35 Ways to Market Content With Social Media - Share Articles, Blogs, Videos and More
By Stephanie Chandler
There is no denying that the popularity of social media is increasing by the day. For
sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (herein known as "The Big Three"), the fastest growing
demographic consists of users 35 years and older. Though social media was once considered a
fad for kids, it has evolved into a viable marketing opportunity for business.
For the casual user, social media is a way to connect with friends and family. For the
business user, social media works by sharing compelling content to capture the attention of
your target audience. When you do this well, you can count on generating website traffic, client
leads and even media attention.
"The Big Three" revolve around the concept of a status update. When you update your status,
everyone in your network can view what you have to say. This is where the real opportunity
lies. Instead of updating your status to report what you're having for dinner or that it's
time to pick up your kids, share interesting content and watch the magic of social media unfold.
Type of Content to Share on Social Media Channels
1. Your new blog posts
2. Someone else's blog post
3. An article you've written
4. An article from somewhere else
5. A video demonstration
6. A funny or controversial video
7. Before and after photos of work you've done
8. Humorous or inspiring photos
9. Client success stories⁄case studies
10. Free e-book
11. Special report
12. White paper
13. Upcoming event announcement
14. Live reports from an event you are currently attending
15. Book reviews⁄recommendations
16. Recommended products
17. Recommended services
18. Tips for doing something better
19. How-to suggestions
20. A series of related posts
21. Recent media coverage you have received
22. Inspirational advice (preferably your own, motivational quotes are over-used online)
23. Forward someone else's update (with proper credit attribution)
24. Breaking news alerts
25. Leads for opportunities (media, clients, etc.)
26. Requests for participation (guest posts on your blog, speaker for an event you're hosting, etc.)
27. Interesting photo from a recent event
28. Teleseminar/Webinar invitation
29. Contest announcements
30. Special sales, offers and discounts (delivered sparingly)
31. Request for audience feedback
32. A compelling question you want answered
33. Anything offered for free
34. Insider tips that people won't find anywhere else
35. Your opinion on just about anything with target audience appeal
Secrets to Success
1. Content should appeal to your target audience and provide value.
Also, it doesn't always have to be directly related to what you do. For example, a mortgage
broker might share community resources, local event announcements and family-related tips.
This type of information would likely be more appealing to the broker's target audience than
current interest rates and articles about mortgage insurance (though you can occasionally include
those too). The point is to become a valued resource.
2. Follow the 90⁄10 rule.
Avoid selling online and you will achieve more sales. That's right; we're all tired of
being sold to. When you provide value, you build loyalty and trust. It's fine to include sales
offers up to 10 percent of the time, but make sure you are primarily serving up useful content.
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