 Feb 2012

Blogging • Books • Family • Inspiration • Life • Social Media

Who are your role models?

As the week comes to a close, I thought I would pepper my online space with some warmth and thankfulness – this is the week of love after all.

Image from http://ow.ly/98urM

I came across this quote while on Pinterest (shocking, I know) and it reminded me of the importance of strong, independent, wise, eloquent role models.

I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.
I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things : a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.
I’ve learned that regardless of the relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when their gone from your life.
I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same as making a “life.”
I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.
I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.
I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.
I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

-Phenomenal Woman, Maya Angelou

Image from AWESOMENESS: http://ow.ly/97A6U

I can vividly remember doing a high school senior year English report (thank you Mr. Kelly) on the works and influences of Maya Angelou. I had poems and photos, read excerpts of “I Know Why the Cadged Bird Sings” and showed a clip of “How to Make an American Quilt” with Winona Ryder.

I was oh-so mature and oh-so well read on this dynamic woman.

Bahhh – if I only knew.

That same year, my step-mother took me to see Ms. Angelou at MaCaw Hall at the Seattle Center. I was awestruck and was tickled that I was breathing the same air as a legend – my role model. I was eighteen at the time.

Maya Angelou - Google Images

I knew I respected and admired her then, but as I re-read this quote, re-feel her voice, read aloud the words in her poem “Phenomenal Woman” again – I’m realizing that time, age and maybe humility make her words oh-so much more powerful.

Maya Angelou is a role model of mine. Who are your role models?

Molly K | 4 comments