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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/
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Now displaying: Category: Blog
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 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 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 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.

Aug 16, 2019

If you want to get people to open your marketing emails, you need to write compelling email subject headers.

But what makes a great email subject header? Which words and phrases make people more likely to open your emails? And which ones should you avoid?

That's exactly what I cover in this podcast episode on how to get people to open your emails. It’s packed with tips, tricks and examples you can use to improve your email open rate.

{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}

Before you get started, here’s a bit of tough love for you. I wish I could give you one strategy or one blueprint you could follow to get people to open your emails. But as every audience is different, I’m afraid I can’t do that.

What I can do is share the strategies that work really well for me, for my clients, and for others in the industry. But if you want to improve your email open rates, you're going to have to be brave, you're going to have to be courageous, and you're going to have to go and test things out and see what works for you.

1. Make a list of what keeps your ideal client (or newsletter reader) up at night

The first thing you need to understand is that people don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons. So if you want to write effective email subject headers, you need to understand your prospective clients' emotions. That’s why I recommend starting by making a list of your ideal clients’ problems and their worries. For example, my prospective clients often tell me they’re worried their clients are going to dry up, that they struggle to stick to a consistent content publishing/schedule and that they feel overwhelmed by all the marketing options out there. The more I can understand that, the better placed I’ll be to write great email subject headers that will get them to open my emails.

2. Don’t be vanilla

Most of us have overflowing inboxes. We only open things that pique our interest.

So if you want to increase your email open rate - and increase your sales - you've got to be courageous. That means no playing it safe with boring and/or ‘vanilla’ email subject headers.

3. Go through your own inbox and look at what gets your attention (I save mine)

One of the best ways to get ideas for your own email subject headers is to go through your inbox and see which ones caught your attention. Analyse why they caught your attention and what you could use/adapt for your own email subject headers. Save them in a folder and look through them when you need inspiration.

4. Ask Questions

If you want to get people interested in opening your emails you need to arouse peoples’ curiosity. It can be helpful to think of your subject headers a like a ‘teaser’ for email content.

Asking questions often works well. For example: ‘can you answer this question honestly?’ or ‘what kind of results can you expect from working with me?’

This invites the reader to get into a conversation with you, which is what great email marketing is all about.

5. Surprise your subscribers

Introducing an element of surprise works well too. For example: ‘please stop listening to my podcast’,  ‘I was wrong about this’ or ‘Facebook hates you. Here’s why.’

Why would I ask people to stop listening to my podcast? What was I wrong about? Why does Facebook hate you?

These statements arouse curiosity and intrigue, which means people are far more likely to open the email.

6. Use genuine scarcity

If you have a genuinely time-sensitive offer, don’t be afraid to use that in your email subject header e.g. “Last chance’ or ‘enrolments close at midnight.’

Although do keep a close eye on spam trigger words i.e. those that are most likely to mean your email ends up in spam. For example words like ‘discount’ ‘bonus’ or ‘buy’. But don’t get caught up on lists like this - track and measure what’s happening in your own email list.

7. Showing vulnerability is also effective

If you send out an email with a missing link, don’t try to cover it up - email your list,  apologise for your mistake and turn it into a content opportunity.

One of my best performing email subject headers is ‘Oops! Of course we know your name really’. This was sent after we accidentally emailed my whole list with their location in the field where their name should have been. Showing that you're human makes you seem more relatable, which can be a great way to build a relationship with your subscribers.

 

7. Use emojis

There is tons of research to show that emojis can increase your email open rates so experiment and see what works for you. Fun fact: we get a much better open rate when we use the 💩 emoji but more unsubscribes. Experimenting with this type of thing is what makes email marketing so much fun (in my opinion).

8. Experiment with fonts and layout

Try to experiment in other ways too. For example, using all lower- case letters. This can make your email seem more informal as if it’s coming from a friend. Or using brackets or a mixture of caps and lower-case letters (although do be careful, as capital letters can come across a bit ‘shouty’.).

 

9. Check how your email subject header looks on mobile

Test out how your email subject looks on mobile. Can you see the whole header? Or is some of it missing (in which case, try going for a shorter headline). Some of these seemingly small things can have a big impact on whether your email is opened.

10. Don’t take it personally if people unsubscribe

If you are sending emails as part of your email marketing strategy, you will get unsubscribes. This can be upsetting, but it doesn’t mean you are doing anything ‘wrong’. Track your numbers, but please feel reassured that the odd unsubscribe is fine. You only need to worry if you notice a big increase.

Podcast shownotes

  • About this podcast (12:24)
  • Why you need to understand your readers' problems rather than their habits (13:50)
  • Why your email subjects need to be brave and courageous not boring and safe (16:07)
  • How to research emails that grab your attention (and examples of good subject headers) (16:48)
  • Why making your email subject header intriguing will increase open rates (20:18)
  • Examples of my best email subject headers with tips on how you can use them (20:32)
  • How changing sentence structures can trigger emotional reactions (29:40)
  • How showing vulnerability can really get your audience on side (34:38)
  • Why you should create email content out of mistakes you make in your business (and hear a few of mine including that gift email!) (38:22)
  • Why great email marketing is about starting a two-way conversation (44:51)
  • Why unsubscribes are not the end of the world and can actually save you money (47:06)
  • Why you shouldn’t feel bad if someone complains about your emails (49:06)
  • Things to consider about the layout of your subject headers and using emojis (52:16)
  • Why you need to test and experiment with your subject headers (54:47)

Resources

Spam trigger words to avoid

[359] How to create an email newsletter people look forward to receiving (podcast)
[300] How to Build an audience and why you need to  (podcast)
[318] How to write compelling email copy (podcast)
[325] Three social media posts that will help you generate sales (podcast)
[333] 39 surprisingly easy ways to increase your email subscribers list (podcast)
[335] How to create a high converting lead magnet (podcast)
[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast)
[358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (for when you’re all out of ideas) (podcast)

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 [360] How to get people to open your emails appeared first on Janet Murray.

Aug 9, 2019

Are you putting off launching an email newsletter because you don’t know what to put in it?

Or perhaps you started sending an email newsletter...and then hit ‘pause’ because you weren’t sure if the content was right for your audience?

If that sounds familiar, you’ll love this podcast on how to create an email newsletter that people actually look forward to receiving. In it, I cover:

  •  What to include in your email newsletter
  •  How often you should send out your email newsletter
  •  The ideal word count for your email newsletter 
  •  The best layout for your email newsletter 
  •  How to get people to subscribe to your email newsletter

And a whole host of other useful tips and tactics to create a successful email newsletter

{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}

 

First off, the most important thing you need to know about your email newsletter is that it’s not about you. It’s about your ideal customers/clients. So - unless you have a Kardashian style audience of people who are fascinated by your daily life - your email newsletter shouldn’t be ‘news’ about you and your business. It should focus on your ideal customers/clients problems. 

What is an email newsletter?

While this may sound obvious, a lot of people get this wrong. A newsletter is any regular email you send out to your current/prospective clients. It doesn’t have to contain pictures or a fancy layout (although it may). It can just be plain text. The key thing is it must add value and help you nurture the relationship.

What makes a great email newsletter?

Your newsletter is, effectively, a lead magnet i.e. a piece of content you create to attract your ideal customers/clients (or nurture your relationship with existing ones). 

A great lead magnet solves a specific type of problem for a specific type of customer/client, offers a transformation, gives a quick win and (crucially) leads your subscribers towards a paid product/service.

Learn how to create an effective lead magnet for your business. 

For example, the Instagram expert Sara Tasker has a monthly newsletter where she shares new and interesting Instagram hashtags that will be useful for her audience. I look forward to receiving it because I know I’m going to get some fab new hashtags to try. 

It solves a problem for me because researching hashtags take time - and is not the most enjoyable job (which is why I look forward to receiving it). So Sara is saving me time on something I don’t like doing. She has an online course specifically for Instagram growth, so her email newsletter is perfectly aligned with one of her paid offers. 

Entrepreneur Marie Forleo sends out a weekly email about her latest Q & A Tuesday YouTube video - which contains valuable tips on business and marketing. These free videos add value and build trust, so when she launches her online marketing programme B-School, people are queuing up ready to buy. 

Remember an email newsletter isn’t just about attracting new customers/clients. It can be about nurturing your relationship with existing ones. 

I send an email every Friday morning to update my audience about my latest podcast episode. And anyone who buys my Media Diary - an A4 desk that includes key dates and awareness days you can use to plan out your content for the coming year - also gets a monthly email newsletter. This includes additional awareness dates and news of new films, books and TV shows (things we wouldn’t necessarily have been aware of when creating the diary) to spark content ideas. Because this email newsletter is adding value, subscribers often email back to thank us for sending it.

You Are the Media founder Mark Masters, sends a weekly email (every Thursday at 6am GMT/BST) with news, ideas and inspiration around content marketing and audience growth. Amongst other things, this email helps him nurture his relationship with existing and prospective attendees of his annual You Are The Media live event. I spoke at the event in Bournemouth in June and it was clear this weekly email was instrumental in filling the room at that live event. 

Pro tip: Remember that solving a problem for your subscribers doesn’t necessarily have to be offering tips/advice. Solving a problem for your audience could be making them laugh or giving them something beautiful to read during their coffee break (the very reason I subscribe to Alexandra Franzen’s newsletter). Whatever adds value for your audience. 

How to find out what you should include in your email newsletter?

If you already have an email list, ask them what they’d like to hear about. Don’t ask them an open question e.g. ‘What would you like me to include in my email newsletter?’ If you do this, you’re asking them to think really hard - which means it’s far less likely they’ll reply. 

Instead, give them three or four ideas you have for your email newsletter content and ask them to choose the one that feels like the best fit for them. This way, they have to do less thinking, which means they’re far more likely to reply. Once you’ve got them in a conversation, you can always ask further questions to find out if they have any ideas of their own (some will volunteer anyway).

If you don’t have an email list, follow exactly the same process with five to ten of your ideal clients/customers. And/or ask your social media followers.

Do remember that the only way you will truly know what your audience want to hear about is by putting content out there and seeing how they respond. This can be scary, but it’s the only way to truly find out what kind of content your subscribers really need. 

How long does your email newsletter need to be?

The rather unsatisfactory answer is...as long as it needs to be. 

I subscribe to some newsletters that are just a few lines long but solve my problems. Others are more in-depth. Make it as a long or short as it needs to be for your audience. 

Does an email newsletter have to include pictures/or have a fancy layout?

If you’ve got the resources to do it and you think it would work for your audience, go ahead and do it. But plain text is absolutely fine. In fact, there is a lot of research to show plain text emails actually perform better than those with images. 

And remember an email newsletter doesn’t have to be completely text-based. You can share video, audio, infographics, for example. 

It all comes back to what your audience needs from you. 

How often should you send out your email newsletter?

The rather unsatisfactory answer is: as often as you feel that you need to and probably more often than you think. 

The key thing is that you’re adding value and you’re tracking your results and tweaking and adjusting as necessary. 

For example, Kennedy teaches entertainers to get booked out with clients. He sends a daily email to his followers and makes a paid offer for his membership/events in pretty much every email. It’s delivering consistently good results for him. 

Your email newsletter is only too frequent if it’s not delivering results for you. 

Don’t panic if you get a few unsubscribes from your newsletter (or even one or two people who email to say your emails are too frequent for them. What is too frequent for one person is often fine for another). You only need to worry if it’s happening regularly. 

Bonus tip: Always try to provide an opportunity for people to ‘talk back’ to you if possible e.g. ‘hit reply and let me know what you think about x or y.’ The more conversation you can generate, the more effective your newsletters will be. 

How do you get people to subscribe to your email newsletter?

The key thing to remember is that no one wants to subscribe to a newsletter. Another piece of junk in their inbox that they probably won’t open. So don’t ask people to subscribe to your newsletter. Instead, sell the value e.g. ‘Sign up for my monthly hashtag newsletter and save yourself tons of time on hashtag research.’  or ‘Register for our monthly Media Diary newsletter to get additional awareness days and key dates you can use to help with your content planning.’ 

Here’s 39 surprisingly easy ways to get people to join your email list. 

What kind of email newsletter can you create if you have a product-based business?

Many product-based business owners think the only email newsletter they can send is one with discounts/offers.

If the only thing you’re doing is offering discounts, you’ll have no trouble getting people to sign up to your email newsletter. But you may struggle to get people to build the kind of loyalty that results in repeat sales. 

A more savvy approach can be to think about how people might be using your product. A good example of this is my Media Diary newsletter.  Sending a monthly newsletter with additional awareness days and ideas not only adds value, it also reminds people that we exist - so other relevant products go on sale, I’m already top of mind.

So don’t just send information about your products, send information about how people can use your products (or products like yours). 

For example, if you sell garden offices, send tips on how to style your garden office, how to keep it warm in winter or cool in summer. This is a practical content for past clients and aspirational content for prospective clients. If people see you as a source of useful information - rather than someone who is trying to sell them stuff all the time -  they’re far more likely to want to buy from you.

If sell homeware and gifts like my client Penelope Hope founder Nadia Newton, you can create seasonal content that helps your subscribers - and helps you make sales. 

The great thing about a newsletter is that you can make it seasonal. For example, Nadia recently launched a range of beach bags. Creating a summer newsletter than includes a round-up of the most stylish beach accessories of the summer (that includes her beach bags) would be a great way for Nadia to add value and sell more of her beach bags. 

She could also do similar round-ups for Mothers’ Day gifts, Teachers’ leaving presents and, of course, Christmas gifts. 

Bonus tip: Don’t be afraid to include competitors’ products in your round-ups. While it might sound counter-intuitive, if you position yourself as a helpful person/brand, you’ll build loyalty and trust - making people far more likely to buy from you. 

If you have a product-based business position yourself as an expert in the type of products you sell - rather than someone who sells stuff. That is what will keep your customers coming back to you - time and time again. 

Should you sell in your email newsletter?

Absolutely yes. If it’s appropriate, do make offers in your newsletter. But make adding value your number one priority. 

 

Podcast shownotes

  • Why your email newsletter is not about you (2:20)
  • What is an email newsletter (and why it can just be a simple email) (3:48)
  • What makes a great email newsletter (and why it’s like a lead magnet) (5:03)
  • Four things your email newsletter needs to do (6:58)
  • Examples of some great email newsletters (7:52)
  • Creating an email newsletter that solves your ideal customer or clients problem (14:28)
  • How to present your email newsletter and how long should it be? (15:23)
  • How often should you send out your email newsletter (19:07)
  • Who should you send your email newsletter to (and GDPR considerations) (23:10)
  • How to get people to subscribe to your email newsletter (without asking them to subscribe) (25:10)
  • Tips for creating a product based email newsletter (27:59)
  • How to add value and sell in your email newsletter (34:12)
  • What a great email newsletter should look like (35:45)

Resources

Examples of great newsletters mentioned:

Park Run UK
Sara Tasker
Alexandra Franzen
Baby Centre UK
Marie Forleo
You are the media
Penelope Hope

Discounted 2019 Media Diary offer

[245] What you need to know about GDPR with Suzanne Dibble (podcast)

[300] How to Build an audience and why you need to  (podcast) 

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

[325] Three social media posts that will help you generate sales (podcast)

[333] 39 surprisingly easy ways to increase your email subscribers list (podcast) 

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

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

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

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

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 

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 [359] How to create an email newsletter people look forward to receiving appeared first on Janet Murray.

Aug 2, 2019

Do you ever have those days when you are all out of ideas for social media posts? 

Or maybe you are just tired of posting the same old stuff and looking for some fresh ideas to brighten up your social media feeds.

If this sounds familiar, you'll love this podcast episode. In it I share 13 ideas for engaging social media posts. This list of go-to posts will you keep you going...even when you’re feeling at your most uninspired. And you can use them across all social media platforms including Facebook (pages and groups), Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn & more. 

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 followers to help you decide on the name/title, which logo design you should use and/or which colour you should stock it in. 

2. How I made this

Shoot a time-lapse video of you that shows us how your product is made. N.B. If you have a service-based business, record your video with Loom and show us how you put together a talk/learning resource.

3. Behind-the-scenes

Give us the reality behind something you’re working on e.g. you sitting up late proofing the workbook for your live event, stuffing goody bags in the corridor or fulfilling last minute orders for Christmas.

4. Tips and tactics 

Share a tip e.g. how to add captions to videos, hit the top note in a power ballad or stop your bread shrinking after baking. If you have a product-based business, share a tip about using a product like yours e.g. how to arrange art, how to store handbags in a small space or the best way to cleanse your face.

5. Questions, questions

Ask a question that’s bugging you in your business. Wondering whether to include postage in your prices, provide lunch at your next event or start stocking a new product. Ask your followers what they think. 

6. Show us your workspace

Shoot a quick video of where you work. For more engagement, ask your followers a question about it e.g. should you move the desk under the window or paint the walls in your brand colour. 

7. Grenade 

Share an opinion you know will divide people e.g. why you hate social media videos, motivational memes and/or being called hun or lovely 

8. Playtime

Show us how you play. Share a snap or video of you running, playing the piano, baking cakes…or whatever you like to do to relax. 

9. Show awareness

Use an awareness day/key date. Show your followers how you cook pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, cuddle your cat on International Cat Day and doing nothing on National Do Nothing Day. For more ideas on awareness days, check out my Media Diary.

10. What should I wear? 

Post a pic of yourself wearing an outfit for an upcoming event and get us to give our opinion. Even better, give your followers a choice of style/colour/look to choose from. 

11. Can you guess what it is? 

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

12. 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). 

 

13. Pets and children 

People love cute pics/video of pets and children... so share away. N.B. If you’re nervous about sharing pics of your children, there’s plenty of creative ways to include them...without having their faces on camera. 

Want more? Head over and download the full 23 ideas here. 

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

Podcast shownotes

  • Who should listen to this podcast? (2:13)
  • How to create a buzz around your new product or service by asking for opinions (2:38)
  • Creating content from showing people how you make something in your business  (4:11) 
  • How showing behind the scenes of your business can engage your audience (8:18)
  • Create content from sharing a practical tip that will help your audience (11:31)
  • How sharing business dilemmas with your audience can generate content (13:51)
  • How to create a behind-the-scenes tour of your workspace  (19:28)
  • How a grenade post dividing opinion can give you tons of engagement (21:41)
  • How to make people remember you by creating content about what you do when you are not running your  business (29:00)
  • How to take an awareness day and create content around it (30:24)
  • Can’t make a decision? - ask your audience to vote (32:09)
  • Interesting tools or kit for your business? Ask people to guess what it is (33:50)
  • Bloopers! Save the outtakes on your videos/audio and share with your audience (35:14)
  • Share cute animal photos - it doesn’t have to be serious or corporate all the time (36:50)

Resources

Download the full 23 ideas for engaging social media posts

Record your screen with Loom

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

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

[300] How to Build an audience and why you need to  (podcast) 

[322] How to create a content plan for your business  (podcast)

[325] Three social media posts that will help you generate sales (podcast)

[329] What’s working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville (podcast)

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

[355] How to create and launch your own planner for your industry (podcast)

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

[357] How to transform your Facebook group from ghost town to garden party (podcast)


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

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

 

The post [358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (for when you're all out of ideas) appeared first on Janet Murray.

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