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There isn’t a secret to successfully marketing your business on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

There isn’t an excuse for not using social media in 2017 either. I have bad news if you’ve been holding out, your competitors are getting clients from Facebook. Your competitors are known as experts, and more importantly, they’re getting found in search results.

It’s not too late to get started. Everything you need to get started is a Google search away. I’ve summarized some of my favourite tips, resources, and tools below.

How to Win at Social Media in 2017

Create a professional Facebook Business Page.

It’s time to leave the Facebook-Doesn’t-Work club. Throw your excuses out the window and focus on the facts. Your potential clients are asking their Facebook friends for referrals every day. Facebook just created a recommendations feature that leads users to recommended Facebook Business Pages. This means you have to create an optimized Facebook Business Page for your business. If you haven’t created your page yet, take your phone out and search for your business on Facebook. Don’t worry if you find your business, you can take over Community Pages and get duplicate pages taken down if needed.

Don’t Keep Secrets on Social Media

Give everything away on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Share everything you know about how to succeed at doing what you do. Some marketers foolishly hold back in hopes of landing your coveted email address – don’t be like them. An example of this would be my post on how to create a Twitter Profile. Currently, my post includes everything you need to create an optimized, professional profile. If I was a sneaky salesman, I’d replace the last two steps with a fancy lead-capture form. But, the joke would be on me because you’re a savvy internet user. You’ll ignore the form and Google the last steps.

You Must Become the CNN of your Industry Online

My business is social media marketing for lawyers. I built my business by becoming the go-to person for everything related to legal marketing and online marketing for lawyers. I shared content on a consistent basis including blog posts, tweets, guest blog posts, interviews (this is first article I was ever featured on), SlideShares, live streams, podcasts, media appearances, etc. It took a lot of work but I weirdly love legal marketing so I enjoyed every moment. People would remember me as “that girl with the glasses and blonde hair” who posts about legal marketing all the time. I was able to quit my job and go solo within six months. Producing quality content works.

It works really well if you share info your competitors are scared of posting (pricing info, downside, mistakes). Google likes those sorts of posts as well. 

Build a Network of Online Friends

The above picture is of someone I got to meet in real life after years of tweeting together – he interviewed me for a podcast! Building a group of social media friends is the best part of digital marketing. I created a list on Twitter called “Friends” (super creative I know) to keep track of my online and offline friends. It’s still my favourite place to go to catch up with my “real” online friends. Make sure you create Twitter lists (here’s what mine look like) if you’re just starting off on Twitter. They can be private or public and you can use them to track news, competitors, industry info, content ideas, etc. Begin building your online network by connecting with friends and family. Follow industry experts on Twitter, join LinkedIn groups, watch Facebook Live shows and engage with your social neighbours. If someone has a question about your business area, answer it and follow up with a connection on LinkedIn/Twitter/etc.

Don’t be That Weird Guy/Gal on That Everyone Blocks

Think about how you’d act at a networking event in person and do that. Listen more, talk less. Don’t hit on people or ask for personal info. Don’t “Like” 55 pictures on Facebook from 2014. Don’t ask everyone to sign up for your e-newsletter. In other words, play hard to get. Don’t be a snob but join in at the right time. Answer questions about your business. Add something of value to a conversation. Comment on blog posts. Connect people that might be able to exchange business. Practice social reciprocity.

Conclusion

There are a lot of ways to succeed at social media marketing in 2017. Get serious about Facebook and create a professional Business Page that people are proud to recommend. Share everything you know about your business including insider tips, guides, pricing info, downsides of your services, etc. Try and get interviewed on other blogs or in the paper. Create original content that answers common “Google searches” about your industry. Be consistent. Lastly, create a group of social media buddies to “hang out” with online.