Social media platforms offer a great way to create new connections and strengthen existing relationships. Here’s 10 simple ways you can engage people on social media to develop more meaningful, and potentially profitable friendships and partnerships.
1. Acknowledge. It’s no accident that this is #1. Comment on your friends statuses and posts. Reply to their tweets. Interact. Acknowledge when they say something bright, funny or helpful. The fastest way to engage others is to meet them halfway.
2. Like and retweet. Maybe you can’t respond to everyone, but it only takes a second to give a like on Facebook or retweet on Twitter, and it makes the other person appreciate you all the more.
3. Don’t tell – tease. Next time you post a new article or blog post, don’t tell all. Instead, simply post a teaser that gets your readers wondering what the post is about. And don’t forget to add the link – the better the tease, the more clicks you’ll get.
4. Play caption-this-photo. Find a weird/strange/bizarre/humorous photo, and then ask your friends and followers for funny captions.
5. Offer weird trivia and facts about interesting things. For example, “To keep food from freezing, Eskimos use freezers.” or “In the 1830’s ketchup was sold as medicine.” Here’s some weird facts that will get you stated: www.triviachamp.com/Weird-Trivia-Facts.php
6. Variation on #5 above – ASK weird trivia questions. You can do this one of two ways: Either ask a question they can find online, such as; “How many dimples are in a golf ball?” or “What is the only domesticated animal not mentioned in the Bible?”
The second way is to ask a trivia question they cannot find online. Example: “How did I earn $674 in one day when I was 12 years old?” Or if you’re good at research, you can find something online that’s obscure, such as; “About 100 people choke to death each year on what common object?” (Answer: A ballpoint pen.)
7. Play “who-said-it.” Post a quote from a movie you’re watching and ask people who said it and what’s the name of the movie they said it in.
8. Update your photo. This works better on Facebook than on Twitter, because on Twitter the photos are so small to begin with. But on Facebook you can post a new photo everyday if you like, and because people notice photos before anything else, they’ll notice yours.
9. Play “fill-in-the-blank.” You make a statement but you leave one or two of the words blank. This way your followers and friends can complete it. HINT: Always make the statement about THEM, not about you. Try to use potentially humorous subjects. For example: “I like to ___ while I’m ___.” or “In bed, I often ___ while thinking of ___.”
10. Ask. Ask for thoughts, opinions, help, advice, etc. People love to be asked and will take the time for surprisingly thoughtful responses. NOTE: Be sure to THANK them!
Employ a few of these social media engagement strategies, and become a someone that consistently creates new value and interesting content that attracts people deeper into your circle of influence. 😉
Think you don’t have anything to share? Think again. Your life experiences along with what you’re learning can make great content. All you need to do is take notice of it, seize it before you lose it, and transform it into an article, blog post or video.
For example, what mistake did you, one of your clients or one of your colleagues recently make that others can learn from? Everyone likes to hear about other people’s boo-boos, and it’s always cheaper and less painful to learn from others’ mistakes rather than our own. So keep your eyes and ears open and you’ll find a ton of content with this idea alone.
While you’re looking for mistakes, keep your eyes open for success stories. What did they accomplish and how did they do it? By learning from the success of others we can find vital clues on how to create our own successes.
Sometimes the real story isn’t in the success but in the challenge they overcame to reach that success. If you or someone else discovered a new way to break through an obstacle, it’s guaranteed that other people will want to hear about it, too.
Has someone given you a terrific piece of advice? How did you use it and what happened? Or have you discovered a new tool with a benefit too good not to share with others? Then you’ve got great content in the making.
Maybe you’ve got a unique solution to a problem others are having. This kind of content is so good you can sell it. Or perhaps you’ve got a story about something that didn’t work at all – others will want to know to steer clear of it.
The real trick to creating great content is simple – look for it. As you read, work, interact with others and go about your day, always keep a lookout for things to share on social media. Keep a notebook in your pocket and jot the ideas down and you’ll find they rapidly multiply into more than you can even use. You’ll never be stuck for great content again because you’ll see it truly is all around you.
As you can imagine, people who sell products face to face can lose sales by making all too common mistakes. And marketing online isn’t all that different from going belly to belly with a customer. You, too, can make similar mistakes that might already be costing you dearly.
What are the consequences of just one mistake? If you sell a $47 product and you fix one mistake that creates one more sale per day, you’ve just given your business a $17,155 per year gross raise. Not bad. Don’t fix the mistake and you’ll continue to make $17,155 LESS than you could have.
Here are 12 mistakes sales people make, and the corresponding Internet marketing mistake committed by hapless online marketers everywhere. Score yourself and see how many mistakes you are currently guilty of making:
1. Multitasking. The sales person is making a presentation when s/he gets a voice message, a call, a text, or an interruption of any kind. That’s bad enough – what happens when the sales person decides to actually check that message or take that call? More often than not they’ve just lost the sale.
The lesson for online marketers: Don’t allow distractions of any kind inside your sales process. When you’re promoting a product, don’t place anything else on that sales page or in that email that distracts your prospect from buying your product.
2. Not paying attention. The advantage of selling in person is you can see how the prospect is reacting to the sales message. If the sales person misses clues, they may also miss the sale.
The lesson for online marketers: Listen to your audience. You can do this by ASKING what they want, reading what they say in the comments on your blog, or better yet – interacting with them in a forum or live chat on your website.
3. Not knowing your customers. This goes beyond listening – this is knowing the real reason why they buy. For example, a sales person selling a weight loss plan will be told by a customer that they want to be healthier, but the REAL reason that customer is looking at the plan is because she’s afraid she’ll lose her spouse if she doesn’t lose the weight.
The lesson for online marketers: Dig deeper. Find out the real motivations behind your customer’s actions. Get inside their head and walk a mile in their shoes. Create customer profiles just as though they were real people and find out what’s truly pushing their buttons and the real reasons they’ll buy your product or service.
4. Not knowing the product. Sales people can’t adequately present a product unless they know everything there is to know about the product and about the competition.
The lesson for online marketers: You’ll never be able to write truly compelling copy unless you know your product along with your features and benefits inside and out.
5. Not handling objections. The customer has a question or an objection the sales person can’t answer – what happens? Often the sale is lost right then and there. But if the sales person can handle objections, the sale is won.
The lesson for online marketers: As an online marketer, you’ve got to anticipate and handle objections before they even occur. What are the reasons your prospect is likely to hesitate? What are your customers’ fears? Worries? Objections? Bring them up and answer them right in your sales copy or sales video and your sales will increase.
6. Presenting features and forgetting benefits. No doubt you already know the importance of presenting benefits, not just features. For example, a feature of steak is nice marbling, the corresponding benefit is melt in your mouth tenderness. Relying on features only to make a sale seldom works because the customer’s senses and emotions are not involved.
The lesson for online marketers: This one’s easy – don’t assume your prospect will know the benefits of your features. Instead, clearly present the benefits of your product in such a way that the prospect can clearly imagine having those benefits for himself.
7. Not building in value. When a sales person can show that the price of the product is a mere pittance compared with the VALUE of the product, the sale is won. Sadly, many sales people do a lousy job of this.
For example, a $500 day at the spa might seem expensive, but if it means more energy, more health, a more youthful appearance, feeling terrific, feeling invigorated, being envied by your friends, having an amazing day you won’t forget, etc., the $500 can seem worth it.
The lesson for online marketers: Think of it as asking the prospect to pay pennies to get dollars – who will say no to that? Now find a way to present your product or service where the value is so much greater than the price, the prospect would be crazy to say no.
8. Focusing too much on price. Having a low price can certainly help make the sale, but if a sales person is focused exclusively on price, he’ll lose sales to both cheaper competitors and better sales people. A good sales person focuses on the benefits and is able to convey to the prospect that it’s wise to invest in the best and often a waste to buy the cheapest.
The lesson for online marketers: While you can make a lot of sales of $7 products, sometimes you can make even more sales if you increase the price. Remember, many people do believe that they get what they pay for. If you’re offering the moon for a fistful of quarters, you’ll lose sales because people will believe your product is only as good as your price is high.
9. Not asking for the sale. Countless sales are lost simply because the sales person is afraid to ask for the sale. Imagine you’re a sales person – you get a lead, you contact that lead several times before finally getting an appointment, you drive to their office, you wait in the lobby, you finally get to make your presentation, and you walk away empty handed, all because you didn’t ask for the sale. Does that sound far-fetched? The fact is it happens every minute of every day somewhere in the world.
The lesson for online marketers: ASK for the sale. Tell them to click the link and make the investment that’s going to make them happy for a long time to come. Tell them and then tell them again. It’s okay – they WANT you to guide them, so do it.
10. Not asking (again) for the sale. The sales person makes the presentation, asks for the sale, but the customer says no. Does that mean it’s over? Only if the sales person is new on the job. Seasoned pros know that you ask for the sale numerous times throughout the presentation. And if the customer still says no? Then you follow up later and see if they’re ready yet.
The lesson for online marketers: Be closing all the time. Write your copy as though it’s a done deal that the prospect will become a customer. Ask for the sale, ask for it again, and if they don’t buy, follow up by email. You never know when you’re going to either tell them the right thing or hit them at the right time to get that magical “yes.”
11. Not following up with the customer after the sale is made. The sales person is walking on air, she’s so happy she made the sale. Time to move on to the next prospect, right? Well, yes and no. While you always want to be looking for new customers, you also want to take care of and service your existing customers. Repeat business is far easier to get than the initial sale, but you’ve still got to earn it.
The lesson for online marketers: Follow up. Send a series of emails filled with tips on how to get the most out of the product. Continue to build the relationship and earn their trust and instead of a one time sale, you can get a customer for life.
12. Not following up even if a sale isn’t made. The sales person has begun to build a relationship with this prospect, but the prospect buys elsewhere. Now what? Should the sales person forget the prospect? 99% of them do. But whatever their product is, the customer may be dissatisfied with their purchase, or may want to purchase another product in the future.
Either way, it pays to stay in touch with that prospect even if they don’t buy. Sometimes staying in touch pays off in surprising ways, too. A prospect who didn’t think your product was right for her may think it’s perfect for a friend or colleague.
The lesson for online marketers: People visit your sales page and don’t buy. You follow up with them a dozen times and they still don’t buy your product. But that doesn’t mean they might not be a good prospect for a different product, or might even recommend you to a friend. Always leave the door open and continue to build the relationship.
So, what was your score? If you’re currently making 3 of these mistakes or less, pat yourself on the back because you’re doing far better than average. Now go fix those mistakes and close even more sales.
Making 4 to 6 mistakes? Don’t feel bad – you’re not alone. Choose one thing to correct and do it right now, then commit to fixing the rest within the next 14 days.
Committing more than 6 of these mistakes? It’s time to face facts – you need to make some major changes or you’re never going to become a full time online marketer. Sit down and write out a plan for rectifying your situation, then put it to work. And take heart – even the best marketers made some major mistakes in the beginning. The important thing is that you never give up, and that you not only learn, but you also implement what you learn as quickly as possible.
Is the Internet easy money? A lot of people seem to think so, which might be why we see Internet businesses come and go faster than feathers in the wind. And sadly, while it takes a lot to succeed in business, it really takes very little effort to fail.
But you can turn the tables and give yourself a head start by NOT doing the following:
1. Bringing nothing new. You see what someone else is doing and you copy it. FAIL. Unless you do it faster, better, cheaper, stronger, more effectively, etc.; you won’t make a dent in the market. You’ve got to differentiate your business by either offering something new or something vastly improved.
2. Not prioritizing. If you’re obsessed with trivial things like getting your latest article perfected – rather than focusing on the big things like making sales – you’re going to fail. Decide what’s most important to making your business a success (aka: getting new customers and taking care of your current customers) and spend your time and resources on those activities.
3. Doing everything yourself. Sure, you’re lousy at building websites, but who wants to pay a pro, right? So you spend 4 weeks building a website that frankly looks like it was made by a junior high student doing just enough to get a barely passing “D” grade. Forget about it. Hire outsourcers to do the things you stink at, and focus your efforts on what you do well.
4. Pleasing everybody. You’ve got a product that everybody needs and wants, and you’re going to sell billions of them, right? Probably not. First of all, how do you reach a market of “everybody?” Second, when you try to appeal to everyone, you generally wind up appealing to no one. By targeting your product or service to a specific group of people you vastly increase your odds of success.
5. Not being obsessed. If you’re laid back, working now and then when you ‘feel’ like it, and wondering where the truck full of cash is hiding, then guess what: It’s not coming. You’ve got to put in long hours in the beginning of your business to make it succeed, and if don’t then you’ll never have a business – only a money sucking hobby that annoys your spouse and wastes what time you do spend on it.
6. Changing course repeatedly. Hey, you were going to write great content about fishing and promote fishing related affiliate products, but you just bought this great course on how to sell backlinks, so you’re going to do that instead, except there’s this other course on how to make a killing servicing the Forex community… STOP! Choose your business model and then strap on a pair of blinders so thick you can’t tell if it’s daytime or nighttime.
Once you’ve got those blinders on, the ONLY things that get through are methods and tools that help you on your present course. Anything that could divert you off course is totally, completely irrelevant and will be shunned and ignored to the full extent of your laser focused abilities.
7. Thinking the universe will do it for you. Yes, you’ve watched The Secret a dozen times and read all the latest books on manifesting your destiny. Now all you need to do is sit back and visualize your success 24/7, and it’ll happen because you’re just that kind of guy (or gal.) Get a grip. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to be because you MAKE it happen, not because the Universe owes you a debt of gratitude for you being, well, you.
8. Being a cautious genius. You’ve got a good idea of what to do, but there’s just a few more things you need to learn before you take that first real step because you’ve got to get it just right. After all, in school it was all the studying that got you the good grades, right?
Well guess what, this isn’t school and studying won’t even get you out the door. Yes, you need to know what you’re doing, but no, you don’t need to write your doctorate before you take action. There are times when you need to throw caution to the wind. If you’re procrastinating, if you’re scared, if you’re “not quite ready,” then it’s time to stop preparing and start DOING.
9. Clutching pennies so tightly they scream. You go with the $1 a month hosting because it saves you $9 a month. Then your website crashes the day of your first launch, and there’s no phone number or online chat to get a hold of anyone.
In fact, reading the fine print on your web hosting site, you discover that they only accept correspondence via carrier pigeon, and then only on the third Tuesday of the month. Yes, you need to watch expenses. No, you do not need to cut corners so badly you ruin your own business.
There is an exception and it’s this: If you happen to have a lot of money sitting around gathering dust, you can hire people to perform most of your online marketing tasks for you. You’ll still need to determine the course of your business and guide it in the right direction, but what you spend in money can save you in time.
Then again, having a lot of money to throw at a new venture is often it’s own recipe for failure, so beware and be careful if you plan to employ this method.
10. Screwing your customers. What’s important is making the sale, not making the customer happy, right? Wrong. Refunds, bad reviews and disastrous customer service will ruin your business faster than termites will eat tree houses in the tropics. Take care of your customers, give them more than they expect, thank them and then ask what else you can do for them. Remember: No customers = no business.
11. Failing terrifies the stuffing out of you. Maybe you shouldn’t do ____ because you might fail. (You fill in the blank.) Guess what – failure is GOOD. Without failure there is no success. The only person who has never failed is the person who has never attempted anything in their life. Do you want to be that person? No. Then expect that you will fail now and then, and when you do, you’re going to pick yourself right back up and keep going.
There you have it – 11 ways to fail or succeed. The choice, my friends, is up to you.
Your logo represents your business and serves as a signpost to the world. It’s not just a luxury – it’s a necessity and a business asset. In fact, if you don’t yet have a logo then you’ve got to ask: ‘Are you serious about your business or not?’
Here are 10 reasons to consider getting your own logo as soon as possible:
1. To promote your business. Logos project your business image to visitors, customers and future customers. A well designed logo says you’re serious about what you do.
2. To give you credibility and professionalism. When prospects see your logo on your websites and social media, they associate that logo to your business and even begin to look for it.
3. To make you more memorable. A business name only goes so far in triggering memory. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. And a catchy business logo makes you and your business far more memorable. After all, what’s the use of being seen if you’re not remembered? Of two similar businesses competing for the same customers, the one the customers remember is far more likely to get the business.
4. To clarify what your business does. Business names can sometimes be unintentionally deceptive, vague or simply unclear when it comes to the types of products or services your business offers. For example, Blue Rabbit Racetrack could be a place where blue rabbits race, or perhaps cars, horses, dogs or even people. By adding a Greyhound to the logo, it instantly becomes clear that Blue Rabbit Racetrack is for racing dogs.
5. To look bigger and more established. Like it or not, people tend to think a logo means you’ve been around the block and you’re a “real” business.
6. To attract new business. Because you look and ‘feel’ more professional with a logo, prospects tend to trust you more.
7. To brand yourself. In the eyes of prospects, John Smith without a logo is just John Smith. But John Smith with a logo is a company – and thus appears more stable and trustworthy.
8. To increase your business’s value. If you decide to sell your business one day, having a well-rounded package that includes marketing materials, graphics and a professional logo increases your business’ perceived value.
9. To attract venture capital. See #8 above.
10. To endear your company name to your clients. The right logo can make your business seem downright fun and friendly. For example, Da Foodie’s logo has me smiling and feeling good before I even know exactly what they’re offering: dafoodie.com/
How do you get a logo designed? You can Google logo creation and get hundreds of companies vying for your business. Most charge in the $100 to $300 range, while others charge far more. I remember reading years ago that the U.S. Postal service paid a million dollars for their (then) new logo.
You, on the other hand, do not need to spend $100 or a million dollars. There are many reputable free and low cost logo creators online that can get you up and running with all of the benefits we’ve talked about above, and they are just a quick Google search away!
While there are many ways to make money online, the vast majority involve selling a product – be it yours or someone else’s.
But have you ever considered offering great content or software for free, and then allowing your visitors and fans to reward your good work through giving you donations? It’s simple – you provide your visitors with the opportunity to say “thank you” through either monetary donations or buying you things that you want.
This might not be the method to use if you’re looking to make huge money, but it can be a lucrative source of extra income. And perhaps best of all, you don’t need to feel you’re pushing anything on your customers or asking them to buy more stuff they don’t need or want. Visitors reward you when they choose to, and because they don’t feel pressured, they can sometimes be even more generous than if you were trying to sell them the latest greatest product.
Here are 8 tips on how to make the donation business model work for your website…
1. Offer quality content that truly helps your readers. This is true on any website, but especially important if you’re going to ask for donations. The more your content helps your readers, the more likely they are to want to send you a monetary ‘thank you.’
2. If your content doesn’t provide helpful information, then it should entertain. Perhaps you’re especially funny, or you’re up on the latest news in your niche. You’ve got to offer your visitors some type of real value to get donations.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask. “Did you find this information helpful? Then please help us to continue providing this great info in the future by supporting us. Any amount is helpful and greatly appreciated.”
4. Make a wish list on Amazon and post a link to your wish list on your website. “Have I helped you? If you would like to express your appreciation, please feel free to buy me a book.”
5. Don’t be afraid to place expensive items on your wish list. Optimally you want to choose items from a couple of dollars all the way to a hundred dollars or more, because you never know who will be buying you a ‘thank you.’ It could be a rich person whom you’ve just given a stellar idea that will make him/her thousands of dollars, and they might be the one to buy you that expensive $599.00 espresso machine you’re been thirsting for.
6. You don’t have to confine yourself to Amazon: More and more online companies are offering wish lists. For example, thinkgeek.com, barnesandnoble.com, dickblick.com and containerstore.com all offer wish lists, as do hundreds of other retail websites.
7. Instead of wish lists, let them send you money. For example, “Buy me a cup of coffee” is a popular way of asking for donations. You then give them Paypal options of buying you anything from a single cup of coffee ($3-$5) to a case of beer, or dinner for two. You choose the options offered and the donation for each. And you can also create an option where they choose the amount to send to you. “Was this post helpful to you? Then please buy me a cup of coffee.”
8. Don’t get pushy. You’re providing them the chance to be nice and return some of the benefits you’ve offered to them on your website. You’re not trying to “sell” them on sending you money or gifts.
Selling products online is certainly the most direct path to earning profits, but there are a growing number of high profile websites, and everyday bloggers who are making a pretty penny through donations. If you are creating quality content, give your visitors the option to reward you in this way, and you may be surprised at how much money you were leaving on the table before trying this out.
Little mistakes can radically reduce positive results in Facebook marketing. According to Facebook, there are specific things marketers can do to be more successful – and others that will hurt your marketing campaigns.
Facebook Mistakes to Avoid:
1. Using a cover photo that doesn’t abide by Facebook’s guidelines. You cannot place price or purchase information, coupons or discounts within your cover photo. Nor can you ask people to do something such as “like” “comment” or “share” your page within your photo. Lastly, you’re also not allowed to place contact information within your cover photo.
So what can you do? Use a photo that highlights something about your product. For example, if your product is pickles, show a mouthwatering pickle photo. If your product is information, show someone enjoying the benefits of having that information. And you can place your name or your business name within the photo.
2. Posting too much. One post every hour or two is simply too much and will cause your people to disengage. Instead of several mediocre posts each day, simply do one spectacular one. This will actually increase the chance of your people “liking” it and also help to keep your reader’s attention.
3. Not tagging people you’re responding to. When you tag someone you are replying to, you get people coming back to your page to further engage with you and your brand.
4. Yammering instead of engaging. If all you’re doing is blah-blah-blah about you and your business, people will quickly lose interest. Instead, find ways to engage. For example, posting a silly photo and asking for captions is a great way to boost engagement.
5. Posting at the wrong times. Yes, there are good and bad times to post, and there are downright terrible and terrific times as well. For example, did you know that Facebook engagement is highest on Thursdays and Fridays? It’s true for some industries, and absolutely false for others.
6. Going on and on and on and… Sure, you’ve got a lot to say and you want your fans to learn all about it. But making a long post is just shooting yourself in the foot. Facebook research says that posts between 100 and 250 characters (that’s one or two lines of text) get 60% more Likes, Comments and Shares.
7. Confusing people. Your brand is all about SEO, yet you’re posting about the bake sale at your kid’s school. Don’t be surprised if the reaction from your readers is “What the heck??” Make it a rule to post only relevant content.
8. Being boring. Really, is there any greater sin in social media than blending in and getting lost in the crowd? Find your own unique voice and use it.
Are you using online video in your email campaigns yet? If not, you might want to consider it. Because video engages more of the senses than the written word, and it can result in higher conversions.
Here are 7 tips for getting the most out of video…
1. Don’t embed videos into your emails. If you’ve ever tried it, you know that embedding video into email is challenging both from a technical and a deliverability stand point. Instead, embed a thumbnail image that links to your video. The recipient clicks the play button and the video automatically opens on a video landing page and begins to play.
2. Keep your videos short and to the point. Remember, anyone can close your video at anytime, so your video should only be as long as you can hold their attention. Don’t offer long winded introductions explaining why you’re making the video – just get straight to the point.
3, Tell them what’s in it for them. A continuation of Point 2 – people are super busy so respect their time by immediately telling them the benefits they’ll receive from watching the video.
4. Don’t use YouTube. There is a time and place for YouTube, but your landing page isn’t one of them. Instead, use your own branded video landing page with your own video player. Include contact information, calls to action, an email sign-up, etc. When you control the landing page, you control what happens next.
5. Don’t forget your mobile users. Make sure your video platform allows playback on smart devices and supports both HTML5 and Flash formats.
6. Consider adding written text to your videos. Some people like to watch video, others prefer to read. By adding a transcript below the video, you’re appealing to a broader range of customers.
7. Track your results. Just like any other form of marketing, you need to know what’s working and what’s not. Always track open rates, play rates, whether the emails are being forwarded, etc.
Publishing YouTube videos can be a great way to build your brand and bring more interested visitors to your website and offers. Follow these tips to get the most bang for your video buck!
1. Create tutorial videos. These kinds of videos are good because they’re easy to make and they provide information that people need. For example, if you’re promoting a course on how to drive traffic, then talk about traffic driving methods. Impart real info, not a sales pitch. And at the end of the video, remind the viewer to click the link below for more information.
2. Don’t narrow your target market too much. For example, if you’re teaching people how to drive traffic, don’t make it, “How to drive traffic to an origami website.” Yes, you’ll get views from people with origami sites, but no one else.
3. Don’t sweat the subscribers too much. It’s great to have some loyal subscribers because every time you post a video some of them will almost immediately watch and comment on the video. This gets you boosted higher in the rankings and thus more easy to find by new people who have never heard of you. They’ll leave comments, pushing you still higher in the rankings and making it even easier for people to find you. It’s your subscribers that start the ball rolling, but it’s commenters (subscribers and non-subscribers alike) who push you higher and higher in the rankings and thus get you more viewers. So while you eventually want tons of subscribers, know that even a few at the beginning will get the ball rolling.
4. Use your best keyword(s) in your video’s title. Think about what a person would search for if they needed the information found in the product you’re promoting. For example, back to our traffic product, they would probably type in something like, “How to get more traffic to my website.” Do some research on this and find the best keyword phrase(s) to use so that you can get found.
5. Place all of your best keywords in your tag section. Your very best keyword(s) go in your title, but you don’t want to over load it. Instead, place all of your other good and great keywords (including the ones in your title) into the tags section. How do you find your best keywords? One way is to find the most viewed videos in your specific niche and then use the keywords that repeatedly show up in these top videos.
6. Collaborate. When you make a video with someone, you get your viewers and THEIR viewers watching the video. Collaborate with 10 different people on 10 different videos, and now you’ve got 10 new audiences viewing your videos and possibly buying your product. This works especially well if you are promoting your own product, since you can then give a commission to the person you’re collaborating with and build your list of buyers. Plus this is a great way to build relationships with other marketers who might refer people to your videos in the future even when you’re not collaborating with them.
7. Start discussions. Ask questions in your video that gets people commenting. For example, asking for advice on a problem or something that stirs a bit of controversy can go a long way to getting comments, and of course the more comments you get, the higher you can rank on the most discussed list.
8. Encourage video responses. A video response is like a comment on steroids – it’s a video someone makes in direct response to your video. Their subscribers then watch your video to understand what the video response is all about This gives you an entirely new audience watching your video and perhaps clicking your link or viewing more of your videos or even subscribing.
9. BE a video response. After you make your YouTube video, search for other videos that are somehow similar. In other words, what would you search for to find your video? And when you make that search, what other videos come up? Now go to the first video, and if it’s appropriate in content and has a lot of viewer activity, submit your video as a video response to that video.
10. .Don’t hate on the haters. You’re going to get hate comments because, well, you just will. There are folks out there who are looking for things to hate, and sooner or later it will be you. Three things you should know: First, a hate comment is actually a compliment. Something you said or did had an impact on them, or they would have simply clicked away with no comment at all. So take it as a good thing. Second, do not respond. At all. Simply ignore the hate comments and go on with making your videos. If you get bogged down by the haters and the trolls, then you won’t be in the right frame of mind to continue making great videos. Third, once you put anything online, it’s in cyberspace forever. Your negative responses to negative comments can come back to bite you time and time again, so just don’t do it.
11. Post consistently. Why do television shows work? Because people get hooked into watching week after week. YouTube is no different. If you’re posting at least once a week, people become accustomed to watching you. If you only post every few weeks or months, people forget who you are and why they might even be interested in what you have to say. That said, don’t go overboard in the other direction. For example, don’t post several videos a day – that’s tantamount to spam, even if you do have great information to impart.
12. Be addictive. Again, it’s the television series thing. People continue to watch a series because they’re addicted. Maybe they love the characters, or enjoy the suspense, or are bowled over by the crazy plot lines. Find a hook that grabs your viewers and makes them continue to come back for more.
13. Leave them hanging. Television shows often end their season with a cliffhanger to get viewers back at the start of the new season. And some television shows even place a cliffhanger at the end of every episode to ensure viewers are back the next week. You can do the same thing. For example, try doing a series of videos on a topic, and at the end of each video leave them with a cliffhanger. You might ask a provocative question but not give them the answer until the next video. Or give them a teaser of what they will discover next time (think bullet points.) whatever you need to do to ensure they come back for more will increase your viewer loyalty.
14. Comment. Find videos in your niche and comment. Always be positive and diplomatic, and when appropriate mention that you’ve also covered “____” in a video recently. That’s it. If people are interested, they will click on your name and find your video. Don’t be blatant about it or you’re spamming. Sure you’re walking a fine line, just be sure you’re always on the right side of that line. And don’t view comments as just a way to promote your stuff – you’re also looking to engage people and build relationships.
15. Respond. When someone posts a positive comment or a question on your video, by all means respond if you want to. Again, you’re building relationships, this time with your viewers.
16. Use visuals. Got a goofy hat? A crazy poster on your wall? An over the top t-shirt? Wear something interesting, put something else interesting in the background, and here’s what will happen – you’ll get comments just about these things. Sure, it has nothing to do with your topic, but comments help boost you in the rankings. Plus it gives viewers something else to engage them and focus their attention.
17. Post when your prime viewers are watching. Are most of your viewers in the U.S.? Then you might want to post around 6 pm EST, not 2 am. Do most of your views come on weeknights? Week ends? 9 am on workdays? Then post accordingly.
18. Have fun and be fearless. The more fun you have making your videos, the more enjoyable your videos will be to watch. And whatever you do, don’t fear what people think or say. If you’re busy worrying that you’re too dorky, not pretty enough, not smart enough, etc. then you won’t be having fun and you probably won’t have the courage to post your work. Instead, just forget about it and do your own thing. People respond to genuine people who aren’t putting on airs or trying to come across as something they’re not.
19. Don’t stop posting videos. Sure, your first videos might not be exactly what you want. Maybe you stammered, or maybe the lighting wasn’t perfect, or maybe some jerk posted a hateful comment. So what? Be determined to keep on posting and you’ll find that you get better and better, and the haters matter less and less.
20. Promote. Put your video link on Facebook, Twitter and any other social networks you’re on. Place it in your emails and on your website. If you’re active on forums in your niche, let people know you’ve got a new video. If you’re not active on forums in your niche, GET ACTIVE. Sure this is basic, yet people forget to do it. And don’t POST your video elsewhere – you want everyone to actually come to YouTube to see your video so that it shows up in the number of views you receive.
You’ve likely heard of a technique called YouTube Traffic Hijacking. In a nutshell, it’s finding YouTube videos that get a lot of views but don’t display a URL in the more information section. You contact the video owner and offer to either buy the video outright or lease the “more info” section. You then insert your own URL that leads to a product sales page.
Pretty simple, right? This is a viable, workable business model, but there are three catches. First, you have to FIND these videos. The videos you seek are getting hundreds of views a day and have an accumulated number of views in the six figure range, just to be sure they’ve got what it takes to continue to get more views. And they can’t already have a URL listed for more info.
Next, these can’t be just ANY videos that meet the above criteria. For example, that video of cute kittens climbing the screen door isn’t going to sell your traffic product. Maybe you can find an affiliate product that teaches how to get kittens to not tear up the screen door, but even if you do, how many sales do you think that will result in?
Bottom line, the video’s subject needs to have a STRONG correlation to the affiliate product or you won’t be making enough sales to make this venture pay.
Third, you have to talk the video owner into agreeing to sell you the video or into leasing you the “more info” space. If you get them to sell you the video, you’ve then got to talk them into keeping it on their channel (you move it, you lose the momentum of the views and have to start over from scratch.) If you rent the “more info” space, how long will it be before they catch on that all they have to do is get their own affiliate link, tell you to go take a hike and start earning their own commissions?
See, it’s not as easy as some would have you believe. Now, there is software you can purchase that helps you to find these videos, but you still have the other problems we mentioned.
There is of course another solution: Make your own YouTube videos.
Why not? Anyone can do it, you don’t need to be a master videographer, and when you make the video you OWN IT from day one. No begging someone else for their video.
And when you make your own videos, you can have your URL in place from the moment you put your video online.
So how do you get more views to your YouTube videos? While there are no guaranteed methods, tomorrow I’ll share an article with you that can greatly increase your odds of creating videos that garner hundreds of views a day. Stay tuned! 😀
