How To Use Social Media To Boost Business, Build Leads And Establish Your Reputation

Audiences on popular social media sites are hungry for web content -- YouTube reached 1 triillion views last year, while Facebook has more than 800 million global users.

And I'd be willing to bet that a lot of those viewers and users shared content writing -- blogs, articles, videos, newspaper stories, white papers, e-newsletters, podcasts.

If you're on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+, you can repurpose the content you've already written to share it with your virtual audience.

Social neworking sites act more like content repositories -- places where folks disseminate, share and consume info.

The potential benefits are vast: Prospective clients, peers and colleagues will see you as an expert. And, it will help you build new business and generate sales leads because soon clients will see you as the expert, too -- the expert they need to hire!

Social Media = Sharing
Social media is all about sharing; the more, the better. You don't have a Facebook page just to post pictures of your Jamaican getaway. Your Facebook page can share the information you want others to have -- you are your own publisher.

Even if it's a status update on Facebook, a tweet on Twitter or a Google Plus link, it still involves the same thing -- content, or words on a page. Much more interesting when it's put like that, no?

Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ are all about content sharing. Sure, you may go on Facebook to check out your friends' status updates. But what do you end up doing an hour later?

Reading articles, watching videos and looking at other forms of content that your friends have posted.

Put Your Content In The Mix
Creating content hopefully means that your web content will be apart of the content sharing mix. That's why content writing like blogs, videos, articles, case studies, white papers, webinars and e-newsletters, for example, are such critical components to the social media sharing platform.

When I think about the times I go on Facebook, usually it's to read what others share. What would Facebook or Twitter be like if it only involved reading status updates all day? Pretty boring!

Sharing Your Content Online
How can you make the most of your web content -- and create it so that it's easily shared by others?

First, identify your audience. This is a basic first step, but you'd be surprised by how many people don't do it. Who are you talking to? What do they like to read? How do they like their information to be shared?

Answering these questions up front will help you avoid plenty of headaches down the road: It's no fun to discover that the blogs you've spent hours creating aren't being read, because your audience prefers YouTube videos, now is it?

Not all social media platforms are appropriate for every audience. Learn what your audience would be receptive to, and keep the information flowing!

Three Techniques to Share Website Content
Once you've studied your audience, make sharing content easy for them.

*Include content sharing widgets on blogs and other forms of content. When readers see content they like, they're more likely to share it. So, give them the tools they need to do it.

*Keep it short. Sure, you can write a 10-page dissertation but everyone is pressed for time. Make your content short, sweet and to the point. It should have enough "meat" to stand on its own, but it doesn't have to be a textbook to be effective.

*Help the reader. Content that solves problems will engage audiences. Write your content using short, action steps that help your audience solve common problems. Your goal at first must be to help, not get paid. Helping someone initially may very well lead to paid business later on.

How-to articles are highly recommend. Many times, subjects are universal: Finding capital, saving money and negotiating deals are just some examples of article topics that apply to just about any industry.

Is All of this "Sharing" Free?
Initially, yes, social media is all about sharing.If you are trying to build your content marketing repertoire, it's a good idea to give basic information away free initially.

Why? You are trying to build a reputation as an expert. What better way to do that by sharing information? Plus, when you get something for free, people are much more likely to buy something from you down the road.

Follow these content marketing and social media marketing tips to boost your reputation as an expert, gain sales, attract new leads and get new clients.