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The 10 Rules of Social Media Engagement

Posted By Guest Blogger 23rd of July 2012 Social Media 0 Comments

This guest post is by Matthew Turner of Turndog Millionaire.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a set of universal social media rules?

The internet is full of social media wisdom, but what if we had 10 rules of engagement?

If you’re reading this, you’re probably a writer of some kind. Whether you’re a blogger or author, social media has become a large part of our lives. The options are vast, but how do you stand out from the ever-growing crowd?

The 10 rules of social media engagement

The following tips are adapted from my ebook, How To Build An Author House.

Reading this post won’t turn you into a superhero, nor will you wake up tomorrow with 100,000 new Twitter followers. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not one of those guys.

What this post does offer is some tips to help you become a social media rock star.

1. Engage first, sell second

The clue is in the name … social media. Your first instinct might be to tweet about your book, but what good does this do?

When did you last buy a product because someone Tweeted about it?

These days, we buy from those we trust. This takes time to develop, so engage first and sell second.

2. Be consistent

If you’re a celebrity this doesn’t apply to you. You’ll be able to share a Facebook message about that muffin you just ate and receive 2,043 likes. The rest of us need to keep it relevant.

People like consistency. If they know you as that girl who shares great financial advice, keep giving them what they want. You can mix it up from time to time, but make sure you’re being consistent overall.

3. Be regular

We’re all guilty of it: we start with vigour before getting lazy.

This is social media suicide.

If you open a Youtube account, comment on 30 videos a day, and upload daily, people will begin to take notice. If, after a month you stop, guess what? People will forget who you are.

Once again, it comes down to consistency. Be regular and be consistent.

4. Look beyond your own nose

It’s not always about you. If someone follows you on Google+ they want to know what you’re doing. By all means share your stories and spread the love. Don’t, however, think you’re the centre of the universe.

Have you ever been to a networking event where someone only talks about himself? Do you want to be that guy?

5. Reply to everything

If you have 100,000 Linkedin connections, this is bad advice. Assuming you aren’t Darren Rowse, though, you should try to reply to everything you can.

If it’s spam, by all means press Delete. If it has value, make sure you reply and keep the conversation going. We’re forever sewing seeds.

6. Search, don’t wait to be found

Again, if you’re a celebrity, this doesn’t really apply. You can sit back as a million people follow you. Most of us, however, need to search, but don’t worry, it’s quite fun.

Search for conversations that interest you. These are the people you want to meet. Go find them and make some new friends!

7. Be patient

Instant social media success is hard to find. You might upload amazing images to Instagram, but don’t be surprised if it takes a few months before people take notice.

The truth is, most people are wary. They see people like you all the time disappear after a few months. Be patient and earn your stripes. It will be worth it.

8. Spend time on it

One thing I discuss often is finding the right platform for yourself. Social media is a demanding mistress. If you think you can get a way with a mere fling, think again.

Join every platform at your own peril. To get the most out of social media you need to put in the hours. Picking the right channels is key. You want time to blog, too, after all.

9. Be your brand

Chances are you’ve built a platform. This means you have a brand. This means you have responsibilities to upkeep. Represent your brand as often as you can.

Again, consistency is important. Provide a message that spreads across platforms and you’ll do just fine.

10. Remember to sell

We began this journey with the warning of selling too soon. However, don’t forget to ask the darn question. Whether it’s a book you’re selling or a blog you need people to visit, make sure you plug yourself from time to time.

It’s about finding a balance between sharing your own world, and sharing other people’s. Being social is the first step, but we all have bills to pay.

Like I say, these rules of engagement won’t guarantee you an instant hit, but they will point you down the right path. Social media can help, but only if you use it properly.

Do you follow these rules of social media engagement? Has social media propelled you in front of new readers? Share your own stories below.

Matthew Turner (aka Turndog Millionaire) is an Author of both Fiction & Non-Fiction. Part of his life includes helping fellow Writers Build an Author Platform & Brand Story. You can find out more about him by visiting his Website or downloading his Free Ebook How To Build An Author Houses.

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Comments
  1. Thanks for reminding me about these. I actually forget a few methods, like replying to everything.

  2. Oh really nice post……… that’s great knowledge…… thanks to sharing with us

  3. Everything you mentioned here is the the main deal. Will take your advice into practice right away. And i will also share this great post with some friends.

    KEEP IT UP FRIEND.

  4. Building trust among prospective customers will increase your authority and convincing power. Being consistent on the other hand will add more value to your authority. If we will apply the suggestions offered by Matthew Turner our social media will surely improve and we will reap the rewards in the near future.

    • When it comes to building a Brand, I feel consistency is of the upmost importance. There is so much ‘noise’ out there. Being consistent with what you do can help stand out

      Matthew (Turndog Millionaire)

  5. Hi Matthew,

    Engage and prosper. Social people prosper on social media. People love individuals who chat, who ask questions and listen. You want someone to listen. We all do. Listeners become learners, who become leaders. Smart tips here.

    Be persistent. Develop tenacity. Show up daily. Stick out from the crowd. Few people operate like clockwork. Write your posts. Leave comments. Share content of your buddies. Every day.

    With patience your home based business will grow quite quickly because you stick out from the crowd of people who act in fits and spurts.

    Thanks Matthew!

    Ryan

    • Engage and Prosper…oh how true this is :)

      We live in an age of dialogue. It takes a little more time, and a more personal touch, but it’s totally worth it down the line

      Matthew (Turndog Millionaire)

  6. Great post! I really need to sit down and put some extra time in to my accounts!

  7. I really appreciate the 7th Point included in the blog Post. (7. Be patient). I started My Blogging in the month of November, I did not get any instant results… I waited for almost 7-8months, getting good income these days….. Happy Blogging :)

    • Glad to hear it :) I’m not a patient person naturally. I want good things NOW

      It doesn’t work like that. Everyone I speak to say how it took 3 months, 6 months, 2 years…

      I always remember Chris Brogan saying how it took him 8 years to get to 100 subscribers. Good things come to those that wait and persist

      Matthew (Turndog Millionaire)

  8. Matthew! Just another much, or more than others useful blog post.. Thanks for guest posting it at Problogger, otherwise if you’ll blog on your blog and will not get a great response..

    Well Done, you’re doing too good, just need more harder efforts to get the success.

  9. A lot of people on Facebook ignore the #1 rule and go straight for the sale. They don’t even target their sale in the right direction either…just throw it out there willy-nilly. It’s horrible. For a long time, I locked my wall to only comments because people kept spamming.

    • Not just Facebook. Everywhere has people like this. Whether it is ignorance or arrogance I do not know, but it helps absolutely nobody.

      It also makes it harder for everyone else as people become jaded by it all

      Matthew (Turndog Millionaire)

  10. Hi Matthew,

    I totally agree with be regular and consistency both are really crucial while you are looking to build authority on internet. Selling products through your site for me is an art which bloggers learn with passage of time spend on their blog.

    Thanks for sharing great post :-)

    • Totally agree. I know I’m still learning and finding my feet. I by no means have all the answers yet. Hell, I don’t think I ever will. A day with no learning is a day when you don’t wake up :)

      Thanks for the comment. Top man

      Matthew (Turndog Millionaire)

  11. Great tips on how to engage using social media. This is something that can really help especially when doing SEO related tasks. Optimizing a website needs SEO and it could only be successful when you have a good online presence.

  12. Hi Matthew,

    Read your blog – nice to read. Just wanted to share .. that Social Media is ‘oral tradition’ gone online.. mean to say people used to gather, chat, discuss, and take stories, news forward.. and spread the message forward. It’s Internet world now… people love to chat, discuss, and share on social media… it’s not F2F rather C2C (Computer to Computer).

    Social media is a kinda online ambassador of your identity, news, and many things more…

    Thanks..

    • very much agree Jeremy.

      It is nothing new, just in a new location. One overall, very LARGE location

      Thanks for the comment. Appreciate the interaction

      Matthew (Turndog Millionaire)

  13. The first rule is so important and so many people forget this one. I’ve left many LinkedIn groups, because every question about dogs was met with 10 responses promoting a product. I stopped being a Life’s Abundance (holistic pet food) for the same reason. The moment someone saw that in my profile, they were immediately turned off.

    Keep the Tail Wagging is 7 months old and I think it’s seen the success it has, because I connect. I want to it’s loads of fun! The money will come (soon I hope). For now, I’m having a great time getting to know my audience who provides endless inspiration for my site.

    Kimberly

    • This is a great outlook to have. I honestly feel this results in good things, so long as you keep plugging away and produce something of value.

      Thanks for the comment and sharing your thoughts.

      Matthew (Turndog Millionaire)

  14. Thanks Matthew,

    This remind’s me and gives me the inspiration to keep on plugging away.

  15. Many thanks for the enlightening post. Small business is going to be the driver that helps our economy recover and social media is one of the great unexploited tools that can be used.

  16. Good ideas,

    Thanks,

    Darryl

  17. Hi Matthew-

    You nailed it. The hardest part has to be the consistency. As social networks become the norm, things will settle and people will more comfortable using them better. Advice like this helps the cause.

    Checked out your site. I like that you use purple. With so much blue on the web it’s nice to see some risk without loosing contrast.

    I also signed up for your newsletter.

    Best,

    Alan

  18. Interesting post!

    Social media is just great tool to maximize the exposure with proper engagement. Thanks for the great post, Matt. Must read for everyone who turely wants to use social media for their business.

  19. Amazing tips ……..being regular and consistent is very important

  20. i appreciate the way you covered all the tips …….and i agree that we have to spend time there………but lemme add that u should never go for paid viewer or followers

  21. I’ve only started blogging recently but I’ve been a musician for many years. One thing I learned about improving as a musician was to learn more songs, always more songs. It seems that in blogging the same principal applies, write more articles, always more articles. Commenting is really just a short article, right? If you take the time and put the effort into your comments and people find it engaging, why shouldn’t it bring more traffic to your blog?

  22. In my blogging carrier all that mattered most to me and my blogs was facebook. Digg used to be useful before it got a new layout recently now it seems just like the Pinterest. What are your views about new digg?

  23. Any thoughts on the New layout of Digg, coz it sucks. What about the social ban party Facebook has brought us? They are deleting FB pages for none.

  24. thanks a lot for sharing such a wonderful post. I get a great knowledge from this post about social media.

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