10 Approaches to Smarter Social Media Use

Getting my name on the cover on a monthly magazine on local multisport endurance athletes.

After three years of continuous daily blogging (thanks to Seth Godin for his clever challenge, and his dedicated daily postings), selective use of Facebook and Tweeter, and garnering recognition and treasured relationships in the process, here are my opinions and perspectives.

1) Learn from a variety of online sources. Talk to bloggers, online marketers, Tweeters, and Facebook marketers.
2) Surround yourself with experts in online marketing. Actively interview them.
3) Pay your dues. Study, apply and learn from your successes and mistakes. The wisdom from practice earned is priceless.
4) Build your brand. Build your reputation. They are both, interestingly, interchangeable. Combine it with traditional media like television (interviews, feature stories) and the press (magazine, newspapers). Engage through the mantra 'Express, then Impress'.
5) If you have something good to say, say it. If you nothing good to say, then don't broadcast it. Be an advocate for a brand, cause, challenge or crusade. Recognise others of repute, 'catch them doing it right' and share your passions and discoveries.
6) Social Media is an extension of face-to-face engagements (i.e. interviews, coffee-shop talk, Skype). Extend and expand your reach for Positive Word of Mouth (WOM) marketing.
7) Have productive and useful conversations on mobile applications (apps), Internet Messenging (IM), and the Comments box in Facebook. Expand the realm of consciousness over issues, concerns, challenges and problems. 'Sharing' extends the 'reach' to your audience and beyond.
8) Use Crowd-Sourcing and Crowd-Funding selectively and responsibly. Be, however, aware of how to 'ask' instead of using 'twisting the arm' tactics.
9) Fund-raising should be purposeful, deliberate, sensible and responsible. Avoid the backlash of becoming labelled 'unreliable' and 'desperate'.
10) Enlist assistance from your Tribes. Tribes are communities of like-minded individuals who share a common cause, and by extension willing to help achieve common goals.

Content is still king! Share ideas, perspectives, opinions and recommendations. Add value to each 'share'.

Hopefully, these considerations may help you reconsider and review your overall strategy for building your brand, reputation, garner sponsorship, and monetise your communication platforms.