by The Ibis Network

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Fortunately, all you need to know about social media is contained right in its name. It’s social, meaning you’ll have to participate and engage your community. And it’s media, meaning it’s a form of communication no different than a radio or television station. The difference is it’s your radio or television station. And that’s where it gets confusing. Content creation is the key to a successful social-media campaign. It’s also what leaves the Internet littered with abandoned Facebook pages and tweet-free Twitter accounts.

Here are some tips for creating content that will attract an audience and build your business …

Know Your Audience: Whether you’ve setup a blog, a Facebook fan page, or a Twitter account, you’ll need content. But before you post anything, think of your audience. Consumers use the Internet to educate themselves before making a decision. Therefore, if your content educates and informs, you’re likely to gain trust and build an audience. Use what you know to your advantage. Think of questions your clients frequently ask and use the answers to form blog posts. Use industry news and events to explain and entertain. Ask a question or offer an opinion. Take a poll and turn the results into an additional post.

Know Your Keywords: You can find plenty of advice online about including keywords in headlines, posts, tags, and categories. And it’s true that search engines will catalog your content based on the words it finds in your posts. But there’s an easier way to think of it. After all, if you concentrate your efforts on including a list of keywords, your content will read like poorly executed Mad Libs. In the end, if you’re posting content that is relevant to your industry or community, your keywords will occur naturally. In other words, if you’re in the mortgage business, post content about the mortgage industry and you’re more likely to end up in front of someone looking to refinance their home. If you write about your family picnic, you’ll end up more popular with family-picnic aficionados than potential business connections.

Know Where To Broadcast: After you’ve got a plan and created some content, you have to promote it. After all, even NBC still promotes its product and you likely don’t have the same name recognition. So once you’ve got something to share, think of where you’d like to post it. A Facebook fan page, for example, is a more appropriate vehicle for business-related content than your personal account. Syndicate your content to all of your appropriate profiles and/or blogs and then post it in relevant groups and forums within your social network. The more you share your content, the more likely you’ll grow an audience, generate leads, and meet potential clients.

More tips from The Ibis Network here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

The Ibis Network / www.theibisnetwork.com