Info

Build Your Online Audience

This podcast ended in April 2021. Follow my NEW PODCAST: the Courageous Content podcast on Apple podcasts here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/courageous-content-with-janet-murray/id1569783857 Or on your favourite podcast app here:  https://courageous-content.captivate.fm/
RSS Feed Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
Build Your Online Audience
2021
June
March
February
January


2020
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2019
December
November
October
September
August
May
April
March
February
January


2018
December
November
October


Categories

All Episodes
Archives
Categories
Now displaying: 2019
Dec 27, 2019

Instagram Stories is a fantastic tool you can use to attract your ideal customers/clients.

But if you’re not familiar with how it works, it can all feel a bit confusing.

In this podcast episode I explain how to use Instagram Stories to make more sales in your business, including what kind of content you should be sharing (and how often) and how to use quizzes/polls and other interaction functions to find people who are interested in your products/services. PLUS how to get your Instagram followers buying from your stories.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

What is Instagram Stories?

Instagram has three main parts. 

  1. Your main grid, where you can upload photos and short videos. 
  2. Stories - which appear in a bar at the top of your feed - where you can share short videos, pictures and images (each Story is a maximum 15 seconds). You can also add text, gifs, polls, quizzes and other interactive features. Instagram Stories content only last for 24 hours (but you can save your highlights).
  3. IGTV - a long-form vertical video channel that is accessible from Instagram and as a standalone app

You can share your content between your grid, Stories and IGTV to get it in front of a wider audience. 

What is Instagram Stories?

Instagram Stories appear in a bar at the top of your feed. When there’s something new to see on an account of someone you follow, you’ll notice their profile photo will have a colourful ring around it.

To view someone’s story, you simply need to tap on their profile photo, and their story will appear full-screen, showing you all of the content they’ve posted in the last 24hrs.  The content will play in chronological order from oldest to newest.

Once you’re viewing a story, you can tap to go back and forward or swipe to jump to another person’s story. Unlike regular posts, there are no likes or public comments. Anyone who comments go straight into your DMs (direct messages). This can be a great way to build relationships with prospective customers/clients.

The great thing about Instagram Stories is that your content only lasts for 24 hours. This can be great if you’re nervous about putting yourself out there. But you can save your best content as ‘highlights’ (more on that later). 

How should the content you post in Stories differ from the content you post on your grid?

As with any social media, there is really no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to do it, but my account is probably ‘typical’ of what most Instagram users do. The content on my grid is more ‘curated’ than my Instagram Stories and has a consistent aesthetic (i.e. I used the same brand fonts and colours).  My Instagram Stories is a bit more ‘rough and ready’ - and often features ‘behind-the-scenes’ content that relates to my life and business. 

What makes an engaging Instagram Story?

The clue is in the name: Story. And a story generally needs a beginning, a middle and an end. Or at least some kind of ‘narrative’  you can follow. 

One of the most confusing things about Instagram Stories is that you’ll often hear people talking about each individual image/15 second video clips as a ‘story’. So for the purpose of this post, I’m going to refer to them as ‘chapters’ which make up a whole Story. 

While there are no hard and fast rules on how long your Instagram Stories, should be, it’s worth remembering that most people are scrolling through. So if your Story is too long and/or doesn’t grab their attention in the first few moments, they’ll scroll past and start looking at someone else’s story. For this reason, I’d generally recommend creating putting together no more than about seven to ten individual ‘chapters’ to make longer Stories). However, with some Stories e.g. if you are talking to camera, you may need to make them a little longer. 

Here are my tips for making them engaging.

1.Start with a question that introduces the theme of your Story and invites viewers to get in a conversation with you e.g. ‘Are you thinking of launching a podcast in 2020?’ ‘Have you done all your Christmas shopping yet?’ or ‘Here’s my to-do list for today. What’s the ONE thing you absolutely have to get done today?’

You can use the question, polls or quiz function but keep it really simple. If people have to think too hard, they’ll be far less likely to respond.

  1. Use a variety of media within each Story e.g. video, photos, text, you talking to camera.
  2. Keep your story visually interesting by using gifs and borders and stickers
  3. Don’t be afraid to ask more than one question in your story. This helps to keep viewers engaged.
  4. Have ONE clear call-to-action at the end of each Story you create e.g. ‘Swipe up to read’ or ‘DM me to find out more,.’ Any more than one call-to-action and you may leave your viewers feeling overwhelmed.

How to sell in your Instagram Stories

There is no big ‘secret’ on how to sell in your Instagram Stories. It’s simply about getting your viewers involved in a conversation about the product/service you want to sell. And the key to starting sales conversations is to focus on the problem your product/service solves. This helps you identify those who already have the desire for your product/service.  

So, for example, with my podcasting course How To Get Your Podcast Live in 60 Days, I might start my Story with a poll: ‘are you interested in launching a podcast in 2020?’. Then I might share some information about the course before finishing up with a single call-to-action: ‘Interested in finding out more? DM me for a link to the waitlist.’

This gives me two opportunities to identify the key element that is needed for someone to make a purchase: desire. Then I can simply reach out to them and give them more information. And they’re not going to feel uncomfortable about it - because they expressed their desire to start a podcast and/or their desire to find out more about my course. 

Similarly with my 2020 Social Media Diary & Planner, I’ll often start by asking a question e.g. ‘Do you sometimes find it difficult to stick to a content plan?’ Then I’ll share some pictures/video of the diary - along with some text that summarises what’s included.  Then I’ll give a single call-to-action e.g. ’DM me for the link to order’.

AsI have over 10k followers on Instagram, you might be wondering why I invite people to DM me, rather than just give them the link. This is because it initiates a conversation. If we’re already chatting in the DMS, it’s much easier for someone to raise a question/objection about the diary - which is far more likely to result in a sale. If I simply send them off to a link, I may never hear from them again.

Another powerful way to sell in your Instagram Stories is to share client/customer testimonials - ideally ones that address your most common objections. For example, if the most common objection you get for signing up for your online course/membership is ‘I can’t afford it’ - share screenshots from clients telling you how much money they’ve made from implementing your strategies.

And do remember that you can use Stories to ‘sell’ anything - and not just your products/services. For example, you can use exactly the same process to get people involved in a conversation about your latest blog/podcast and create the desire for them to listen to it. 

Dealing with objections in your Instagram Stories

It’s one thing creating a story about your product service with a call-to-action at the end. But if you really want to boost your sales, you need to create a series of Stories that address your ideal customers/clients objections. For example, one question I kept getting asked about my podcasting course was: ‘how will having a podcast actually help me in my business?’ So I polled my clients to find out how they found me. Most said they found me via my podcast, so I shared the result of that poll in my Stories.

I also asked some fellow podcasters how having a podcast had helped them in their business - and shared screenshots of their responses in my Stories. Their answers - which ranged from ‘it's helped me make more money’ to ‘it's helped me get booked for more speaking gigs’ are a powerful way to tackle that objection.

Even when you are tackling objections, it’s still important to keep your Stories interactive. So when I was tackling that particular objection, I opened my story by asking viewers if they ever wondered what was the point of starting a podcast.

Using highlights to sell on Instagram Stories

Although Stories disappear in 24 hours, you can save them in the highlights section (just about your grid) and continue to make sales. For example, I have a highlight for my 2020 Social Media Diary & Planner, which features dozens of pictures of people using their diary, along with a video of me giving a tour of the diary. People often respond to this highlight and ask me questions e.g. ‘Do you deliver to x country?’ or ‘what’s the delivery time for y?” Because their responses go straight into my DMs, we are straight into a sales conversation.

For this reason, I’d recommend having a highlight section for your key products/services.

Podcast shownotes

Resources

Want to start your own podcast? Sign up for my podcasting course. 


[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast)
[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast)
[358] 13 ideas for engaging social media posts (podcast)
[362] How to grow your Instagram to 27K- fast (podcast)
[373] How to get more followers on any social media platform (podcast)
[376] Lessons learned from 1 million downloads of my podcast (podcast)
[379] How to grow your Instagram followers by 1K in 30 days (podcast)
[381] How to use awareness days  to create engaging content for your business (podcast)

Join the Media Diary Owners Club

Order your 2020 Media Diary here

#2021Sorted Buy your ticket 

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Content Planning Masterclass

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

Build Your Audience Programme

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Dec 20, 2019

Have you ever agonised over a social media post, or felt nervous and then deleted it or over-thought your post to the point where you don’t post anything at all? Or maybe you've worried that it was a bit too personal? If you’ve ever struggled with overthinking what you post or worried about being judged for what you post then you need to listen to this episode.

Natalie Lue a recovering people pleaser, perfectionist and over-thinker explains how to bring more of yourself and your personality into your social media content without worrying about it. She explains how to find the essence of 'you' and what makes ‘you-you’.  She also explains how we can lose our personality in the content we create by over thinking and worrying too much about 'the rules'.

So if you’d love to have a potential client or customer say to you "Did you just read my mind?" And you want to know how to bring more of yourself AND your personality into your social media content  and discover your ‘secret sauce’ then have a listen to this podcast episode.

This episode was recorded live at my content planning masterclass 2020Sorted. I’d love to know what you think…

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

Podcast shownotes

  • About Natalie Lue and her business (3:50)
  • How Natalie changed her relationship with Instagram and started ignoring the rules (5:00)
  • How Natalie has grown her Instagram after she started posting more as herself (8:10)
  • How Natalie changed her approach to Instagram by returning to her core (11:06)
  • How you can return to your core and find out what makes 'you - you’ (14:55)
  • Why you should use your own stories to create content that connects with people (19:15)
  • How to work out what energises you and how to use that in your content (21:20)
  • Why you need to think about your ‘secret sauce’ in everything that you create + share (23:42)
  • How Natalie creates content that people can relate to (25:10)
  • Why you should question the  social media ‘platform rules’ and write your own (26:10)
  • How to use your 'secret sauce' to enhance your content (29:01)
  • How to bring more of your personality into your content and the question to ask yourself (32:44)

Resources

Want to start your own podcast? Sign up for my podcasting course. 

[049] How to turn your blog into a business with Natalie Lue (podcast)
[161] How to work with bloggers and influencers with Kat Molesworth (podcast)
[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast)
[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast)
[358] 13 ideas for engaging social media posts (podcast)
[362] How to grow your Instagram to 27K- fast (podcast)
[373] How to get more followers on any social media platform (podcast)
[376] Lessons learned from 1 million downloads of my podcast (podcast)
[379] How to grow your Instagram followers by 1K in 30 days (podcast)
[381] How to use awareness days  to create engaging content for your business (podcast)

Join the Media Diary Owners Club

Order your 2020 Media Diary here

#2021Sorted Buy your ticket 

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Content Planning Masterclass

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

Build Your Audience Programme

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Dec 13, 2019

If it's a dream or ambition of yours to start a podcast or launch a podcast in 2020 this podcast episode is for you. In this episode, I answer the many questions that I get asked all the time about launching a podcast.

So if you'd love to start a podcast but you're unsure of what equipment you need or how to host it and get it online or even get people to listen to it then this is a must-listen.

In this podcast episode, I share my practical actionable tips including how to choose a topic and why you should choose a niche to reach a larger audience.

Even if you're not planning a podcast and just a regular piece of consistent content then you'll still find this episode useful.

I'd love to know what you think.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

Why do you want to start a podcast?

Launching a podcast can be a big investment of your time, energy and money. Which is why it’s important to get clear on why you’re doing it. A podcast can be a great way to attract leads and sales for your business. For example, many of my clients start listening to my podcast way before they become a client. 

However, you may have other aims - such as connecting with other influencers in your industry or raising your profile so you can land more speaking gigs or a book deal. If you’re clear on why you want to start a podcast, it will be much easier to measure the potential return on investment for your business.

How to choose a topic for your podcast 

Regardless of the topic, your podcast should solve a problem for your listeners. Solving a problem for people can simply be about entertaining people and/or making them laugh. 

But for most business owners, this is generally about providing valuable information/discussion around a specific topic. For example, my podcast 'The Janet Murray Show' provides actionable tips and business/marketing advice - on topics ranging from Instagram marketing to creating a content calendar for your business to how to start a  podcast for your business. 

As with many things in your business, the more ‘niche’ and/or specific you can be, the better. Spend some time searching through the podcasts Apple and/or other podcasting platforms and you will be amazed what people have podcasts on. 

For example:

How to choose a name for your podcast 

Once you’ve decided on a topic, it’s time to choose a name for your podcast. I’d suggest picking a title that describes what your podcast is about. 

For example, Employment Law Matters, the Smart Passive Income Podcast, the Property Development Podcast

While it might be tempting to come up with something creative, this will make it easier for new listeners to find you. Ditto for individual episode titles. 

Interview or solo show? How to choose a format for your podcast 

There are no hard and fast rules about which is best: solo, interview or a mix of both. It really is down to you. It’s also something you may need to test over time i.e. do your solo shows perform better than your interview shows. For example, I started off with a weekly interview but found my solo shows often performed better, so I gradually started to do fewer interviews and more solo shows. 

How often should you put out a podcast (and how long should it be)? 

Again there are no hard and fast rules about how often you should put out your podcast i.e. weekly, daily, monthly. This is really down to you. 

If you’re new to podcasting, creating a season of 6-8 episodes can be a much less daunting than launching a weekly or daily show. If your first season does well, you can always create another on a related topic and/or move to a regular show. 

Your podcast can be as short or as long as you want. But if you’re new to podcasting, starting with a 15-20 minute show might be easier.

How many episodes should you launch with?

If you listen to podcasts, you’ll probably know that when you find a podcast you like, you often want to binge listen to other episodes. This is why it’s a good idea to launch with more than one episode. But again, this will be dependent on a number of factors e.g. whether you’re launching a weekly or daily show or a season.

Creating a content plan for your podcast

Once you’ve decided on the topic, frequency and length of your podcast episode, it’s a good idea to make a content plan, setting out what you’re planning to publish and when with draft titles.  

What kind of equipment should you start with

If you’re new to podcasting, it’s best to keep it simple. And, as you don’t know whether you’re going to enjoy podcasting, I wouldn’t recommend investing tons. I would recommend a simple set up. I would recommend a USB microphone like the Blue Snowball or Blue Yeti you can plug straight into your computer and a pop shield. These start at around £65.  If you are recording solo shows, you can use Audacity - free software and Zoom/Skype to record interviews.  

Where should I host my podcast? 

You will also need to choose a place to host your podcast on the web (most podcast files are too big for websites). You will need to pay for hosting. This can vary depending on how much content you have, but I started off paying around $5 a month. Now it’s around $25. Popular choices include: Buzzsprout, Spreaker, Blubrry and Libsyn

Find out more about how to host your podcast: The Podcast Host 

How to edit your podcast

You can edit your podcast yourself using free software like Audacity or you can outsource. Expect to pay at least £15-20 an hour for podcasting editing, but if you think about the value of a potential lead/enquiry, getting a professional to do this for you can be a much better ROI  (return on investment) in the long run. You could also use a podcast maker like Alitu which helps you clean you your audio, add your intro and outro, edit out mistakes, edit and publish your podcast.  

Depending on the format of your show, you may also need to source a voiceover artist for the intro/outro and/or copyright-free music. I found my voiceover artist on Fiverr. You might also want to try People Per Hour or Upwork. There are tons of sites you can use to source copyright free music but my favourite is Audiojungle.

Finding guests for your podcast

Introducing your listeners to interesting guests - people who are experts in a specific topic - can be a great way to add value.

The mistake many new podcasters make is thinking that having ‘big name’ guests is a great way to promote your podcasts. Actually the opposite is often true. Someone who already has a large audience is less likely to have the time or inclination to promote your podcast. A guest with a small but engaged audience may be much more inclined to tell the world about it. 

When it comes to inviting guests onto your podcasts, the key thing to remember is that you are asking them to give up their time. So it’s important to demonstrate what might be in it for them e.g. the chance to get in front of your listeners, social media followers, email list. If you have a small audience or you haven’t started your podcast yet, it’s best to be upfront about that but show how you will promote the podcast.

Doing interviews for your podcast 

As with anything in your business, it’s all in the preparation. The more you can prepare your guest for the interview - by sending over detailed instructions on how to prepare or join the call PLUS the questions you are likely to ask - the better the interview is likely to go. 

It’s generally better to use open questions e.g. ‘can you tell us more about’ or ‘what did it feel like when…?’. This will encourage your guests to talk more freely and make your interview feel like a conversation rather than a question and answer session (which is exactly how it should be). 

Preparing a list of questions is a good idea, but don’t stick slavishly to your question list. If you let the conversation flow naturally, your interviews will sound a lot better.

Promoting your podcast 

Unfortunately getting your podcast listed on Apple Podcasts (and other podcasting directories like Spotify, Acast, Google Podcasts and Stitcher) is not enough to build an audience for your podcast. You will also need to actively promote your podcasts via social media, your email list, Facebook messenger, Pinterest and any other marketing channels. There are also many things you can do to encourage your guests or listeners to share your podcast (such as creating branded, shareable artwork). 

Most people vastly under promote their podcast because they’re worried people will get sick of hearing about it. In reality, most people are far too busy getting on with their lives to notice you’ve already posted multiple times about your podcast - and appreciate the reminder. 

Podcast shownotes

  • What you need to ask yourself if you want to start a podcast (7:12)
  • How to choose a podcast topic and why it needs to solve your client/customer’s problem (9:16)
  • Why you should niche your podcast to make it focused to reach more people (12:40)
  • How to name your podcast and why you can change the name as you evolve (15:30)
  • How to plan your podcast and decide on the format of your podcast (18:15)
  • How often you should produce your podcast and launch with a good number of episodes (20:15)
  • How to plan out your podcast episodes and create a content plan for your podcast (23:52)
  • What equipment you need for your podcast and why you should keep it simple (24:40)
  • What you can outsource to produce your podcast and why you should look at ROI (28:29)
  • Where to host your podcast and why you actually need to host your podcast (30:30)
  • How to prepare a podcast guest for an interview and why big-name guests can be a red herring (31:35)
  • Why you need to promote your podcast and just having it listed on a platform isn’t enough (34:57)
  • Why you might want to join my new course ‘Launch your Podcast in 60 days’ (36:47)

Resources

Want to start your own podcast? Sign up to my podcast course with The Podcast host - Colin Gray

How to pitch yourself as a podcast guest (blog)
[080] Three must-do tips for pitching yourself as a podcast guest (podcast)
[094] Seven steps to starting your podcast (podcast)
[190] How to pitch yourself as a podcast guest (and why you must do) (podcast)
[253] How to land guest appearances on podcasts with Nicola Holland (podcast)
[263] Why I changed the name of my podcast (podcast)
[331] What it really takes to build an audience with John Lee Dumas (podcast)
[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast episode)
[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast)
[357] How to transform your Facebook page from ghost town to garden party with Bella Vasta (podcast)
[376] Lessons learned from 1 million downloads of my podcast (podcast)

Join the Media Diary Owners Club

Order your 2020 Media Diary here

#2021Sorted Buy your ticket 

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Content Planning Masterclass

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

Build Your Audience Programme

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Dec 6, 2019

Want to know how to create content that really sells and how to ask the right questions that lead to sales and follow up with people in a non salesy way?

I interviewed business and  marketing experts Andrew Pickering and Peter Gartland - aka Andrew and Pete at my recent live annual content planning masterclass 2020 Sorted. Andrew and Pete have spoken all over the world about content marketing, including Social Media Marketing World, Content Marketing World and the Youpreneur Summit and are ranked as one of the top 100 digital marketers in the world.

It's a great interview where they explain how to understand who your high intent customers or clients (hand raisers) are and how to create handraiser content that gets them to raise their hand. They share their strategies, tactics and tools that they've personally used to make sales in their business. 

PLUS why thinking that sales are icky is one of the biggest mistakes you can make in your business. If you'd love to know how to create content to make sales in your business then listen to this episode. 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

Podcast shownotes

  • About Andrew & Pete who they are and what they do (4:03)
  • Why thinking that sales are icky is one of the biggest mistakes you can make in your business (5:06)
  • Why you should create handraiser content and how to use it to make sales easier (7:15)
  • How to create handraiser content and find out who your hand raisers are (9:50)
  • How to get people to give you their email address without feeling icky (10:09)
  • How to recognise clients/customers that are mid intent and high intent (12:08)
  • How to get high intent clients by making them pre register for something (12:58)
  • What is a high intent enquiry and how to do a really personal follow up (15:01)
  • What is a mid intent enquiry and how to understand how interested they are (18:01)
  • How to ask the right questions that lead to hand raisers that go on to make a sale (22:02)
  • How to follow up with people and sell in a non icky way  (23:42)
  • Why getting a ‘no’ can help you sell more effectively to the people that will say ‘yes’ (25:15)
  • How to win future sales by understanding people’s objections (27:14)
  • The five different types of handraiser content that you can use to make a sale (29:46)

Resources

Andrew and Pete

Andrew on Pete on Twitter

Andrew and Pete’s YouTube channel

Vidyard

[179] How to get more eyes on your content with Andrew & Pete (podcast)
[333] 39 Surprisingly easy ways to get people to open your emails (podcast)
[335] How to create a highly converting lead magnet (podcast)
[339] How to build an audience for an online course or membership (podcast)
[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast episode)
[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast)
[374] How to create a year's worth of content in one morning (podcast)
[380] How to set goals for audience growth in 2020 and why you should (podcast)

#2021Sorted Buy your ticket 

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Content Planning Masterclass

Join the Media Diary Owners Club 

Order your 2020 Media Diary here

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

Build Your Audience Programme

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Nov 28, 2019

Would you love to know how to use awareness days to create engaging content for your business?  In this podcast episode I explain how to use awareness days to create engaging relevant content that fits with your business and goals. If you've ever wondered how National Nothing Day or how to create content about The Golden Globes that can be applied to any business then have a listen as I explain how I would go about using them.

I explain the four types of content that you should be sharing, regularly on your social media accounts and how you can apply these to the awareness days that are relevant to you and your business.

I explain how to create content by asking yourself these two MAIN questions when thinking about how to use an awareness day:

  • How is this day relevant to me and my business? 
  • How is it relevant to my audience?

If you’d love to know how to use awareness days to create content that’s relevant to your business in an engaging way that will get people talking back to you (without overdoing the awareness days) then you’ll love this podcast. I also tackle how you can use overly popular awareness days differently and how you can create content by saying what no one else is. PLUS  how you can use awareness days to tackle the elephant in the room.

If you’d like to know how I would go about using some of the sillier sounding awareness days by using some lateral thinking and some examples of my own personal  relatable stories then have a listen. I'd love to know what you think and do let me know how you'd use some of these awareness days.

 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

Podcast shownotes

*The two MAIN questions to keep in your mind when thinking about how to use an awareness day and listening to this podcast

  1. How is this day relevant to me and my business? 
  2. How is it relevant to my audience?

 

  • How my experience in journalism inspired me to create the media diary (3:58)
  • The four types of post you should use to get engagement (4:53)
    • 1 - ‘I need to know this’ content - content that's useful - tips and advice (5:16)
    • 2 - ‘I know about that’ content - content where you ask people a question about what’s going on in your life or biz (6:05)
    • 3 - ‘I know how that feels' content - content that people can relate to (7:26)
    • 4 - ‘This is what I think’ content - content that can divide people and can be opinionated (8:40)
  • How often you should use awareness days and why you shouldn’t use too many (11:17)
  • Some examples of January awareness days and how you could use them (12:56)
  • The *two questions you need to ask when creating content for awareness days (13:24)
  • What questions to ask when you're deciding which piece of content to create (15:20)
  • How to find inspiration if you are struggling for content ideas for an awareness day (16:40)
  • How to create content for generic awareness days that can work for any industry (20:20)
  • How to create personal relatable content and apply that to awareness days  (22:26)
  • How to think laterally about awareness days and make them relevant to you (23:30)
  • Why you shouldn’t use every single awareness day  (27:25)
  • How to stand out with popular awareness days by using them differently to others (33:55)
  • Why everything is a content opportunity if you use the two questions and creative thinking (36:29)

Resources

[333] 39 Surprisingly easy ways to get people to open your emails (podcast)
[335] How to create a highly converting lead magnet (podcast)
[339] How to build an audience for an online course or membership (podcast)
[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast episode)
[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast)
[374] How to create a year's worth of content in one morning (podcast)
[378] How to use hashtags to build your online audience (podcast)
[379] How to grow your Instagram followers by 1K in 30 Days (podcast)
[380] How to set goals for audience growth in 2020 and why you should (podcast)

#2021Sorted Buy your ticket 

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Content Planning Masterclass

Join the Media Diary Owners Club 

Order your 2020 Media Diary here

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

Build Your Audience Programme

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Nov 22, 2019

Would you love to know how to set realistic social media and online audience growth targets? How much is enough? Or maybe you’re thinking you don’t need to grow your online audience and are happy with how it is?

Maybe if you can get the target number of clients that you need through your current networks or face-to-face networking of people that you already know then chances are you don’t need an online audience.

BUT if you’d like to make online sales and grow those online sales and make money while you sleep then you definitely need an online audience and you need to set goals for the growth of that audience.

In this podcast I explain how to set audience growth targets for 2020 and how to work out how big your audience needs to be to achieve realistic targets.  I’ll also explain why you shouldn’t just expect to rock up online, and solely focus on building your business on social media. The metrics you should be looking at in order to assess your growth and surprisingly maybe how engagement and comments are more important than actual follower numbers.

PLUS I’ll also explain my “put out your fire first” strategy and why you need to follow up your hottest leads BEFORE embarking on your audience growth.

So if you’d like to look back at the end of 2020 and know that you’ve doubled your email list or tripled your social media following and hopefully your sales - then you really do need to listen to this podcast episode. I’d love to know what you think…

 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

Podcast shownotes

  • Why you need to know what growth you want to achieve and define your goal (5:17)
  • Why your audience might need to hear from you multiple times before they buy (11:00)
  • What metrics to track on social media and why engagement is more important than followers (13:25)
  • Why you should be careful not to rely solely on social media for your audience (14:21)
  • Why email marketing data is more reliable for predicting sales than social media likes (16:20)
  • Why you should look at your social media and email marketing referrals to your website (18:42)
  • Why you should analyse email lists and ask yourself if they are still your ideal client/customers (18:45)
  • How to work out your audience growth rate and use your actual data to make sales predictions (19:36)
  • Why it’s so important to set targets to grow your audience (and why it’ll motivate you) (21:03)
  • What to do if you haven’t really got an audience yet and how to try different growth strategies (23:34)
  • Why you shouldn’t worry about being on every social media platform (25:21)
  • How to create a yearly content plan (and why you need to to achieve your growth) (26:21)
  • How to use your yearly content plan to support your audience growth (30:34)
  • Why you should focus on getting enough money into your business before you focus on your audience growth (31:30)

Resources

Janet Murray's Audience calculator

[333] 39 Surprisingly easy ways to get people to open your emails (podcast)
[335] How to create a highly converting lead magnet (podcast)
[339] How to build an audience for an online course or membership (podcast)
[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast episode)
[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast)
[374] How to create a year's worth of content in one morning (podcast)
[378] How to use hashtags to build your online audience (podcast)
[379] How to grow your Instagram followers by 1K in 30 Days (podcast)

#2021Sorted Buy your ticket 

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Join the Media Diary Owners Club 

Order your 2020 Media Diary here

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

Build Your Audience Programme

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Nov 15, 2019

Are you trying to grow your following on Instagram, but things aren't moving as fast as you'd like? Fed up with people telling you to “just post more pictures of yourself” to get more followers? But how do you know if that is actually what your ideal client or customers want to see? Would you love to know what to post on Instagram to REALLY get your clients or customers engaging with you?

If so you’ll love my latest podcast episode in it, where I share three key strategies that I've used to grow my Instagram followers by over a thousand followers in the last 30 days.

I look at three key strategies. What kind of content to share and how I went about making key changes to my Instagram content by creating content that my ideal clients or customers were interested in. I also share how often I’m posting and how to analyse what time you need to post to reach your followers.

I also explain how you can get your content shared so that it can go viral and why you shouldn’t be afraid to be inspired by other people’s content and how to go about sharing other people’s content on your Instagram account to increase your following.

PLUS why you HAVE to experiment to see what type of content your audience likes and why you shouldn't feel a failure if your content flops.

And finally, I talk about hashtags and the strategies you can use to get the Instagram algorithm to show your posts to more people.

So if you're looking to grow your Instagram account, you definitely need to listen to this episode. I’d love to know what you think.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

Podcast shownotes

  • Why I decided to start focusing on growing my Instagram followers (3:10)
  • How to find out what type of content your ideal clients/customers engage with on Instagram (6:13)
  • Why you need to find out what type of content appeals to your ideal client/customer (08:01)
  • Why you shouldn’t worry if no one engages with your content (14:04)
  • Why you need to focus on creating great content so that it gets shared (15:10)
  • Why you should experiment with different formats for your images and text (17:13)
  • How to research and find ideas for content to create by looking at other Instagram accounts (19:10)
  • Why you should use other people's content for inspiration and how to  share content (20:01)
  • How to analyse Instagram posts to figure out what made them popular (23:20)
  • Why you shouldn’t worry if you don’t have the skill or time to make your grid amazing (25:20)
  • Why experimenting with posting times will help you to reach your ideal followers (26:28)
  • How to find the time to really make a difference on your Instagram account (29:02)
  • How to research Instagram hashtags and why the follower size of the hashtag  matters (31:39)
  • How to make the Instagram algorithm show your posts by using my hashtag strategy  (33:15)
  • How to analyse a popular Instagram post by looking at the comments rather than the likes (38:41)

Resources

@JanetMurrayuk  Instagram
@IamSamBearFoot Instagram

[378] How to use hashtags to build your online audience (podcast)
[362] How to grow your Instagram following to 27K - fast with Chris Taylor (podcast)
[353] How to grow your audience through Instagram Stories with Tyler McCall (podcast)
[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast episode)
[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast episode)
[093] How to use Instagram to promote your business with Sara Tasker (podcast)

Canva Graphic design tool

When to Post app (iOS)

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Join the Media Diary Owners Club 

Preorder your 2020 Media Diary here

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

Build Your Audience Programme

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Nov 8, 2019

Mystified about hashtags? No idea where or how you should be using them on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter?

In this episode I demystify hashtags and give an introduction to how you can use hashtags to grow your online audience.

I share my strategy on how I have successfully been building my Instagram followers using specific hashtag strategies and how you can do the same by understanding how the Instagram algorithm shows your posts.

I also explain how you can use hashtags at events and  how you can use them to reach journalists on Twitter and get press coverage for your business. PLUS how you can use hashtags on Instagram to find out what content to create for your audience. 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

 

Podcast shownotes

  • What is a hashtag and how do they work on social media (2:00)
  • How you can use other peoples hashtags to grow your audience (3:11)
  • How to build a relationship with hashtags on social media (without being pushy) (5:29)
  • How to use hashtags to follow, engage and understand your followers interests (6:58)
  • How to use hashtags at events and get delegates involved (8:00)
  • How to use Twitter hashtags to reach journalists + get media coverage for your business  (09:10)
  • How to choose hashtags on your Instagram posts (and why they need to be relevant) (10:24)
  • How the Instagram algorithm works (and why the size of the hashtag and your own following matters) (12:54)
  • When to use hashtags on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook (17:30)
  • How to find the hashtags that your ideal clients are engaging with and why you need to create good content (19:30)
  • Tools you can use to find hashtags and plan your Instagram content (21:20)
  • How to find the hashtags your ideal customers/clients are using (21:50)
  • How to create your own hashtag and awareness day (23:40)

Resources

[362] How to grow your Instagram following to 27K - fast with Chris Taylor (podcast)

[ 356 ] How to build your audience on Twitter (and create FOMO) (podcast)

[353] How to grow your audience through Instagram Stories with Tyler McCall (podcast)

[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast episode)

[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast episode)

[309] How to go viral on Twitter with Kerry Jordan (podcast)

[093] How to use Instagram to promote your business with Sara Tasker (podcast)

LinkedIn hashtags Andy Foot

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Join the Media Diary Owners Club 

Preorder your 2020 Media Diary here

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

Build Your Audience Programme

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

Nov 1, 2019

Ever wondered how some people just nail it on social media or their facebook ad just speaks to you? Want to know how to write super engaging copy for your website or social media?

In my latest podcast I interview copywriter Jo Watson who describes herself as an editor and 'writer of stuff'. She explains how to show your personality in your writing and why you need to make people really feel something when you write. Even if they disagree with you. 

Jo is well-known on LinkedIn for her slightly sweary 'tell it like it is' approach and her personality is well reflected in her writing. She has a truly distinctive writing voice and explains how to create personality in your writing and how if you produce great content then people won't forget about you (even if you go on holiday for a week!)

Jo also explains how you can show your authority and views even if you don't feel confident enough to actually post on social media. Jo doesn't have a social media strategy - and believes very much in showing up and being present, being yourself and explaining it as you would to a friend at the pub.

Jo also talks about how to go about hiring a copywriter that really is a copywriter (and not just your VA that can do it) and why it's really important to look at the return on investment that it will bring to your business.

I'd love to know what you think. I hope you enjoy the episode.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

 

Podcast shownotes

  • About Jo and why she defines herself as a ‘writer of stuff’ (4:06)
  • How Jo went from  being a teacher to a copywriter and built her business (5:05)
  • How Jo develops personality in her writing and why she doesn't think you need a social media strategy (14:15)
  • How Jo got started on LinkedIn and how ‘saying it like it is’ helps build relationships and engagement (16:23)
  • Why you need to be present on social media and only post if you have something to say (19:03)
  • How to stay on people’s radars by posting great content so they won’t forget you (23:15)
  • How to show up and write well and why everyone can tell stories (25:47)
  • How to build your confidence and show your values on social media (26:56)
  • Why you’ll lose trust and authority if you write or say things that are 'off brand' (30:47)
  • How to get more personality into your writing and how everything is a content opportunity (37:01)
  • Why you need to think about what people are interested in and make people feel something when you write (42:50)
  • Why you shouldn’t limit your marketing to one ideal client type (50:03)
  • How to get personality into your writing and why you should keep it simple, relatable and in your own voice (54:54)
  • How to hire a copywriter for your business and why you should look at the return on investment (58:03 )

Resources

Connect with Jo on LinkedIn
Jo's website 

[275] How to write awesome sales copy - fast with Sarah Cooke (podcast)
[335] How to create a high converting lead magnet (podcast)
[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast0
[372] How to build an engaged online audience (podcast)
[375] How to get your first 1k email subscribers (podcast)

 

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Join the Media Diary Owners Club 

Preorder your 2020 Media Diary here

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

Build Your Audience Programme

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

Oct 24, 2019

Want to know how I've managed to publish a new podcast episode every week for the past four years? 

How I have managed to stay consistent, to show up every week, in fact, twice a week to start with and put a podcast episode out there?

This podcast answers your questions and more and is based around real questions that you have asked about my podcast. Even if you're not interested in starting your own podcast then please stay with me because what it's really about, is about showing up and publishing consistent content.

How do you keep showing up every week when maybe you're all out of ideas or you're not feeling well, or you're feeling uninspired or unmotivated, or you've lost a team member suddenly, how do you keep all of that going over a number of years?

This podcast isn't just about creating a podcast it's also about content planning, content creation and solving your audience's problems, it's about mindset. It's about staying consistent and overcoming the challenges and evolving. 

So you'll see it's so much more than how you keep a podcast going. 

I also share my favourite podcasts too. What do you think?  Have you listened to them?

I hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did recording it.

 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

 

Podcast shownotes

  • Why you should listen to this podcast (01:57)
  • How to win in my 'Big Podcast Giveaway' (2:52)
  • Find out about my 2020 ‘Start a podcast programme’ (5:39)
  • What inspired me to start a podcast (and why it’s such a great way to connect with people) (7:02)
  • How I have consistently produced my podcast (and how accountability keeps me on track) (10:30)
  • Equipment I use to record my podcast, how it's produced and why I delegate the editing (13:04)
  • How I record a guest podcast episode (16:40)
  • How getting your podcast on iTunes can be the most challenging part (and how I did it) (17:09)
  • Why I choose podcast guests that can show they are an expert (rather than just a big name) (19:50)
  • How I got people to agree to be a podcast guest when I was starting out (24:58)
  • How my podcast has evolved and why I'm doing more solo podcasts than guest podcasts (27:44)
  • Why it’s important to have a great rapport with a podcast guest (and why some don't go as planned) (32:24)
  • Why I plan my podcasts to strategically fit in with what I am doing in my business (34:44)
  • Steps to produce the podcast from idea through to publication, repurposing and marketing (38:25)
  • How to promote a podcast and why you have to try lots of different ways (45:20)
  • Why a podcast needs to be quality content that solves your audience’s problems (48:47)
  • Top 9 episodes I've recorded? Try these they are full of useful practical advice that’s easy to implement:  133, 161, 227, 288, 275, 315, 341, 351, 362 (50:52)
  • Top 3 episodes that I am really proud of? Episodes with great longevity: 333, 339 and 340 (58:46)
  • What happens if the podcast guest doesn’t work out (1:00:05)

Resources

How to pitch yourself as a podcast guest (blog post)

Find out about my new start a podcast programme in 2020
Win in my Big Podcast Giveaway!

[133] How to grow your following on Twitter (podcast)
[161] How to work with bloggers and influencers with Kat Molesworth (podcast)
[227] How to make sales without being spammy with Jess Lorimer (podcast)
[253] How to land guest appearances on podcasts with Nicole Holland (podcast)
[275] How to write awesome sales copy - fast with Sarah Cooke (podcast)
[288] How to get started with vlogging(and how it can help your business (podcast)
[315] How to create a brand statement and why you need to (podcast)
[333] 39 Surprisingly easy ways to increase your email subscribers (podcast)
[335] How to create a high converting lead magnet (podcast)
[339] How to build an audience for an online course or membership (podcast)
[340] How to create a coaching or consultancy package for your business (podcast)
[341] How to use stories to attract your ideal audience (podcast)
[351] How to get corporate clients and why you should with Dylis Guyan (podcast)
[362] How to grow your Instagram following to 27K - fast (podcast)
[372] How to build an engaged online audience (podcast)
[375] How to get your first 1k email subscribers (podcast)

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

Join the Media Diary Owners Club 

Preorder your 2020 Media Diary here

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

Build Your Audience Programme

Buy your ticket for Build Your Audience Live

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Oct 17, 2019

Would you love to know how to grow your email subscribers list from zero to 1k?  That's what Catherine Gladwyn Author and Virtual Assistant did in just eighteen months.

In my latest podcast she explains why she needed to quickly create an email list and how she grew it from standing start. She shares practical tips and tactics about how she grew her list about what worked and what didn't and how you can grow your email newsletter list.

She explains how understanding your client or customers emotions and pain points can help you when planning what lead magnets and content to create. Plus why it's important to create content for each of your different audiences and why having engaging conversations will keep them on your email list.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

 

Podcast shownotes

  • About Catherine Gladwyn's and why she set up her business (2:26)
  • Why Catherine had to quickly create an email newsletter list rather than rely on on social media (4:53)
  • How Catherine got people to sign up to her email newsletter list  (7:03 )
  • How Catherine used lead magnets to get people to sign up to her email newsletter list (09:23)
  • How to use Mailchimp to segment and tag your email newsletter list (10:53)
  • How Catherine created her lead magnets and why sometimes it’s trial and error (13:00)
  • Catherine’s tips for creating a simple landing page and lead magnet (17:19)
  • How to create a sign up form in Mailchimp to use on your website (23:06)
  • Different strategies Catherine has used to get people to sign up to her email newsletter list (26:14)
  • How to create a successful lead magnet by tapping into the pain points of your clients or customers (31:31)
  • Dealing with people unsubscribing from your email list (and why you shouldn’t take it personally) (35:00)

Resources

Catherine's website Delegate VA

Catherines Book How to be a VA

Connect with Catherine on LinkedIn Facebook

Follow Catherine on YouTube

Mailchimp

[333] 39 Surprisingly easy ways to increase your email subscribers (podcast)
[335] How to create a high converting lead magnet (podcast)
[343] The three audiences you must build to create a profitable online business (podcast)
[359] How to create an email newsletter people look forward to opening (podcast)
[360] How to get people to open your emails (podcast)
[372] How to build an engaged online audience (podcast)
[373] How to get more followers on any social media platform (podcast)
[374] How to create a year's worth of content in one morning (podcast)


How to get the most out of your Social Media Diary & Planner
(blog)

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

Join the Media Diary Owners Club 

Preorder your 2020 Media Diary here

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

Build Your Audience Programme

Buy your ticket for Build Your Audience Live

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Oct 11, 2019

Would you love to know how to plan a year's worth of content for your business in just a few hours?

In this podcast episode, I explain how to create a year long content plan for your business. 

I show you how to breaking your planning down into manageable steps: annual, quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily.  PLUS how you can use awareness days and key dates to generate content ideas for your business.  And how to make time for content planning - all year round. 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

Step 1: Schedule time for content planning

Set aside some dedicated time to create your content plan. If you can, take yourself away from your usual place of work. Find a cafe you like to work in – a quiet hotel lobby - anywhere where you can focus on this task, uninterrupted. You’ll be much more productive and creative this way.

Step 2: Create your annual content plan 

It can be helpful to approach your content like a videographer. Start with ‘wide shot’ of your business i.e. what’s happening across the year. Then gradually zoom closer, until you’re focusing on quarterly, weekly and daily content.

So let’s start with that ‘wide shot’ of your year. Think about the key things that are happening in your business in each quarter of the year. When will you be launching new products/services? Are you doing any speaking? Will you be attending any industry events? List at least three key things for each quarter. 

Next, write down a few key dates/awareness days that are relevant to your business. For example, if you have a pet business, you might want to create some timely content around Crufts dog show in March. If you design clothes or accessories, you could create some content around London Fashion Week in January. And if you run a food business, you might plan some content around National Doughnut day in June.

My 2020 Social Media Diary & Planner has tons to help you get started. 

If you struggle with this task because you don’t know what you’ll be doing at each stage of the year, you don’t have a content problem, you have a business problem. Which means you may need to take a few steps back and do some business planning first. 

You may also find yourself thinking ‘but what if my plans change during the year?’ 

Just because you write something down doesn’t mean you have to do it. Things may change in your business during the year and that’s fine. But it’s much less time consuming  to tweak a plan you’ve already worked on than to start from scratch. So just apply your best thinking right now.

Step 3: Create your quarterly content plan 

Once you've created your annual content plan, you can zoom in a little closer and start your quarterly content planning.

I ‘d suggest you create one key piece of content a week, whether it’s a blog/vlog, podcast, Facebook Live or infographic and repurpose it into multiple pieces of content.

This means you only need to come up with a list of 12 ideas for each quarter - ideas that complement the key business activities and dates you’ve already identified in your annual content plan. Simple when you put it like that, right?

If you need some inspiration, make two lists. On the first list, write down the ten most common questions you get asked by your ideal customers/clients. On the second list, write down ten common questions people ask about your product/service. 

That’s a list of content ideas right there.

For example, my prospective customers often ask me questions like this about content planning.

  • Why do I need a content plan?
  • How often should I be publishing new content?
  • What kind of content should I be creating for my business?
  • What are the biggest mistakes people make with content planning?
  • How far ahead should I be planning my content?
  • How flexible should I be with my content planning? Is there any room for spontaneity?

There’s six content ideas right there.

They also ask me quite specific questions about the 2020 Social Media Diary & Planner:

  • What are the benefits of buying the 2020 Social Media Diary & Planner?
  • What’s the difference between the 2020 Social Media Diary & Planner and the Media Diary Owners’ Club?
  • Can I see inside the 2020 Social Media Diary & Planner?
  • Will the media diary help me if I have a product-based business?
  • Is the 2020 Media Diary suitable for business owners based outside the UK?
  • I bought last year’s Social Media Diary & Planner but I didn’t use it. Should I buy it again?

There’s another six content ideas - some of which I’ve already turned into blog posts.

If it feels daunting to plan out a whole year’s worth of content in one go, I’d recommend planning one quarter at a time.  To make sure this actually happens, block out time in your diary for three further quarterly planning sessions across the year.

Step 4: Create your weekly content plan

With your quarterly plan complete, you can zoom in a little closer and create a weekly content plan for your business.

If you’re creating one key piece of content a week (which is what I recommend), think about how you might repurpose that content to create smaller pieces of content that can be published across the week. 

For example, you could record a video, strip out the audio and turn it into a podcast. You could use a resource like rev.com to generate a transcript and turn that into a blog post. Then you could pull out some soundbites from the transcript and turn them into infographics for social media (using a graphic design tool like Canva), audio trailers (using a resource like Headliner)and video trailer (using a tool like Kapwing). If you focus on making that cornerstone piece of content work as hard for you as possible (by repurposing it in different ways), you’ll soon have enough content for every day of the week.

And don’t be afraid to post your content more than once. People are busy and may not see it the first time round (or even the third, fourth or fifth).

Step 5: Create your daily plan 

Next map out what you’re going to publish on which platform on what day. 

I’d suggest doing this a week or two ahead and scheduling a regular - and non-negotiable - time for weekly planning on your diary. That way, you’re far less likely to skip a week. 

Don’t be afraid to repeat the same content on different platforms.  Not everyone will see what you post. You may just need to tweak it slightly to suit. 

Podcast shownotes

  • How to focus on planning your content and why you should find a different workspace to do it (3:30)
  • How to create a quarterly overview and plan your content based on your key business activities (4:56)
  • Why you might need to rethink your business if you don’t know what your key services or products will be this time next year (8:15)
  • How to map out key activities and awareness days for each quarter for the year ahead (10:01)
  • How to plan your quarterly content and why you should put dates in your diary for future quarterly planning (12:25)
  • How to plan and create the content that you are going to write about based on the questions that your customers ask you (13:25)
  • Why you should produce one key piece of content that adds value every week (and how to repurpose it) (17:36)
  • How to create content if you are a product based business (20:16)
  • How to map out your weekly content plan from your quarterly content plan (22:56)
  • How to create your daily content plan and tie in your key dates and awareness dates (23:37)
  • How to make your content planning a habit (25:48)
  • How to be creative with awareness days and make them relate to your business (26:47)

Resources

[372] How to build an engaged online audience (podcast)
[373] How to get more followers on any social media platform (podcast)
How to create an editorial calendar for your marketing strategy (blog)
Create 52 weeks of content with the 2020 Social Media Diary & Planner (blog)
How to get the most out of your Social Media Diary & Planner
(blog)

Join the Media Diary Owners Club 

Preorder your 2020 Media Diary here

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

Build Your Audience Programme

Buy your ticket for Build Your Audience Live

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

Oct 3, 2019

Want to sell more of your products or services online? Getting more of your ideal customers/clients to follow you on social media can help - a lot. 

But how do you increase your social media followers? Do you need to use different strategies for different social media platforms e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram? And how long does it take to grow your following on a particular platform? 

That’s exactly what I cover in this podcast episode. 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

1.Share compelling content 

Think about the people you follow on social media. The people whose posts always seem to pop up in your Facebook or Instagram feed. The accounts you actively check out to see what they've been posting lately. 

You don’t follow them because they post boring updates about their products/services. You follow them because they inspire, entertain or even challenge your thinking. In other words, they make you FEEL something. 

Now think about your own account. Are you posting compelling content that makes people feel something? Or are you putting out posts so you can tick social media off your to-do list. If you’re posting dull updates about your products/services, whimsical reflections about what you did at the weekend and/or 'must do' tips no one ever comments on, why would anyone want to follow you? 

If you’re not getting much engagement on your content - amongst the followers you already have - that’s a sign you need to change something. 

After all, if you can’t get the people who already know, like and trust you to comment on your content, why would anyone new want to follow you? 

For an example of someone who is publishing excellent social media content that inspires people to follow her, check out  copywriter Jo Watson on LinkedIn.

Want to get more engagement on your social media posts? Check out my social media engagement playbook.

2. Don’t follow the rules 

If you’re trying to build your following on a particular platform, don’t feel like you have to do what everyone else is doing. In fact, sharing content that challenges the ‘norm’ can be a great way to stand out. 

For example, Baggage Reclaim founder Natalie Lue’s following on Instagram only really took off when she stopped worrying about ‘posting pretty pictures’ and starting posting hard-hitting quotes from her blog and podcast. As Instagram is a visual platform, this was a brave move on Natalie’s part - but doing the opposite of what everyone else was doing - and doing it consistently - is what helped her reach her first 10k followers.

3. Spend more time on other peoples’ accounts than on your own

What’s the first thing you do when someone new comments on one of your posts - a name you don’t recognise? You go and check out their profile of course. And that’s exactly what other people do when you comment on their content. They just can’t help but check you out. 

This is why something as simple as making a list of your ideal customers/clients and committing to spending half an hour a day commenting on their content can be so effective. 

Alternatively (or additionally) you can use the Gary Vee $1.80 strategy. 

  • Step one. Find the 10 most relevant hashtags in your niche and follow those hashtags
  • Step two. Reach out and comment on the top nine posts in each of the 10 hashtags
  • Step three. Continue to like and comment on posts each day

The $1.80 strategy gets its name because you’re giving your two cents on nine posts for 10 hashtags every day. If you add that up, it equals $1.80 per day.

4. Use hashtags on all your posts

As Chris Taylor explains in how to grow your Instagram following to 27k - fast, hashtags are like the index in the back of a non-fiction book. People search hashtags to find content on the most relevant topics to them - just like they would if they were looking something up in a non-fiction book.

While expert opinion varies, current advice commonly suggests that using up to 30 hashtags on Instagram (which is the maximum), three on LinkedIn, two on Facebook and two on Twitter is the optimum number. 

You could even create your own hashtag and awareness day like dog photographer Kerry Jordan did. This helped her go viral on Twitter.

5. Cross-promotion 

Running joint competitions can be a great way to get more followers. For example, dog photographer Kerry Jordan hosted a joint competition with Quirky Campers founder Lyndsey Berresford and added 1.5.k new email subscribers, along with tons of new social media followers, to her audience. 

6. Collaboration 

Creating content for or collaborating with other business owners e.g. guest blogging, podcast interviews, Facebook Lives, Instagram takeoevers can be a great way of getting in front of other peoples’ audiences. This will help you grow your social media following.

Be smart about who you collaborate with though. It’s best to target people with a similar or slightly larger audience than your own - ideally those who have a similar audience to you, but serve them in a different way. That way, there won’t be a conflict of interest.

If you do want to target the big hitters in your niche, think carefully about how you can add value to them. If they’ve already built a large online audience, they probably don’t need to get in front of your audience, so why would they want to collaborate with you? So before you ask, think carefully about what’s in it for them. If your ‘pitch’ is all about you - and what you hope to gain from the collaboration - they’re far less likely to say ‘yes.

7.Secure press coverage

Getting press coverage can be a great way to increase your online following. For example, Baggage Reclaim founder Natalie Lue gained 2k followers after she was featured in Cosmopolitan magazine recently.

However, stories like this tend to be the exception rather than the rule. While it’s rare to get thousands of followers from a single magazine article or radio/TV appearance, over time, regular press coverage will help you grow your following.

Find out: how to get press coverage for your business. 

8.Work with bloggers/influencers

Asking bloggers/influencers to promote your products/services can be a great way to grow your following. Ideally they need to have a larger audience than your own. But they don't need to have a massive audience for this to be effective. This can either be done on a paid basis or in exchange for free products/services.

Find out more about working with bloggers/influencers.

9. Speak at live events

Every time you stand up and speak in a room of your ideal customers/clients, you will attract new social media followers. So if you don't mind public speaking, why not give it a go?

Find out how to land more speaking opportunities.

10. Post the links to your social media channels everywhere

The more places you post the link to your social media profiles, the easier it will be for people to follow you. So make sure they’re on your email signature, website, any landing pages you create...and basically anywhere you show up online.

Podcast shownotes

  • Why you need to post engaging content that makes people feel something (2:48)
  • How to get followers by posting memorable, inspiring content (7:08)
  • Why your social media bio needs to be compelling and understandable (10:44)
  • Why you should break the ‘rules’ of the platform and post your own original content  (11:35)
  • Why you should spend time on other peoples’ social media accounts (19:59)
  • Hashtag strategies you can use to increase engagement and followers (25:05)
  • How to grow your followers by collaborating with other social media accounts (28:50)
  • How to use press coverage to get more followers (but it needs to be consistent coverage) (33:30)
  • How to work with influencers that have a bigger audience to reach new followers (37:34)
  • How speaking opportunities can help grow your social media following (40:11)
  • Where to put your social media platform links so that people can find you (40:29)
  • Why follower numbers are a vanity metric and sales and engagement are more important (40:54)
  • Why you need to build an engaged audience before using Facebook ads  (44:08)

Resources

John Espiran LinkedIn
Jo Watson LinkedIn
Natalie Lue Instagram
Simon Bourne LinkedIn
Cath Janes Facebook
Kate Lister LinkedIn
Neon Marl
Arii
Journo request
Five easy ways to get press coverage (blog)

[161] How to work with bloggers and influencers with Kat Molesworth (podcast)
[309] How to go viral on Twitter with Kerry Jordan  (podcast)
[329] What’s working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville (podcast)
[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast)
[358] 13 ideas for engaging social media posts (podcast)
[362] How to grow your Instagram to 27K- fast (podcast)
[363] Five ways to bust through an audience growth plateau (podcast)
[369] Why opinionated content works well for your Facebook page (and how to do it well) (podcast)
[370] How sharing personal experiences can boost engagement on your Facebook page (podcast)
[372] How to build an engaged online audience (podcast)

Preorder your 2020 Media Diary here

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

Build Your Audience Programme

Buy your ticket for Build Your Audience Live

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

Sep 27, 2019

If you want to sell your products or services online you need to build a following. More social media followers, more website visitors and more email subscribers. So when you do have something to sell you have an 'audience' of people who already know, like and trust you - which means they're far more likely to buy. But building an engaged audience takes time, With that in mind, here's the answers to the most common questions I get on asked on building an online audience. 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

1.What exactly is an online audience? 

Your ‘audience’ is the people who engage with your online content e.g. social media, blog/vlog/podcast, email marketing.

2. Why do I need to build an online audience? 

You don’t NEED to have an online audience. You can choose to market your business completely offline if you wish. But if you want to to do business online, you do need an online audience - otherwise who are you going to sell your products/services to? 

3. When's the best time to start building myonline audience?

If you want to sell online, the ideal time to start building your audience is way before your product/service goes on sale. That way, you'll already have built relationships with prospective customers/clients - which means you're far more likely to make sales.

4. What size does your online audience need to be?

This depends on your sales goals. The average conversion rate for online sales is 1-2%.

Which means for every 100 people on your email list, only a small number will actually buy from you.

If you’re a coach selling 1-2-1 coaching and need 20 clients a year, you may only need a thousand or so on your email list. If you sell lower-priced products or online courses/memberships you’ll almost certainly need to shoot for 10k or beyond. So whatever it is you’re selling…you almost certainly need a much bigger audience than you think.

To find out what size your audience needs to be right now, check out my audience calculator   

5. What is the best way to measure your audience numbers?

Some people think your audience is the number of social media followers, readers of your blog or listeners to your podcast. But while you may make the odd sale on social media - or from your blog/podcast/Youtube channel - the majority of sales will happen in your inbox. PLUS it’s almost impossible to reliably predict and track income from sales on social media. 

This is why building your email list is the single most important thing you can do in your business. Which means the number of engaged email subscribers you have on your list is the most reliable measure of audience size.  

In order to build your email list, you need an audience of people who engage with your content (otherwise how are you going to get people to join your email list?). This is why I recommend starting by building your audience on social media, then moving on to content (e.g.blog, podcast./Youtube) before tackling email marketing. And that’s exactly what I cover in my Build Your Online Audience Programme

6. How do I find out where my ideal audience is hanging out online? (so I can find more people like them) 

 Just ask them. Find 10 of your ideal clients/customers and ask them where they spend time online. Then start sharing some content on that platform and test and tweak accordingly (see the next question). 

7. How do I find out what kind of content my audience would like me to share? 

Just ask them. Find 10 of your ideal clients/customers and ask them what they would like to hear about. But don’t just leave it at that. People sometimes tell you what they think you want to hear. Which means you’ll need to test and tweak different types of content until you figure out what works best (i.e. what gets the most engagement). And do remember that it’s not about numbers of followers/likes. Your best measure of success is comments and conversations. 

Bonus tip: Making a list of your most frequently asked questions is an easy way to generate content ideas for your audience.  This can be turned into ten blog posts/podcast episodes/Youtube videos and/or social media posts. Also look at your competitors - those who are have a bigger audience than you.  What the more you understand about the type of content that captures your ideal clients’ attention, the better placed you’ll be to create your own engaging content. 

8. I want to launch an online course/membership programme or a live event. Do I need to build my audience before I launch? 

Ideally yes. Otherwise who are you going to sell to? People often think they can use cold ads. But ask yourself this: when’s the last time you invested in an online course/membership or live event after seeing an ad? While there are always exceptions, most of us need to get to know, like and trust someone before we hand over our hard-earned cash. Which is why it’s generally best to start building your audience organically before you start using advertising. If you have the budget to hire a strategist and/or a testing budget for ads, a Facebook ad campaign can work, but you’ll still need to ‘warm up’ your audience before they’ll buy from you with content. 

Find out: how to build an audience for an online course/membership. 

9. Do I need to be active on every social media platform to make online sales? 

While it’s tempting to think you need to be active on every single platform, it’s much better to start with one or two. Once you’ve mastered those, and understand what works, you can replicate your strategy on other platforms. Spread yourself too thin, and could wind up being ineffective on multiple social media platforms (and wasting time and money in the process).

Podcast shownotes

  • About this podcast (2:47)
  • What is an ’online audience’ (and why it needs to be bigger than you think) (3:11)
  • Why an email list is essential if you want to make a regular profit in your business (8:10)
  • Why you need more than social media to build an engaged online audience (09:05)
  • How to build your online audience without overwhelming yourself (10:10)
  • How to find out where your online audience is (13:34)
  • Why finding out your audiences problems will help you create content that will engage your audience (15:22)
  • Why sharing  personal content will engage your online audience (22:20)
  • How to create engaging content for a product based business without being selly (24:15)
  • Why you should think about building your online audience as early as possible in your business (26:01)
  • Why you should start with one social media platform to build an engaged audience and then think about other platforms (29:45)

Resources

[333] 39 Surprisingly easy ways to increase your email subscribers (podcast)
[334] How to build a large audience without paid advertising with Callie Willows (podcast)
[335] How to create a high-converting lead magnet (podcast)
[337] The tools I am using to build my online audience (podcast)
[339] How to build an audience for an online course or membership (podcast)
[358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (podcast)
[363] Five ways to bust through an audience growth plateau (podcast)

Audience Calculator

Build Your Audience Programme

Buy your ticket for Build Your Audience Live

Order your 2019 Media Diary

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Sep 22, 2019

Want to improve your Facebook page engagement? 

Creating a strategy that sets out what you’re going to post, when and where will help a lot. 

This doesn’t need to be complicated. You just need to decide on the following 

  • How regularly you are going to post on your Facebook page 
  • What days and times you are going to post
  • What kind of content you are going to share 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

Remember that creating a strategy is just the first step. You’ll need to post consistently. And you’ll need to experiment - tweaking and testing your content to improve your results. You may also wish to start experimenting with other things e.g. best days and times to post your content and tweak accordingly. 

Do this one thing

Write down the answers to the following questions (what gets written down gets done).

  1. How regularly are you going to post on your Facebook page  (I’d recommend at least 3-5 times a week)
  2. What days and times are you going to post? (you can always change this)
  3. What kind of content are you going to share?

Personally I would recommend scheduling on Facebook or posting organically rather than using a scheduling tool. 

For accountability, share your answers to these three questions in the Facebook group (we have a dedicated thread for this).

Take part in my 7 day Facebook challenge here

Join the Facebook Challenge group 

Podcast shownotes

  • How to take part in the Facebook page engagement challenge when it has finished (01:15)

 

Previous Facebook Challenge Podcasts

  1. I need to know this [367]
  2. I know about that [368]
  3. This is what I think [369]
  4. I know how that feels  [370]

[365] Day 1 Why your Facebook page isn’t getting enough engagement (and what to do about it) (podcast)
[366] Day 2 What to post on your Facebook page to get more engagement(podcast)
[367] Day 3 Why 'value' posts are not enough to get engagement on your Facebook page (podcast)
[368] Day 4 How asking questions can help you get you engagement on your Facebook page (podcast)
[369] Day 5 Why opinionated content works well for your Facebook page (and how to do it well)  (podcast)
[370] Day 6 How sharing personal experiences can boost engagement on your Facebook page(podcast)

Resources

[329] What’s working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville (podcast)
[334] How to build a large audience without paid advertising with Callie Willows (podcast)
[352] How to sell in a Facebook Group without annoying your members (podcast)
[357] How to transform your Facebook group from ghost town to garden party(podcast)
[358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (podcast)
[361] 15 post ideas for your Facebook group (podcast)

Build Your Audience Programme

Buy your ticket for Build Your Audience Live

Order your 2019 Media Diary

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Sep 21, 2019

Over the past few days, I’ve shared with you the  four types of post that will attract engagement on your Facebook page. These are: 

  1. I need to know this
  2. I know about that 
  3. This is what I think 
  4. I know how that feels 

Over the past few days you’ve tackled the first three types of content.  Today I want to go a bit deeper on the fourth kind of content and get you to publish an engaging ‘I know how that feels’ post.

However there is an art to getting engagement on this kind of content and in this podcast episode I’ll show you how.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

People also love to share their experiences/advice, which is why more vulnerable, personal content works well. This is why posts on my training for the London Marathon (including injuries and setbacks) tend to get more engagement than any of my business posts.

When you share personal content, over time, you build up a narrative and take people on a journey with you - something that  can be very powerful.

 

Marathon photo

 

Remember this does not mean you have to share your deepest, darkest secrets - one of the most popular ‘I know how that feels’ posts I created was round-up of my most embarrassing headshots (we all know how it feels to look at an embarrassing old photo of ourselves). 

But people like to do business with people. If you’re willing to share a little of the person behind the business you’ll get much better engagement on your page. And when people feel connected to you through a shared experience - or just being able to relate to your feelings - they’re far more likely to want to be your customer.  

Do this one thing

Create a short ‘I know how that feels’ style Facebook post which encourages people to share their thoughts/experiences.  Ideally, choose a topic you can people will actually care about and make it easy for people to respond (as shown in the example above). 

Many of the engagement strategies I share above (e.g. asking questions, giving a narrow range of choices) can work for this type of post, but if your post is powerful enough, you may not need to use them at all. Experiment and see what works. 

Tip:Photographs, video and images are all great for engagement. 

Next, chivvy up your Facebook Engagement Tribe and get them commenting on your post. While no one truly knows how the algorithm works, many believe that comments made in the first 15 minutes of posting have the biggest impact (and that’s certainly been my experience) so get to work! 

Finally, share your post in the Facebook group to get feedback from myself and others in the group (we have a dedicated thread for each day).

Take part in my 7 day Facebook challenge here

Join the Facebook Challenge group 

Podcast shownotes

Previous Facebook Challenge Podcasts

  1. I need to know this [367]
  2. I know about that [368]
  3. This is what I think [369] 
  4. I know how that feels  [370] 

[365] Day 1 Why your Facebook page isn’t getting enough engagement (and what to do about it) (podcast)
[366] Day 2 What to post on your Facebook page to get more engagement(podcast)
[367] Day 3 Why 'value' posts are not enough to get engagement on your Facebook page (podcast)
[368] Day 4 How asking questions can help you get you engagement on your Facebook page (podcast)
[369] Day 5 Why opinionated content works well for your Facebook page (and how to do it well)  (podcast)

Resources

[329] What’s working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville (podcast)
[334] How to build a large audience without paid advertising with Callie Willows (podcast)
[352] How to sell in a Facebook Group without annoying your members (podcast)
[357] How to transform your Facebook group from ghost town to garden party(podcast)
[358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (podcast)
[361] 15 post ideas for your Facebook group (podcast)

Build Your Audience Programme

Buy your ticket for Build Your Audience Live

Order your 2019 Media Diary

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Sep 20, 2019

People love to share their ideas - particularly on divisive topics. That’s why content that asks people to state their opinions generally works well on your Facebook page. 

I generally refer to this as ‘This is what I think’ content. 

This is one of four types of content that generate lots of engagement. 

 

  1. I need to know this
  2. I know about that 
  3. This is what I think 
  4. I know how that feels 

However there is an art to getting engagement on this kind of content and in this podcast episode I’ll show you how. 

 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.

 

People love to share their opinions, but they’re also busy, so the trick to getting engagement on this kind of content is to make it as easy as possible for people to comment by giving them a narrow set of choices, as in this example where Rosie asked her followers where they stood on using reins with toddlers.. If you can’t see it, click here. 

bag

 

The crucial thing is to pick subjects people actually care about and avoid sitting on the fence. Making a bold statement like ‘Reins for toddlers. Essential or evil?’ commands attention. 

 

teddy

 

Do this one thing

 

Create a short ‘This is what I think’ style Facebook post which encourages people to share their  opinion on something. Choose a topic people will actually care about and make it easy for people to respond (as shown in the example above). 


Don’t forget a single call for action. 

Next, chivvy up your Facebook Engagement Tribe and get them commenting on your post. While no one truly knows how the algorithm works, many believe that comments made in the first 15 minutes of posting have the biggest impact (and that’s certainly been my experience) so get to work! 

 

Finally, share your post in the Facebook group to get feedback from myself and others in the group (we have a dedicated thread for each day).

 

Take part in my 7 day Facebook challenge here

Join the Facebook Challenge group 

Podcast shownotes

  • How to take part in the Facebook page engagement challenge when it has finished (01:04
  • How to create a ‘This is what I think content’ post for your Facebook page (2:35)
  • Why you need to make it easy for people to engage with your Facebook post (2:58)
  • How to choose a topic for a ‘This is what I think content’ Facebook post (4:14)
  • Why making it simple for people to respond will increase engagement on your Facebook page (4:21)
  • How being bold in your opinion can really help you get good engagement. (4:40)
  • How to link your content topic back to your product or service  (6:02)
  • What you need to do for the challenge for this podcast (7:01)

 

Previous Facebook Challenge Podcasts
[365] Day 1 Why your Facebook page isn’t getting enough engagement (and what to do about it)(podcast)
[366] Day 2 What to post on your Facebook page to get more engagement(podcast)
[367] Day 3 Why 'value' posts are not enough to get engagement on your Facebook page(podcast)
[368] Day 4 How asking questions can help you get you engagement on your Facebook page(podcast)

Resources

[329] What’s working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville (podcast)
[334] How to build a large audience without paid advertising with Callie Willows (podcast)
[352] How to sell in a Facebook Group without annoying your members(podcast)
[357] How to transform your Facebook group from ghost town to garden party(podcast)
[358]13 Ideas for engaging social media posts(podcast)
[361] 15 post ideas for your Facebook group(podcast)

Build Your Audience Programme

Buy your ticket for Build Your Audience Live

Order your 2019 Media Diary

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

Sep 19, 2019

Asking questions can be a great way to get engagement on your Facebook  page.

People love to share their ideas, so content that asks people to state their preferences generally works a treat.  This can be anything from asking people which version of your new logo they prefer, to whether you should stock the blue or red handbag in your Etsy shop to whether they like to have an iron provided when they stay in a holiday cottage.

I generally refer to this as ‘I know about this’ content. 

This is one of four types of content that generate lots of engagement. 

 

  1. I need to know this
  2. I know about that 
  3. This is what I think 
  4. I know how that feels 

 

However there is an art to getting engagement on this kind of content and in this podcast episode I’ll show you how.

 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

 

If you want people to respond to ‘I know about this’ posts, you have to give them clear choices 

e.g. A, B, C or D, yes/no, agree/disagree - or even ask them to respond with emojis.I generally refer to these as short/two tap answer posts. 

 

Here is an example of a post I shared which attracted 115 comments (can’t see the image, click here). All respondents had to do was state whether they were interested in getting a copy of my social media engagement playbook when it was ready (with a ‘Y’ or ‘N’). 

post

 In this example, I asked for feedback on the artwork for an upcoming masterclass (which was available for members to buy) stating a preference of 1, 2, 3 or 4. 

 

post

 

Not only do short/two tap answer posts make it super quick for people to engage, they don’t have to think too hard about what to say - which means they’re far more likely to respond.

Occasionally someone warns me that the Facebook/LinkedIn algorithm penalises content like this i.e. content that encourages short/two tap answers. I have no idea if this is true, but I actually think it’s pretty irrelevant. Once someone has responded to you, you can - and should - go back and ask them an additional question/encourage them to give you more information e.g ‘Interesting…why does that one appeal the most (if you don’t mind me asking’).

So it’s easy to turn a short/two tap answer posts into a conversation. And conversations are exactly what you should be aiming for with all your social media content. 

I wouldn’t advise you to use short/two tap answer postsall the time -it’s definitely important to vary your content - but they can be a great tool to encourage engagement, particularly when you’re trying to boost the engagement in your page. 

 

Do this one thing

 

Create a short ‘I know about this’ style Facebook post where you share a useful piece of content which encourages people to share their opinion on something.

 

Next, chivvy up your Facebook Engagement Tribe and get them commenting on your post. While no one truly knows how the algorithm works, many believe that comments made in the first 15 minutes of posting have the biggest impact (and that’s certainly been my experience) so get to work!

Finally, share your post in the Facebook group to get feedback from myself and others in the group (we have a dedicated thread for each day).

Take part in my 7 day Facebook challenge here
Join the Facebook Challenge group 

 

Podcast shownotes

  • How to take part in the Facebook page engagement challenge when it has finished (1:04).
  • Why asking questions is a great way to get engagement on your Facebook page (2:37)
  • How to create I know about that content for your Facebook page (3:10)
  • How to create posts with short or two tap answers for your Facebook page (3:40)
  • Why you should make it easy for people to respond to your Facebook posts (4:30)
  • How to get engagement with your audience by using quick short tap answers (5:05)
  • How to use short quick tap answer posts to create a buzz around a new product or service (5:55)

 

Previous Facebook Challenge Podcasts

[365] Day 1 Why your Facebook page isn’t getting enough engagement (and what to do about it) (podcast)
[366] Day 2 What to post on your Facebook page to get more engagement (podcast)
[367] Day 3 Why 'value' posts are not enough to get engagement on your Facebook page(podcast)

 

Resources

[329] What’s working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville (podcast)
[334] How to build a large audience without paid advertising with Callie Willows (podcast)
[352] How to sell in a Facebook Group without annoying your members (podcast)
[357] How to transform your Facebook group from ghost town to garden party (podcast)
[358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (podcast)
[361] 15 post ideas for your Facebook group (podcast)

Build Your Audience Programme

Buy your ticket for Build Your Audience Live

Order your 2019 Media Diary

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

Sep 17, 2019

Creating content that solves a problem for people is a great way to get engagement on your Facebook  page.

This can be anything from a vlog on how to pitch yourself as a podcast guest, an important piece of industry news,an amusing cat video  (making people laugh is definitely solving a problem). 

I generally refer to this as ‘I need to know this’ content. 

This is one of four types of content that generate lots of engagement. 

  1. I need to know this
  2. I know about that 
  3. This is what I think 
  4. I know how that feels 

However there is an art to getting engagement on this kind of content and in this podcast episode I’ll show you how. 

 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

 

Sharing content that solves your customers’ problems - or just makes their day easier - can be a great way to get engagement on your Facebook page. 

But it doesn’t matter how useful your new blog post is or how funny your cat video is, if you don’t create curiosity you’ll be lucky to get a few likes, shares and/or comments.

One really easy way to create curiosity is to ask a question that relates to the content you want to share. So, for example, I published a really podcast episode entitled 15 post ideas for your Facebook group.

Although this is a useful episode, when I just post a link to the episode I don’t get very much engagement. If I ask a question that relates to the subject of the podcast episode, I get far more engagement. I can still share the link to the episodes in the comments.

Other ideas for generating curiosity. 

  • Share a short clip from your podcast/vlog (rather than the whole episode) and ask people to predict what happens next 
  • Share a divisive quote from your blog post and ask people if they agree/disagree
  • Share a blooper from your vlog
  • Share a still/photograph and invite people to write a caption 
  • Summarise a piece of industry news and ask people if they agree/disagree

 

Do this one thing

 

Create a short ‘I need to know this’ style Facebook post where you share a useful piece of content that helps solve a problem for your audience (remember that entertaining people can be solving a problem). Instead of just posting a link, think about how you can create curiosity about your post using some of the strategies I’ve shared above (sure you will also have loads of your own - can’t wait to see them!).

Don’t forget to include a call-to-action

Next, chivvy up your Facebook Engagement Tribe and get them commenting on your post. While no one truly knows how the algorithm works, many believe that comments made in the first 15 minutes of posting have the biggest impact (and that’s certainly been my experience) so get to work! 

Finally, share your post in the Facebook group to get feedback from myself and others in the group (we have a dedicated thread for each day). 

 

Take part in my 7 day Facebook challenge here

Join the Facebook Challenge group 

Podcast shownotes

  • How to take part in the Facebook page engagement challenge when it has finished (01:06)
  • How to create engaging content for your Facebook page that adds value and solves a problem (2:40)
  • How to turn your Facebook post into a conversation and create curiosity so that people engage (3:10)
  • Ways that you can create curiosity and start a conversation on your Facebook posts (5:20)
  • What you need to do for the Facebook challenge for this podcast (07:27)
  • Why you should just include one Call to Action at the end of your Facebook post (07:59)
  • Why you need to get engagement in the first 15 minutes of a Facebook post (08:40)

 

Previous Facebook Challenge Podcasts
[365] Day 1 Why your Facebook page isn’t getting enough engagement (and what to do about it)(podcast)
[366] Day 2 What to post on your Facebook page to get more engagement(podcast)

 

Resources

[329] What’s working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville (podcast)
[334] How to build a large audience without paid advertising with Callie Willows (podcast)
[352] How to sell in a Facebook Group without annoying your members(podcast)
[357] How to transform your Facebook group from ghost town to garden party(podcast)
[358]13 Ideas for engaging social media posts(podcast)
[361] 15 post ideas for your Facebook group(podcast)

Build Your Audience Programme

Buy your ticket for Build Your Audience Live

Order your 2019 Media Diary

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

 

Sep 17, 2019

 If you’re struggling to get engagement on your Facebook page, you may be confused about what kind of content you should be posting. 

In this episode I share four types of Facebook page posts that generate lots of engagement. 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

Having tested hundreds of different types of content - on both my own account and my clients’ I’ve noticed there are four types of post that generally get more engagement.

  1. I need to know this
  2. I know about that 
  3. This is what I think 
  4. I know how that feels 

You may have spotted already that there’s a common theme: relatability. If you want people to engage with your content, it needs to be relatable - something that either solves a problem for them, they have experience of and/or an opinion on. 

Let me break that down for you. 

‘I need to know this’ content 

Creating content that solves a problem for people is a great way to get engagement. This can be anything from a vlog on how to pitch yourself as a podcast guest (link to blog post), an important piece of industry news (link to article on Twitter change of terms) to an amusing cat video (link to amusing cat video) (making people laugh is definitely solving a problem). However there is an art to getting engagement on this kind of content, which I’ll share with you tomorrow. 

‘I know about that’ content

People love to share their ideas, so content that asks people to state their opinions/preferences, generally works a treat.  This can be anything from asking people whether you should stock the handbag in blue or read to whether they like to have an iron in a holiday cottage to what they think of new laws that affect your industry. 

In the example below, I asked my audience which cover they preferred for my media diary:

 

N.B. You do need to be specific to get engagement on this kind of content and I’ll show you how to do that on Day 4 of the challenge. 

‘This is what I think’ content

People love to share their opinions - particularly on topics that are divisive. This is why posts like this one on whether you should put toddlers on reins  tend to perform better than other posts. 

 ‘I know how that feels’ content

People also love to share their experiences/advice, which is why more vulnerable, personal content works well. This post on picking up an injury during my London Marathon got more engagement than any of my business posts (as did many of my other marathon related posts). 

 

It’s worth remembering that Facebook is, primarily,  a ‘friends and family’ platform - which is why personal posts - of the kind you might post on your own Facebook wall - often do better on your Facebook well than business related posts. This is not to say you need to share your deepest, darkest secrets, but people like to do business with people. If you’re willing to share a little of the person behind the business you’ll get much better engagement on your page. 

Do this one thing

Brainstorm at least five ideas for each type of content. 

  1. I need to know this
  2. I know about that 
  3. This is what I think 
  4. I know how that feels 

Be brave and share them in our Facebook group  so you can get feedback from myself and other members of the group  (we have a dedicated thread for your ideas)

Podcast shownotes

  • How to take part in the challenge when it has finished (01:05)
  • The four types of posts that will generate Facebook page engagement (2:55)
  • How to create content for your Facebook page that adds value or solves a problem for your clients or customers (3:11)
  • How to ask people’s opinions to generate content and engagement (4:34)
  • How to create content by getting people’s opinions (especially if they disagree) (5:33)
  • How sharing relatable personal stories will increase engagement on your Facebook page (6:08)
  • Why you’ll get better engagement if your content is personally relatable rather than just about your business (06:58)
  • What you need to do for the challenge for this podcast (08:08)

Resources

Take part in my 7 day Facebook challenge here

Join the Facebook Challenge group 

[365] Day 1 Why your Facebook page isn’t getting enough engagement (and what to do about it)(podcast)

[329] What’s working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville (podcast)
[334] How to build a large audience without paid advertising with Callie Willows (podcast)
[352] How to sell in a Facebook Group without annoying your members(podcast)
[357] How to transform your Facebook group from ghost town to garden party(podcast)
[358]13 Ideas for engaging social media posts(podcast)
[361 15 post ideas for your Facebook group(podcast)

Build Your Audience Programme

Buy your ticket for Build Your Audience Live

Order your 2019 Media Diary

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

Sep 16, 2019

Are you frustrated by the lack of engagement with your Facebook page? 

You’re posting regularly but your reach is poor. Your posts are only attracting a handful of likes and comments - leaving you wondering if it’s worth having a page at all. 

If this sounds like you, the first thing you need to know is that it’s nothing to do with the Facebook algorithm and everything to do with the kind of content you’re sharing.

Which means there is a lot you can do to improve your engagement (without spending a penny on advertising). 

If this sounds familiar, you’ll love my seven episode podcast series on how to improve your Facebook page engagement.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

This episode is part of a seven episode challenge to help you improve your Facebook page engagement. You can read more about the challenge here. 

Why your Facebook page isn’t getting enough engagement (and what to do about it)

If you’re not getting engagement on your Facebook page, it’s easy to blame the algorithm (i.e. the complicated - and super top secret - mathematical equation Facebook uses to determine how many people your content is shown to). 

The truth is, if you’re engagement stinks, it’s nothing to do with the Facebook algorithm and everything to do with the kind of content you’re sharing (plus how you’re sharing it). 

The good news is, there is a LOT you can do to improve your Facebook page engagement (without spending a penny on advertising). 

But the first thing you need to know is that posting great content is not enough. You also need to ‘train’ the Facebook algorithm to recognise your content as important so it will show it to more people. How do you do that? By getting engagement on your posts in the form of likes and comments. 

If you’re currently struggling to attract likes and comments, this might seem like a ‘chicken and egg’ situation. If you not many people are commenting on your content, others are likely to want to comment either.

But the answer is surprisingly simple; instead of sitting back and hoping someone will comment on your content...you need to go out and find people to comment on your content. 

Do this one thing 

Make a list of 15 people  you can ask to comment on your content for the duration of the challenge (and beyond if you can). This is your Facebook Engagement Tribe.  Ideally these will be your ideal customers, but if this is not possible, just do what you can to get some engagement going on your page. You can even get together with a group of fellow business owners and comment on each others’ posts - that way everyone benefits. 

It may take a while for Facebook to catch on that your posts are valuable and start showing them to more people - which is why it’s important to be patient.

Remember, also, that it’s not just about the algorithm. Your Facebook page is your shop window; if people look you up online and see you’re effectively broadcasting to an audience of none, they will assume (rightly or wrongly) your business is not successful. If they see engagement - in the form of likes and comments (even if they do initially come from your best friend!) they’re much more likely to take you seriously.

Resources

Take part in my 7 day Facebook challenge here

Build Your Audience Programme

Order your 2019 Media Diary

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

Sep 13, 2019

Do you ever have clients or customers who seem impossible to please? If you’re a coach or consultant, these typically show up as clients who sign up to work with you…and then don’t do the work. But somehow they try to make it feel like it's all your fault. 

If you have a product-based business, these are generally the ones who ask for discounts and refunds - often without justification. These kind of people can be a huge drain on your energy - and your time.

In this episode I share practical strategies for dealing with difficult clients and customers.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

Podcast shownotes

  • How setting the ground rules can help reduce complaints (4:46)
  • Why prevention is better than cure by managing expectations of clients (5:46)
  • How setting boundaries can reduce your workload and manage client expectations (6:45)
  • How to create a fairplay agreement for your guidelines and learn about mine (13:25)
  • How having your FAQs on your sales page can help if a customer is dissatisfied(14:08)
  • How communicating well and monitoring your communications can help protect against unhappy clients (16:48)
  • How creating key blog posts in a membership can improve a client experience (18:10)
  • How anticipating potential problems will help prevent problems with clients (22:39)
  • How to use a discovery call with a potential client to decide if you can work with them (24:45)
  • How to defuse a situation with an unhappy client (28:00)
  • How putting the onus back on the customer can help de escalate a situation (29:38)
  • How to deal with someone who complains by showering them with love (33:17)
  • Why you shouldn’t be afraid to refund people and let them go (36:20)

Resources

Jay Baer Hug your haters

How to get the most out of the Build Your Audience Office Hour

How to get the most out of your Build Your Audience membership 

Take part in my 7 day Facebook challenge here

[202] Behind the scenes of my membership community (podcast)

[219] How to get your ideal clients to fall in love with you with Laura Pearman (podcast)

[281] How to find new clients or customers fast (podcast)

[351] How to get corporate clients (and why you should) with Dylis Guyan (blog post)

Lost your mojo with your membership community? Here's how to get it back. (blog post)

How to add captions to your video using Kapwing and Rev.com (blog post)

Build Your Audience Programme

Order your 2019 Media Diary

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Sep 6, 2019

If you’re struggling to grow your audience on social media, the temptation is to keep trying more and more new marketing strategies. 

But this can often leave you feeling overwhelmed and overworked. And when you’re spreading yourself too thin - you can end up doing lots of things not very well - which can actually stunt your audience growth. 

If this sounds familiar, you’ll love this podcast episode on how to bust through an audience growth plateau. 

In it, I show you how doing things differently (rather than doing more) can help you kickstart your audience growth.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

1. Focus on one platform 

If you’re struggling to build your audience on social media, it may be because you’re spreading yourself too thin. Focusing on growing your audience on one social media platform means you can go deep on all the features of that platform - and experiment with different strategies - rather than ‘dabbling’ with three or four. 

This doesn’t mean you can’t post on other social media platforms at all; you can always repurpose some of the content from your main platform. But putting 90% of your efforts into one platform will almost certainly help you grow quicker. 

For example, the Instagram expert Kat Coroy focuses her social media efforts solely on Instagram - which has allowed her to sell thousands of her online course Instagram Makeover. 

The LinkedIn expert Helen Pritchard focuses solely on LinkedIn - allowing her to attract hundreds of students to her LinkedIn Bootcamp. 

Love and London (an online resource for visitors to London) has over 100,000 subscribers to its YouTube channel. But while its founder Jess Dante has a presence on most social media platforms, her key focus is on Instagram - freeing her up to create high quality content and serve her existing clients.

2. Focus on engagement not numbers 

When you’re building an online audience, it’s tempting to think it’s all about the numbers. Which means focusing on building funnels and automating everything you can, right?

Wrong. 

Numbers are important (the average conversion rate for online sales is just 1-2% which means most people need a much bigger audience than they think). But what you actually need to build is relationships.

So if you’re focusing on building funnels and automation - over having real conversations with your prospective customers/clients - on social media and in your DMs if necessary - your audience growth will almost certainly plateau. 

Building your audience is actually about building relationships. And you build this relationship one at a time.

3. Share more personal content 

People like to do business with people they like. So if you’re hiding away behind your laptop - or in your studio - you’re missing out on the chance to build relationships with prospective (and existing) customers. 

This isn’t about sharing your personal secrets - or airing your dirty laundry in public. It’s about creating connection points when you realise you share common ground with your followers.

For example, fashion illustrator Zoe Georgiou, said she decided to join my Build Your Audience membership programme after she came to one of my meet-ups and found me warm and welcoming (not the ‘hard-nosed businesswoman ‘she’d expected). But what nailed it was when I revealed I also hated tomato ketchup. Finding those areas of commonality and creating those ‘that happened to me too’ moments can be crucial for building your audience. 

And as Marsha Shandur points out in our podcast interview on how to use stories to attract your ideal clients, when you’re willing to be vulnerable and admit your life isn’t perfect, that’s when people often feel they can connect with you.

4. ‘Borrow’ other peoples’ audiences

Creating guest content for other peoples’ audiences e.g. guest blog posts, guest teaching sessions and virtual summits can be a great way to grow your audience - by tapping into other peoples’ audiences. 

There are pros and cons for each, but for me, by far the best way to do this is through podcast guest interviews. 

Being a podcast guest is a great way to get in front of your ideal customers/clients - and build your audience - fast. 

It’s much quicker than writing a guest blog post (most podcast interviews last between 30-60 mins) - which means you can potentially do several a week. 

It’s also a great way to build new relationships quicker. 

There’s something about being in someone’s earbuds that’s much more intimate than the written word. Which means that by the end of a thirty minute interview, people often feel they know, like and trust you enough to visit your website, download your free resources and/or even buy your products/service. 

And the best thing is, every time you appear on someone else’s podcast, you’re getting in front of a brand new audience - an audience you haven’t had to build yourself.

So if you set yourself a target to do three interviews a week, you could potentially build your audience by thousands - in a relatively short space of time.

Here’s how to pitch yourself as a podcast guest. 

5. Show up ‘in person’

Hosting a live event can be a great way to connect with your prospective customer/clients. There is something really powerful about meeting someone in person. You can create a much better rapport - and do it faster - than you can online. 

This doesn’t mean you have to put on a large live event.  A small meet up can be just as effective.

And if that really isn’t possible, you can add a personal touch by sending a voicemail or using a tool like Bonjoro. 

Key takeaway

Building an online audience can be tough and it is perfectly normal to hit a plateau. In fact, this can happen at any stage in your business. But if you can swap your a ‘funnel’ mindset for a ‘feeling’ mindset - using some of the ideas shared in this post - you’ll bust through your audience growth plateau quicker. 

Podcast shownotes

  • Why you need to think differently when you hit an audience growth plateau (2:50)
  • Why focusing on one platform will help you grow quicker  (04:09)
  • Examples of people that use one social media platform media really well  07:03
  • Why focusing on the engagement and not numbers will help grow your audience (10:32)
  • Steps to take on your platforms if you’ve fallen into an audience growth plateau (12:10)
  • Why conversations and engaging on social media can help grow your audience (14:55)
  • How sharing personal stories will help you connect with your audience (15:55)
  • How to choose the content topics that you post about  (19:00)
  • How ‘borrowing’ other people’s audiences can get you in front of a new audience (24:12)
  • How being a podcast guest can help you grow a new audience (and bonus tips) (25:59)
  • Why showing up in person  can help you connect and grow your audience (28:57)

Resources

Download 50 ways to build your online audience

Kat Coroy online course Instagram Makeover.
Kat Coroy Kat Coroy website 
Helen Pritchard  LinkedIn Bootcamp
Jess Dante YouTube  Love and London
Kate Lister florist Instagram
Julia Day The Independent Girls Collective
Voicemail tool Bonjoro

[190] How to pitch yourself as a podcast guest (and why you need to) (podcast)

[196] How to get more engagement on Instagram with Sara Tasker (podcast)

[253] How to land guest appearances on podcasts with Nicole Holland (podcast) 

[341] How to use stories to attract your ideal clients with Marsha Shandur  (podcast)

[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast)

[353] How to grow your audience through Instagram Stories with Tyler McCall (podcast)

[358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (for when you’re all out of ideas) (podcast)

[362] How to grow your Instagram following to 27K - fast (podcast)

How to add closed captions to your videos using Rev and Kapwing (blog post)

Buy your ticket to my 2020 Content Planning Masterclass #2020Sorted

Build Your Audience Programme

How to write awesome sales copy

How to create a high converting lead magnet course

Order your special offer 2019 Media Diary 

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook 

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

 

Aug 29, 2019

Are you struggling to build your audience on Instagram? You're posting regularly but you're not getting as much engagement as you'd like (or sales). Everything just seems SO slow....

Or maybe you're thinking about using Instagram to promote your business...and would love some tips/tactics on how to make best use of the platform.

If any of that sounds familiar you’ll love this podcast interview with Chris Taylor.

In it, he shares how he's grown his Instagram following from just 500 to 27k since last year.

He's super candid about the tactics he's used and has this rare talent of making it all sound so simple. I tried one of his tactics immediately after the interview and 3x the reach on my next post.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

Podcast Shownotes

  • How Chris started in social media and Instagram  (2:56)
  • Practical strategies you can use to grow your  Instagram following (08:10)
  • How spending an hour on Instagram can help build your relationships (11:32)
  • How to find out what content your followers want to see  on Instagram (13:07) 
  • How to use hashtags on Instagram to engage with other people’s content (and how you can build your authority (17:03)
  • Why social media is now the main marketing platform for small to medium-sized businesses (21:20)
  • Why hashtags are important on Instagram and the best way to use them (22:30)
  • How to use hashtags strategically on Instagram (and why you need to pre engage before posting) (23:40)
  • How to use hashtags like a domino effect for your post reach (and go viral) (28:15)
  • What tools you can use for hashtag research (30:18)
  • Step by step example of hashtag research for a post on Instagram (33:01)
  • How to get as much engagement as possible on your Instagram posts (36:04)
  • Why Instagram is no longer about the image and it’s the content that can make the biggest difference (41:07)
  • How to use Instagram Stories to authentically engage with your audience (46:05)
  • How getting rid of the money mindset can get you results on social media (52:40)
  • Why you need to spend time on your social media to get the results you want (1:01:15)

Resources

Chris Taylor Instagram

Tools that Chris uses for hashtag research: Social Report, Social Blade, Rite tag

[196] How to get more engagement on Instagram with Sara Tasker (podcast)

[318] How to write compelling email copy (podcast)

[335] How to create a high converting lead magnet (podcast)

[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast)

[353] How to grow your audience through Instagram Stories with Tyler McCall (podcast)

[358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (for when you’re all out of ideas) (podcast)

How to add closed captions to your videos using Rev and Kapwing (blog post)

Buy your ticket to my 2020 Content Planning Masterclass #2020Sorted

Build Your Audience Programme

Special offer - How to write awesome sales copy

How to create a high converting lead magnet course

Order your special offer 2019 Media Diary 

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook 

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

The post [362] How to grow your Instagram following to 27k - fast appeared first on Janet Murray.

Aug 22, 2019

Do you ever feel all out of ideas for your Facebook group? 

Or maybe you’re just tired of posting the same old stuff and/or looking for ideas to boost engagement in your group. 

This list of go-to posts will you keep you going...even when you’re feeling at your most uninspired. 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

 

1. Opinions please

Got a new product/service to launch? Ask your members to help you decide on the name/title, which logo design you should use and/or which colour you should stock it in. 

2. Win of the week 

Ask your members to share their biggest ‘win’ of the week. Great for a Friday morning post. 

3. The big promotion 

Invite your members to share something they want to shout about. This could be anything from a new product or service they’re launching to an achievement they are proud of. To avoid people spamming your group with sales pitches, this is best restricted to a specific day/date.

4. Your week in emojis

Ask your members to describe their day/week in three emojis. 

5. Shout out

‘Shout out’ member successes. For best results, shout out several members at a time and tag them into your post. 

6. Honesty time

Invite your members to share one thing they are struggling with right now - something they might feel awkward about sharing outside of the group. 

7. In the news

Is there a news story everyone is talking about right now? Ask your members what they think about it. Bonus tip: don’t share a link to an article someone else has written about it - explain it in your own words (or on video). 

8. Emoji review

Invite your members to review your latest blog post, podcast episode, Youtube video - or your latest Facebook Live video in the group - using just three emojis. 

9. The winning shot

Just had a new set of headshots taken for your business? Share your favourites and ask your followers to vote on their winning shot. You can do the same with product photography. 

10. Home sweet home

Ask your members to post the name of the town/city where they live (or a photo/video). 

11. My favourite place 

Invite your members to share a photo or video of their favourite spot in their home/office. 

12. Sneak peek

Give a sneak peek of a new product/service you’re working on. 

13. Quick tutorial

Shoot a quick ‘how to’ video tutorial showing for your members on a specific topic e.g. how to light their smartphone videos (without any fancy equipment), how to wrap an awkward shaped gift or how to knock up a nativity costume for your child in 30 mins. 

14. Oops I did it again

Share the outtakes from your latest social media video or podcast recording. Or share the pictures that didn’t make it to your feed (e.g. the cat walking across your Instagram flatlay). 

15. Can you guess what it is? 

Share a tool/resource you use in your work and get your members to guess what you use it for. 

Want more? Head over and download the full 31 ideas here. 

Want to go more indepth then head over to my Facebook group engagement Masterclass that you can buy here.

If you are struggling to get engagement on social media then you can buy my social media engagement playbook here.

Podcast shownotes

  • How to sell and create a buzz in your group by asking for feedback on your products (01:44)
  • How to celebrate your group members’ successes and create engagement (3:27)
  • Why you should give members a specific day to promote their own business (04:17)
  • How emojis can be used to get everyone talking (05:28)
  • How to inspire other members by doing a member shout out and share success (5:40)
  • How encouraging honesty amongst members can support members and create engagement  (07:15)
  • How to use a current news story that divides opinion in your Facebook group (and why you should tell it in your own words) (08:28)
  • How to use recent business photos to create engagement (10:34)
  • How you can create engagement just from asking about places (11:51)
  • Why you should get people to share their behind the scenes  (12:57)
  • Why you need to have one clear call to action on your Facebook group post (13:25)
  • How to create content in your Facebook group by being helpful (14:00) 
  • How to get your Facebook group engaged by sharing the bits that go wrong in your business (15:11)
  • Why you need to keep an eye on your content and change it if it’s not working (16:17) 
  • How the Facebook algorithm favours content in groups with comments (17:40)

 

Resources

Record your screen with Loom
Edit photos with Snapseed
How to do an iTunes review

[192] How to get more engagement on your Facebook page (podcast)[318] How to write compelling email copy (podcast)[320] How to host a Christmas sale on Facebook Live (podcast)[329] What's working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville (podcast)[335] How to create a high converting lead magnet (podcast)[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast)[357] How to transform your Facebook page from ghost town to garden party (podcast)

[358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (for when you’re all out of ideas) (podcast)

How to add closed captions to your videos using Rev and Kapwing (blog post)

Buy your ticket to my 2020 Content Planning Masterclass #2020Sorted

Build Your Audience Programme

How to create a high converting lead magnet course

Order your special offer 2019 Media Diary 

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook 

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

The post [361] 15 post ideas for your Facebook group appeared first on Janet Murray.

1 2 Next »