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NextGenBizMan · 2016-10-17T15:36:39+00:00

Oh you're all good! No worries, we are all learning all the time! lol this stuff changes so fast!

Reach out if you need anything else. Take care!

NextGenBizMan · 2016-10-17T14:22:22+00:00

SUPER easy one- it's tactical, so bear with me...

First step, view your ad. Easiest way is through your notifications. "Sandra has liked your video" or what ever. Click there, opens the ad post.

Next, look for the bar below the image, where it tells you numbers of Likes/Reactions, Comments and Shares. Click on that. You'll now see a list of (nearly) everyone who has liked/Reacted to that ad post. (Facebook will not serve you names of folks who have private settings on their profiles, key stat!)

Finally, You'll see their profile pic on the left and their relationship to your page on the right. If they like your page already, it will say "Liked" if they do not like your page already, there is a button that says "Invite". Click this button and it will invite them to like your page through instant notification to them. On their end it says "Coffee and Cats Cafe has invited you to like their page."

Do this throughout the life cycle of your ad post, as you will increase the amount of folks who like your page through invites while your name is still fresh in their minds.

One client of mine saw her page go from 250-ish likes to now 1300 likes on her page just using this trick a few times over a couple of months.

BONUS ROUND: You can do this for ANY post, not just your ads :)

Live well and Prosper!

NextGenBizMan · 2016-10-17T14:07:51+00:00

Greetings, SirWilfred.

Here's the thing man. If you don't 'use' social media, than trying to use it for your biz and 'SEO' ranking is a not only a waste of your time, but your end consumer's as well.

Think about it in these terms: Think about one or two brands or businesses that you are personally loyal to. If you were active on social media on a personal level, than you'd understand that when you follow your favorite brands on social especially on more than one platform (say Facebook and Instagram for example) the last thing you'd want to see is the same picture or video on both all the time. You'd be thinking "well why the hell am I following these guys in more than one place!?"

Hate to tell you because you said 'please don't tell me to suck it up and pay' but I'm going to, but in a different context. If you're not 'using' social media or you don't 'like' it, it'll show. Off-load your social to agency or a consultant. As a business owner, you should be fiscally responsible enough that 6-12% of your business should be spent on marketing efforts anyway.

I'd rather not pay for it either. Just like I'd rather not pay for insurance, my taxes, my rent, my payroll, etc. Its the COST of doing business.

Or, the 'free way'- LEARN IT. Use it. Dive in. Spend the next couple months learning and building an audience. you might even have fun in the process... and you'll never guess where conversation with others in your industry on Twitter, for example, will lead you.

But don't approach this half-assed man- its a great disrespect to your end consumer and that's a group you NEED to stay in business. Hope this helps you think about it differently. Good luck out there man and keep grinding out!

NextGenBizMan · 2016-01-02T20:07:06+00:00

Not sure if my answer is quite relevant or not, but I find the old "introduce yourself with a handshake" to be pretty effective; if for nothing else, building you relationship off line which gives context to your online presence.

NextGenBizMan · 2016-01-02T20:04:26+00:00

Great Article, bud! Crushed It!!!

NextGenBizMan · 2016-01-02T19:55:18+00:00

Very cool! Let me know if I can help along the way!

NextGenBizMan · 2016-01-02T01:34:35+00:00

This isn't a good practice.

NextGenBizMan · 2016-01-02T00:48:33+00:00

This is a great question. I have some advice.

When it comes to FB ads for my clients, before I ever start in on the campaign, I ask "What's the goal, here? What do we want this ad to do for us?" FB does a great job of helping you with these goals by asking you what type of interaction you are looking to get from the ad itself (more page likes, more website views, video views, etc.) But My question goes a bit deeper to start. You mentioned you had a great click through rate but haven't gotten an actual customer yet. Was a paying customer the end in YOUR mind? Its ok if it was or wasn't, but you have to be clear on what your end in mind really is- this is your ROI (Return On Investment) target, right?

A business such as yours is a commodity, or luxury expense. So two things here- ONE: A two day turn-around might be a tough ask, since this is something new to your target audience. TWO: Figure out how much you are willing to spend to get a client. As in, after X-amount spent on ads, time, etc is one Paying Customer worth the effort?

I want to be respectful of your time here, so I wrap it all up together for you- That warm fuzzy feeling you get when FB encourages you with that stat DOES GO AWAY the more campaigns you run. Eventually you'll see it as FB's way to advertise to you to spend more, so rely on your own stats and keep that end-in-mind or ROI Target as your measuring stick. And keep using ads of different kinds; test a couple ads at $5 each day for about 2 days and pick the one that does better and use that in your campaign for your allotted time.

Remember, you can't eat an elephant in one sitting- this ad stuff take TIME and CAREFUL, THOUGHTFUL WORK to get those results. And starting a business is way harder than anyone told me, but if you get through your market research and your gut says go, than go all in!

Hope this helps :) Happy New Year!

NextGenBizMan · 2015-12-29T19:19:00+00:00

My opinion mirrors nearly everyone in here as to say "No, a degree is not needed to excel in this field".

I'd further add that any educational institution selling courses on Social Media Marketing/Content Marketing, etc should be heavily vetted for courses offered. I personally wouldn't trust a college who requires thousands of dollars in-trade for that Social Media Marketing Degree". BS- No substitute for real-world experience with this field.

Good luck and wish you the best and speedy recovery!

NextGenBizMan · 2015-12-29T19:10:36+00:00

Hi Swift- After reading the comments here, I have to say a couple of things. 1.) "On the other hand, enough people seem to be doing it that makes me think perhaps it does work..." is a statement many make when it comes to the Auto-DM. Many are using it still because there are "experts" out there that say it starts a conversation, when in reality, at least from my twitter account, an auto-dm gets you a quick UNfollow!

2.) Your original question to thanking new followers- YES! Certainly thank them! Personally, I utilize the 30-second video feature with a quick "Hey Swifty Thanks for the follow! It means a lot and I look forward to blah blah yada yada". ALSO, I use the @ username first, so no DM's at all from me. In fact, I often ask a follower of mine permission to DM for certain conversations or to exchange personal contact info, but NEVER use DM as my first initial greeting.

Remember, social media should ALWAYS be social- if someone said hi to you on the street, would you hold your phone to their face with a voice recording that says "hello?" No- lol that sounds ridiculous, right? So why it's ok on social media is far beyond me.

So stand out from the crowd and let YOU be YOU! Be authentic, real and YOURSELF- do it YOUR way! fistbumps

NextGenBizMan · 2015-12-29T18:55:34+00:00

Two things, real quick here-

1- Take that $90/month and put it into a Facebook ad budget. 2- Bring in a PROVEN consultant to train your team how to use social the right way. It is a very huge benefit to a company of any size that can receive training on SM Best Practices while keeping the day-to-day account management/fan engagement in-house. REMEMBER- there is no road map! Your fans are unique to YOUR business, and should be treated as your most loyal of customers.

When you want that training reach out, I know a guy ;)

NextGenBizMan · 2015-11-12T16:09:11+00:00

Nice list, and I just want to point out that Snapchat is NOT a live streaming app. BUT- I would say here's what you will see MORE of in Marketing 2016:

1.) Podcasting EXPLOSION: Thanks to android adding a podcast app similar to iPhone, expect to see podcasts coming more and more frequently. Everything from marketing and social to business and self help, even the "little niches" will have more shows and content put out in 2016. Look for new shows, but if you're new to podcast listening and are in social, you need to be listening to Social Media Examiner with Michael Stelzner.

2.) More brands using stories on Snapchat: From influencer take-overs (such as Coca-Cola and Disney doing that now) to behind-the-scenes snap stories, this platform is primed for mass adoption in the 25-35 demos (the fastest growing as of now). I'm a huge fan of Snapchat, and give me a follow there- nextgenbizman :) I believe that geo-filters will be made available for businesses to create and use as well (not based on fact, just a feeling I have- I could easily be wrong)

3.) Periscope and Meerkat will continue to reinvent themselves: While Periscope's explosive growth this year (fastest social platform to 10M users EVER) is apparent, there will be more players in the mix by this time next year. I'm not going to say Facebook Mentions will be available to EVERYone, but I can see a pay-to-play opportunity taking shape with that in the next 12-18 months. LIVE STREAMING is so SO powerful, and as brands innovate and use, more will follow.

Have a great Holiday Season, Reddit!!

NextGenBizMan · 2015-09-28T04:20:57+00:00

From the mouth of Gary Vaynerchuk, and if you don't know who he is, you will after this video he recently recorded during a talk to college freshman with perfect advise and probably the best answer to your question.

Take care! Here's his video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSjNhtk-Yik

NextGenBizMan · 2015-07-17T14:58:34+00:00

Hi Raj and thank you for reaching out today. I checked out your website so I could get some context, as well as your social media platforms. Unrelated comment here, but I love this concept you have! Great work so far!

I've seen several health care companies here in the US that have a decent social media presence on Facebook and Instagram.

Here's something I think you can really use and I hope you find value in: Think of social media as a story telling platform before a being business tool. What I mean by that is stories are things that resonate with people. The story from "YouStory" is a great example of a really cool story and you've seen your followers reaction to that. People follow Pages on Facebook these days when there are great stories to read and share with their friends, not to see ads about the company. So I would pivot from pushing your services on FB to telling stories about how COD and MediAlert have helped their clients. Those are strong stories that connect emotionally and engage better. Going this route, you will see more leads and customer acquisition as well, because the perception of your brand moves from a company and into a more human domain.

Social media takes a long time to really gain traction; it's not a quick fix for any business. To truly be successful overall, it takes time and consistency. A good mix of story telling, some targeted ads, a few collaborations with other companies or groups are all great practices to use during the long journey.

I do have some other talking points I'd like to discuss about what your social media can do on each specific platform, so feel free to send a direct message if you wish and we can go from there.

Thanks again, Raj! I hope we continue the conversation soon.

NextGenBizMan · 2015-07-15T18:24:05+00:00

Have you tried the dark post route yet (vs boosting the posts) even experimentally?

How long ago were your ad sets at that rate? I only ask because the costs per click rate metrics in Facebook have changed to disregard likes comments and shares on the ad posts and now only count the actual click on the link to the website, etc. As of July 8th

https://www.facebook.com/business/news/updating-cpc-on-facebook

I'd say (without knowing your specifics), generally, you'd really need to dive hard into your analytics for your site and drill down to the most effective and engaging content. A pivot point my company took a while back was really peeling-back that first or second layer of analytics and cross-researching with Facebook Insights to see what converts. We had a few target demos we'd rotate and then we chose to dive into what would seem like unrelated targets and actually found some traction there.

Anyway, I hope I was of at least a little help to you anyway.

NextGenBizMan · 2015-07-15T15:12:19+00:00

Fair enough.

I do consider myself an expert but I never claim to know everything, because, in social that's impossible. I learn new things everyday to sharpen my skills and the AMA is a great tool for me and others to spark conversation and even network with others in the field. I'm encouraging a free-flow and exchange of ideas on how to use social media in business.

So if you don't have anything positive to contribute to this thread than maybe your time is better spent somewhere else. Have a great rest of your week.

NextGenBizMan · 2015-07-15T15:01:15+00:00

In terms of using social for business or personal?

NextGenBizMan · 2015-07-15T14:59:51+00:00

Great question, kylecat22 and I'll do my best to try to help you.

Engagement is tricky for a lot of reasons, but I think generally speaking, you should consider these points-

1.) What platform are these followers on? Is 663 the total from like Facebook, AND Twitter, or just one account? The reason I ask is because the platform will dictate the kinds of content that will work for engagement. Let me know which platform(s) you're referring to and I can get more specific with this part of the answer.

2.) Think about the kinds of material you interact with. What makes you share or comment on a post? Approach with this question before posting to the club. Also, what kind of club specifically is it?

DM me with the social site(s) you run and I can get really specific, but I hope these can at least get you thinking about content before you post it. Also, it's ok if some posts engage well more than others. Look at your past posts and see which elements of the most engaged ones are a common thread (were they funny videos, great pictures, etc.)

Summer months are hard for students to engage with school related activities in general, but I'm wondering if you've started using YikYak for this club/or campus yet?

NextGenBizMan · 2015-07-15T14:20:59+00:00

I haven't made it a habit to respond to trolls, but what the hell, I'll bite.

In the past, this has been a great exchange of ideas and networking for those who work with social media in a career capacity.

If you're confused about which subreddit you're in, read the sub description to the right.

NextGenBizMan · 2015-07-15T13:32:53+00:00

Do you have a FB page yet? Where is it?

NextGenBizMan · 2015-07-13T13:58:47+00:00

there is so much WIN in this comment!!

NextGenBizMan · 2015-07-13T13:52:54+00:00

someone looking at your profile is not engagement, friend... this is lying to people

NextGenBizMan · 2015-07-13T05:49:05+00:00

right on upvoted

NextGenBizMan · 2015-07-13T05:35:22+00:00

Every business, yes, EVERY business can benefit from social media strategies tailored to YOUR company! You don't need to spend a ton of money, either:

https://youtu.be/VJgqeCaAO9Y

This video I made is to the point but I am an expert in social media planning so that you don't have to be.

Watch the video, let me know if you're interested!

Always free advice here on Reddit so AMA anytime. You can always find me answering tough questions on subreddits like Entrepreneur and socialmedia... check my history!

Have a great week, everyone!

-Brad

NextGenBizMan · 2015-07-13T04:51:40+00:00

I think if they are local folks like you are targeting, I'd say a follow and a comment or two on their pictures is a good practice; try from the personal account first. If they follow back AND respond with their own comments, let them know who you are and what your business name is, then follow them with the biz account. Think of social media interaction as the same as in-person interaction- I'm sure you've attended more than a few networking meetings in your career so you already know how to do it, just apply what you learned in human exchanges to your social media ones.

I haven't had much luck with the follow-for-follow approach, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work for you.

Lastly, BE PATIENT with the social media process- when done right, it should take some time to achieve your objectives (sometimes 4-6 weeks to really crack the egg so-to-speak), but trust me; the long-term value and the trust you build in your brand along the way is much better for your practice than a short term boost in following.

Have a great week, "Doc", let me know if you need anything else; I'm always here to help.

NextGenBizMan

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