Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Social Media Tips for Business Owners

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Banner smallNo matter where I go, I find myself talking to business owners about social media. Literally, I can’t shut up! They ask, “What’s with Twitter, I can’t figure it out?” Or, they say, “I don’t have time for social media. How do you do it?”

That’s all it takes, and off I go, explaining how social media isn’t rocket science, but it’s not intuitive, either. I start ticking off all kinds of tips and tricks to help make it easier to make social media marketing work for his or her business.

For months, I’ve been asking myself, “How can I tap into my passion about social media to help more people?” And, “How can I offer overwhelming value, but keep it affordable, so even new entrepreneurs can get onboard and it’s valuable for people who have a good start, but could benefit from some easy tweaks?” I want to provide something that’s so amazing, it’s a no-brainer for every business owner. I think I’ve finally figured it out!

Most business owners need a helping hand. Think about it:

Wouldn’t it be incredible to have someone to ask the you can’t quite figure out how to upload that photo to Twitter? Or, to be able to ask an expert if your tweet looks good, or if you’re going to embarrass yourself by publishing it?

YES! I WANT TO LEARN MORE

What about when you want to decide the best hashtag to use for something you post? Who can help? How about if the person there to hold your hand (virtually) just happens to be someone CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Fox Business and Forbes ask when they have questions about social media?

Learn everything from big-picture strategy to technical know how:

  • Choose the best social networks to connect with your customers and clients.
  • Save time while you stay top-of-mind for people who need to know about you.
  • Leverage social media marketing to build relationships and increase awareness of your brand.
  • Inspire trust, influence buying decisions and make more money.
  • Look smarter than your competition.
  • Get it all done faster so you don’t waste time!

Sound good?

Social media constantly morphs and changes. (Have you noticed how often LinkedIn changes its interface? If you’re confused, it’s not you, it’s them!) A kickstart is great, but you’re too busy doing your work to keep up with the latest and greatest on social media. You could spend weeks or months trying to unravel social media’s complexities, only to find out your favorite network just got an overhaul and it’s back to square one for you.

So, this program isn’t based on feeding you a bunch of hour-long webinars. Who really watches all those webinars, anyway? Isn’t it better to have your questions addressed directly? You need help putting your social media strategy to work every day.

Join me in a brand new group: The Smart Business Owner’s Social Media Help Desk.

You’ll have 24-hour access to ask your questions, and I’ll be there daily to help you overcome every social media issue, from the big issues (what to say in your profile) to the most mundane. (Is there really a “best time” to post?)

A bonus for members? As the group grows, in addition to my expertise and targeted advice, you’ll also have access to opinions and ideas from your fellow business owners. Members will be invited to share opinions, ideas and best practices. There’s strength in numbers, and an empowered, well-informed group of business owners is a great asset.

What do you actually get?

Whether you’re just getting started, or you’re ready to ramp it up, there will be useful information for you.

Access to a group where you can ask and get answers to all of your social media marketing questions. We’ll house everything in a private Facebook group (since that’s where you likely spend a lot of time).

  • For a limited time, a free, 30-minute, one-on-one preliminary social media coaching session over the phone. (Sign up before I decide I don’t have time for these free sessions!) My initial social media consultations normally start at $300. For anyone who joins The Smart Business Owner’s Social Media Help Desk now, I’ll include it for free.
  • Daily Help Desk Hints – 6 weeks of  social media pointers that you can easily implement in 15 minutes or less. Learn how to strategically and efficiently target your audience, create appealing visuals and plan your social media calendar in advance.
  • I’ll regularly share actionable tips in the group you can implement to generate better results from your social media marketing.
  • You’ll always be up-to-date. You’ll have the latest information when a network adds new features or makes changes that could affect your business.
  • SHORT (5-8 minute) webinars with tips, tricks and trends you can apply toward your own social media marketing. Topics include “How to write great professional bios,” “How to find your customers or clients online” and “The best tools to use for social media success.”
  • Checklists to help you solidify your social media business strategy – and ongoing, up-to-date information to keep you successful moving forward.

Interested? Learn more about how to make the most of your social media marketing by joining TODAY!

Make social networking work for your job search

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tree-1090854_1920When research shows 93 percent of recruiters use social networking tools to help them identify and hire qualified applicants, it makes sense to create profiles on networks where you expect people in your industry to spend time. This raises the question: how can you really make the most of time you spend using social media?

Identify the best networks for your industry. Where are you most likely to “meet” people in your field? Search the networks you enjoy and see if your colleagues and contacts are using those networks. LinkedIn is a natural fit for professional use, but you could be surprised to find an active Twitter chat or Google+ hangout.

Create amazing profiles. You wouldn’t go to a networking event without getting dressed, would you? Likewise, don’t start stepping out on social media until you’ve put together profiles and bios that articulate your value proposition. People should easily understand what you offer when they click through to learn more about you.

Post useful content. Be a resource to your community. While you want to feature your story and your skills, be sure you’re providing value to the people who follow you. Don’t share too much self-referential information, and make a point to pay attention to what interests your community the most. What “goes viral” (is most popular) in groups where you are a member? What attracts the most comments and shares? Put your “researcher” hat on and take action accordingly.

Consider what hiring managers want to see. Jobvite’s survey said employers are looking for the following information when they check you out online:

  • professional experience
  • length of professional tenure
  • industry-related posts
  • mutual connections
  • specific hard skills
  • cultural fit
  • examples of work

Illustrate your passion for the work. Illustrate your commitment by keeping up with the news affecting your business. This is easy to do via social media tools.

Be active. Don’t dabble — fully commit! If you see a community you think is worth your time, jump in with both feet and get engaged. Follow thought leaders and demonstrate how you belong among their ranks. Show that you’re interested in company profiles of organizations where you might want to work, too.

Demonstrate good judgement. Show you know better than to spout off on social about something that bothers you. Illustrate what you know about your field, don’t use your social media feeds as a complaint outlet. Jobvite’s Social Recruiting Survey featured a number of items particularly irksome to employers. Numbers represent the percentage of employers bothered by the item:

  • illegal drug mentions: 83 percent
  • sexual posts: 70 percent
  • poor spelling and grammar: 66 percent
  • profanity: 60 percent
  • guns: over 50 percent
  • mentions relating to alcohol: 44 percent
  • political updates 17 percent

Get my free white paper: 5 Mistakes Preventing You From Landing a Job This Week 

Read the whole post on Vault.com.

Get my book: Vault Guide to Networking

How to find social media content to share

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Is your number one question about social media, “Where can I find great social media content to share?”  If you’re excited about filling your social media streams with useful news and information, but you’re not sure how to go about finding the information your audience would want to know, leverage these tools and you’ll be off to a great start.

LinkedIn’s Pulse. Find it under the “Interests” tab on your LinkedIn toolbar. It’s a consistent stream of content from famous influencers as well as contributors just like you about all types of topics, and you’re sure to find something here to interest your audience.

Alltop.com. This is an online, virtual “magazine rack” of blogs. There’s an eclectic array of topics and content. Search your favorite key words, and you will identify several new sources of information.

SmartBrief.com. This is of my favorite resources. SmartBrief editors read and parse through important information published about many topics. Then, they send out summaries with links directly to your email! There’s no easier way to find great resources for your audience. Plus, it’s free!

These resources are great tools to start your list of content sources. You’ll also want to tap into all of the traditional media outlets you follow and be sure to watch your social media streams, too. People you follow probably share useful information.

Make the most of social networking tools and you’ll access exponential numbers of new contacts who can make a big difference in your career’s trajectory.

Get my free white paper: 5 Mistakes Preventing You From Landing a Job This Week 

Read the entire post on Vault.com.

How to use social networks to get a job

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http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photo-people-social-networking-computer-network-concepts-image41603635Your resume isn’t the only important document employers consider when it comes to hiring decisions. What you post on social media can help or hurt you in your quest to land a new job. Your goal should be to ensure you do what is necessary to create profiles that potential employers will appreciate on networks where you expect people in your industry to spend time.

How can you really make the most of time you spend using social media?

Identify the best networks for your industry. If you’re putting out amazing content on networks where no one will see it, the value is questionable. Identify where your network spends time online and share content there. Options include LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Periscope — the list is endless. It’s up to you to decide where you’ll find your audience.

Get my free white paper: 5 Mistakes Preventing You From Landing a Job This Week 

Create magnetic profiles. You want to attract your audience to your online profiles. What can you include in your profiles to make sure people are both drawn to it and impressed once they get there. Start by creating a LinkedIn headline with the important elements of key words and a direct pitch. Don’t use your job title!

Decide what you should post online. What do you want people to know about you and your expertise? That’s what you should share.

Be active on social media. Having a profile isn’t enough. If you want to impress and engage, you can’t have stale and dull profiles.

Showcase your critical thinking and writing skills. These are important for just about any job, and it’s easy to let people know you have this skillset.

Pay attention to what organizations that interest you post online. Follow their accounts and keep up with what they post so you can use that to your advantage.

Don’t post anything that will give employers pause. If you’re mentioning your illegal drug use, just assume you’ve missed an opportunity with most employers who notice it.

Read the entire post on Vault.com.

Why you should have a personal website

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http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photo-people-social-networking-computer-network-concepts-image41603635How can you stand out in a competitive market? Whether you want to look for a job or you’re planning to start your own business, making a good first impression is key. People will turn to Google and online tools to help them form first impressions of you. When you apply for positions or vie for opportunities, it’s likely someone will check you out online before considering to invite you to an interview.

That can be good or bad news, depending on what that person finds! The good news is you can influence what people find when they search for you online. One way is to create a stream of professional content via social media tools, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus. Using these tools is free, does not require a lot of technical skill and, once you understand social media basics, makes it easy to showcase your information.

Get my free white paper: 5 Mistakes Preventing You From Landing a Job This Week 

One additional strategy many job seekers overlook is building and maintaining a personal website, also known as a “social résumé.” Domain.ME – provider of the “.me” domain extension –  conducted a survey of 600 professionals who own their own websites. Eighty-four percent of respondents reported receiving tangible career benefits from their personal website.

A  Forbes article, when referencing Workfolio, noted that “56 percent of all hiring managers are more impressed by a candidate’s personal website than any other personal branding tool – however, only 7 percent of job seekers actually have a personal website.”

How can having your own website help your career? Predrag Lesic, CEO of Domain.ME, offers these insights:

1. It helps you clarify your brand. Can you think of a brand you respect that does not have a website? Would you hire a service provider who didn’t have a strong online presence?

“Today, a web presence is a measure of credibility and a powerful tool for communicating what you are all about to your target audiences,” Lesic says. “While it may seem unusual to consider yourself a commodity, as a job seeker, you are marketing yourself to meet a need. Like every good brand, your personal brand should live online.”

2. It gets you noticed. In the Domain.Me survey, 70 percent reported believing that employers review their online presence prior to an interview. In fact, a 2014 Jobvite survey of human resources professionals reveals that 93 percent of recruiters will review a candidate’s social media profile before making a decision, and that candidate information found on the Web influences their hiring decisions.

“As employers increasingly turn to the Internet to identify and research potential candidates, you want to be searchable. Your Facebook page may entertain family members and friends, but it isn’t designed to highlight your strengths as a job candidate. Conversely, your LinkedIn profile, while providing professional credentials, can be dry and impersonal,” Lesic says. “Not only is your website a fully customizable platform to showcase your personal brand, the savvy you demonstrate in owning your Web real estate and building a site can impress potential employers.”

Creating this online real estate is not difficult, and there are various ways to accomplish it. One way is via “hosted” sites, such as About.me or Flavors.me, which allow you to design your own landing page on their directories. These options result in an online presence, but the URL will not be in your name only.

If you want to own a memorable, personalized domain, you can purchase an address using any of the major domain registrars. Lesic explains: “With .com availability dwindling, a popular choice for personal websites is the .ME extension.”

Once you own a domain of your choice – ideally, “YourName.com” or YourName.me – you can turn to various tools to populate and publish the site, such as WordPress, Wix, Squarespace or Jigsy.

3. It’s more than a résumé. In Domain.ME’s survey, respondents were asked which is more important for long-term career success: a personal website or a résumé. The majority (63 percent) favored websites. “A website is interactive, evolving and dynamic,” Lesic says. “Your portfolio, writing samples, testimonials, images and more add color to your professional history. And your site’s design aesthetic and tone of voice help to convey your personal brand.”

4. It networks for you. While in-person networking isn’t going out of style, digital networking can help make the job a lot easier. More than half of survey respondents believe their personal sites help them achieve professional recognition, connect them with a network of like-minded professionals and attract new customers.

“Your website never sleeps or takes a day off,” Lesic says. “It makes you accessible to an enormous audience and invites people to engage with your content and to contact you.”

Originally appeared on U.S. News & World Report.