Social Networking Tips for the Poor YET Famous

Okay so it is no lie that I am a Social Networking Diva in Southeast Missouri, in fact I am may be a bit addicted to Instagram and Facebook, or at least my Momma thinks I am. 

Over the past few weeks I have been more vocal about where I am, what I am doing, and what I find at all those locations.  Being vocal has brought up a lot of questions about how did you tag that page in that photo, how did you get that photo to look that way, and how the HECK ARE YOU ON TWITTER while you are in the middle of NO-Where?  Today while I am bumming around in my pajamas, studying for an online test (for college), and missing my kids like mad crazy, so I thought I would share a few good tips for us Rural Missouri Social Networkers! 

Facebook

Image via CrunchBase

I often refer to Facebook as my stalk all stalk easy place, because face it if I want to know what is really going on I just log on!  Everything from amazing photos to kidnappings at the tip of your hands….in just seconds! 

There is a million different ways to use Facebook; you have your standard computer versions, your online version, your apps that share for you, ways to schedule, and well the list goes on.  If you are a business, trying to promote yourself here is a few facebook tips to know. 

• Tag location- this is something that needs to be done everytime you post.  When I post photos and I post gobs of photos (sometimes feel sorry for my followers) I try to always add a location.  This can be difficult while on the go or on mobile, so remember to later go back and add a location to the photo, so people can find where you were and what was so fabulous….this also helps promote the business or brand as then people know it is good and where to find it.   

• Get Social- it ticks me off greatly when I see an amazing photo on Facebook, then comment or reshare, but the owner of the photo never talks back.  Now I realize some places have millions of followers, but we are talking about here in SEMO and well there is not a million anything.  It is VERY IMPORTANT for business owners to interact with not only fans, but also other businesses!  Recently I did a review of Downtown Cape Girardeau Shopping, two of businesses that I reviewed Annie Laurie’s Antiques and Reruns by Cathy both reshared the post, commented back, and talked about it.  Yes, it helped them, but it also helped me gain readers and connect, it helped my readers connect with THEM.  This is an EXCELLENT way of Social Networking for all’s benefit. 

• Tag, Tag, Tag- There is a little trick to tagging people, businesses, and locations in your statuses and updates.  I have found this has been TOP SECRET for us “Rural Missouri” folks.  When tagging another business in your status or whatever you use the @ symbol…for example @AdventuresAmongUS would tag my fan page in your status.  I do this regularly when posting photos, blog post, or just talking about something fabulous.  Now here is the down side…you have to LIKE the page in order to tag it, but come on it you like them, then hopefully they will like you!  The other catch is, this don’t work on all mobile apps….which totally ticks me off, I was out and about this week and would have killed to be able to tell everyone about these killer boots I found at this great spot.  Now you can add location, but it is not the same!

• LIKE other people’s pages, or at least subscribe- this is an issue for everyone!  I personally get so dang frustrated when people message me asking me to “like” their page, but they don’t like mine….I mean HOW RUDE!  You can also subscribe, which is good, but does not help much with the other places Klout Score. 

• Restrict people- Now if you are a social network diva like me it is obvious people connects with your fan page, and your personal page.  I share things on both pages, mostly because I have more friends than likes….instead of liking my fan page people friend me.  Now I like to talk smack on my Facebook, no not really, but I do share personal things that maybe I don’t want the Whole Entire World to know about me….especially on a bad day!  I have a restricted list on facebook that allows only certain people to see certain post.  I also have a list of blocked people, yes, folks I have certain people blocked where they cannot even find that I exist on Facebook…..this is a POWERFUL tool, or well it gives me a power trip!   

Twitter

Image via CrunchBase

I am NOT an avid “tweeter” mainly because Twitter is not as powerful in Rural Missouri; in fact, I think maybe 30 of my 1000 friends on Facebook also use twitter….sigghhhh.  I LOVE Twitter, because I can search #hashtags, connect with people without liking them, and well retweets are AWESOME. 

• Twitter can be confusing, it took me about 6 months to understand it, and well I still don’t completely understand it!  Here are a few tips for a newbie on Twitter to understand:

•  #Hashtags- add a hashtag to your tweet.  If you catch any or most of my tweets they will often be tagged #TMOM, #TRAVEL, #Missouri, #crazykids, #PsychoBecky…joking on that one, but I will find an appropriate hashtag so if someone searches that hashtag I am in that list.  

• Make a list- Twitter allows you to make list for people you love to keep in touch with….I am a fail at this, but I have been listed everywhere and it such a helpful tool! 

• Traffic- I will say a majority of my blog traffic comes from Twitter, which is weird, because I am more active on Facebook, but I have a bigger outreach on Twitter.  I am retweeted regularly by followers, fellow travel freaks, and brands that I either work with or am talking about.   Therefore instead of a 1000 folks seeing my lastest post it is possible for it to reach an unlimited number of people….score for me!  

Instagram

I want to test on of these out!! Looks awesome!!! #travel #bestbuy #GoPro via beckydavenport

Now I would say Instagram has more powerful reach than Google+, I am on both, but I kick butt on Instagram!  I randomly take pictures of weird or cool object #hashtag, then instantly share them on Twitter and Facebook.  My poor father was my spotlight this week and yes, I was tweeting out pictures of him shopping for a deep freezer and talking to other Veterans at the VA Clinic.  Now why is this powerful you ask…my mother thought I was a serious dork.  Here is the thing, it allows readers, brands, and stalkers..hahah… to know that I am a real person.  The thing is people do not connect with “businesses” they connect with people, being genuine, seeing that I am a dork, and knowing that I have a real life helps other moms, dads, and people get to know me.  I am who I am and that is my best tool ever!   

Google+

Google is Google and Google loves itself.  That is the main love of Google+.  Now I use Google+ because I love how it makes my photos work, how I can tag people in the post, and I can share with limited circles.  The word is the more +1's you get the better you are, so please +1 those cool post you like!  Now I hate that I can’t use my scheduling program with it, I see that Google+ will become more powerful in the long run, but right now don’t give up what you are doing and head to Google+.      

Foursquare

Another not so popular social network for this area is foursquare; however, Foursquare is powerful for me as it tracks where I have been and what I am doing, and I can give instant tips to other users!  I love that when I have question about somewhere I have been I just go back to it.  Now Instagram does that also, but is harder to follow, and I have scroll through the 1000 pictures I have on there!    

HootSuite, Tweetdeck, & Scheduling

Now here is one of my dirty little secret…my friend asked me the other day, how were you posting while I was with you and never saw you pick up your phone.  Well I schedule my post days in advance so that I can go on about life.

HootSuite is something that every business needs, especially if you don’t want to spend hours sharing links, photos, and blah blah than HootSuite, Tweetdeck, or an automatic scheduling program should be your best friend.  You can run all or most of your social networks from these programs.  HootSuite can also be mobile, store photos, and check your analytic, that is not important for everyone, but in my field, it can be.   

The main things about Social Networking is; be REAL, be KIND, and be SOCIAL.  I have found in this area people are either afraid to speak or they over speak.  One thing that I have said very little about is the upcoming election; because I have such a variety of readers, I don’t necessarily want them to know my views on politics. 

The most popular thing that I do is share random pictures of my kids and I making funny faces at all kinds of places.  People laugh, they think we are dorks, but they take the time to look at the photos.  I always state where we were when we took the picture.  This gets readers, followers, fans, and well my friends to see that life is fun, I am real, and yes I am crazy.

Maybe I have Social Networked overloaded you, but please by all means feel free to ask me questions, give me your tips, and talk about what you see on Social Networks.  This is not a competition to who can beat who, this is life, and in the end, we are all the same!   

Have a Great Day!

Becky   

Connect with me:  Twitter = @BeckyAdventureFacebook = AdventuresAmongUs 

Instagram =beckydavenport  Google+ = Becky Davenport