Social Media Tips to be Engaging on Valentine’s Day and Everyday

Today, for Valentine’s Day, I’d like to share social media tips from some amazing members of the Twitterverse. Thanks to Twitter, I have met wonderful people who share their insights and converse on a daily basis. So, in the spirit of my favorite tweet from @ValaAfshar (“Don’t be social, be SOCIAL: sincere, open, collaborative, interested, authentic, and likeable), thanks to the following tweeps and please enjoy!

Anna Rydne (@CoSkills): Be the real you! Even if you’re promoting a brand, speak with an authentic voice. Forget corporate language. Build relationships by talking like a true person. Social media is not a channel where you place your ad and leave. You must interact with your audience.

Martin Jones (@martinjonesaz): The number of followers one has does not equate to social media success; the quality, relationship, and engagement of the followers you have equates with social media success.

Jennifer Kane (@JenKaneCo): Not listening is not an option. Even if you feel like communicating via social media isn’t a great fit for your company, it’s still wise to have a basic system set up for monitoring mentions of, and conversations, about your brand.

Keri Francek Jaehnig (@connectyou): Your social platforms are not a broadcasting channel. They are meant to create two-way dialogue and exchange. Take the opportunity to get a fresh view, look what’s going on around you, and participate in some new conversations. If all you’re doing is the same ole, or sticking to your own turf, you’ll inhibit attracting customers to you, which is one of the goals of social media.

Randy Bowden (@bowden2bowden): It’s not about trying to build a profile. Authenticity comes more from giving, not getting. True authentics are people who share with the world.

Robert Caruso (@fondalo): Content leads to conversations, conversations build relationships, and relationships result in ROI. Have a content strategy that draws your community to engage YOU.

Ray Hiltz (@newraycom): If you’re going to invest in social media, be sure that you have a business culture to support it. Social media platforms are not so much platforms as they are channels through which companies share, listen, and collaborate.

Michael Diamond (@michael_diamond): Social media is a “way” of interacting with others, but it works best when there is an underlying “why.” Worry more about the “why” than the “way.”

Jessica Ann (@itsjessicann): Invest the time to understand the social media space, and remember that it’s a tool for conversations. Think of it like learning how to program a new flat screen TV. One channel may be all you need in the beginning, but sooner or later, you’ll want to explore other channels. You’ll need the remote, and you’ll need to know how to use the remote to listen and explore the many channels.

Jeff Howell (@JeffHowell76): As with all relationships, social media relationships take time to cultivate. You wouldn’t get married a day after meeting someone, nor should you expect close social media relationships to be developed the same way. Take time to engage properly and let the relationships develop naturally.

Jason Coffee (@CoffeeCupNews): Every now and then ask for critical feedback from your core audience. Critical feedback will help you grow in a way that little else will. When you ask for the feedback, don’t just settle for “Great job!” Dig deeper. Some of the feedback might be a little painful to hear, but those are just growing pains. You’re either growing or shrinking – there is no static in social content.

David Schwartz (@brand_education): You need to give in order to receive. Be helpful, share, and support your followers. Build friendships and trust, and then good things will follow.

Phil Gerbyshak (@PhilGerb): Measure what really matters. Instead of likes, followers, engagement, Klout scores, PeerIndex points, or other meaningless numbers, focus on what really matters. What really matters? Leads and sales, and how everything else gets you leads and sales. Figure out how to connect what you do to the bottom line, and do more of what drives the bottom line and less of what doesn’t. This isn’t to say that engagement on social media isn’t important. It is – just not as important as your bottom line is.

Ross Simmonds (@thecoolestcool): Use reactive storytelling. It’s the combination of a top of mind idea, event, or audience relevant story combined with a marketing message to increase your chances of going viral on social media.

Do YOU have a social media tip to share?