Mitch Pottinger– Digital Marketing

Social Media is not about direct sales. Not about a regular sales pitches or promotions.

It’s about starting a conversation with your target market. Conversation that will make them see you as a solution to their issue.

Example: If you’re an ice cream store, don’t post about socket wrenches. If you’re a hardware store, don’t post about your favorite ice cream.

Understand your target market and match your social media sites to them.

Social Media Starting Points

Some social media platforms will communicate better for your industry than others

A Plumber: Success posting about plumbing issues on Facebook and joining in on conversations on Twitter. Not so much on Pinterest.

A Jewler: High visual appeal = Pinterest A Recruiter: People to fill positions = LinkedIn Good to have reach, but focus on the sites that

will give you the most success

Use What’s Best For You

Google has had several unsuccessful attempts at social networking sites

Google Buzz (2010-2011) Google Friend Connect ( 2008-2012) Orkut-Google developer Orkut

Büyükkökten. Created right before “The Facebook” in 2004. Managed by Google Brasil. Set to retire 9/14

Not Google’s First Rodeo

Started in late June of 2011 as a private invitation only beta test. Had to ask Google to be part of the test group.

In 2 weeks it was up to 10 million users. 2 more weeks up to 25 million and capped it.

Early August 2011, gave members 150 invitations each to give to friends to join. Gave it this exclusive appeal.

Membership doubled to 50 million in 2 months!

The Rise of Google+

MySpace- 1,046 days (2 years and ~10 ½ months) to get to 50 million users

Twitter- 1,096 days (3 years exactly) to get to 50 million users

Facebook- 1,325 days (3 years and ~7 ½ months) to get to 50 million users

LinkedIn-2,354 days (6 years and ~5 ½ months) to get to 50 million users

Google+ ? – 88 days! (a little under 3 months)

Just A Little Comparison…

Lowered 18 year old membership limit to 13 November 2011 integrated YouTube, Gmail,

Google Maps, Android, Google Play, Google Music, Google Voice, Google Wallet, and Google Local with Google+

Linked all saved information on these services to your Google+ account

Want to save information from these apps? Need to create a Google+ account

More Growth

Over 1 billion registered Google+ accounts today, second only to Facebook

However only roughly 400 Million are active monthly, MUCH less than Facebook

What’s up with the 600 Million inactive users? I have my suspicions…

Most people don’t know they have one!

Registered vs Active Users

The Social Media Scoop

Considered by NY Times as Google’s biggest attempt to rival Facebook

Google: Comparing Google+ with Facebook NOT like comparing apples to apples!

Doesn’t consider Google+ a social networking site. More a “social layer” of Google

Facebook a whole site dedicated to social networking. Google+ an update of Google.com meant to improve the experience

Point to the name--Google PLUS this new feature

Social Network or Social Layer?

64% of users are male (36% female) Largest age demographic 25-34. 35-45 age

group nipping at its heels Tend to be well-educated professionals

that work in techy-type industries (NERDS!) Early adopters and Influencers. Very

knowledgeable of new tech and trends, like to inform you of new products and services.

More brand conscious. More likely to join and engage in banded communities

User Demographics

Users By Age

Focus tends to be more on discussions and trends rather than keeping up with family and friends and funny pictures of cats. More professional tone

Average time on site ~7-11 minutes Prime time to post between 9am and11am Worst time to post between 6pm and 7am Just general tendencies, not rules. Analyze

your page to see when your posts get the most engagement

User Behavior

Google is first and foremost a search engine (the most powerful on the planet by far!)

Search engines are yesteryears yellow pages

Google normally needs to go out and search other sites for content to index then rank

On Google+ you are feeding the 900 pound gorilla exactly what it wants. The content you post is immediately indexed

This helps your organic search rankings

The Biggest Difference

Google isn’t like other social media sites. Think of it more as a mini-blog site where

you post directly to the biggest search engine on the planet.

The Point…

Every post needs a keyword rich title- this becomes the title in the search results, so select it carefully.

Format what you write for attention: use bold, italics, bullet points to help readers skim what you post

How To Write For Google

It’s ok to post longer content. It’s both a visual and text based medium. Use ‘em both!

Use your images- especially if you have an image based business. Show off what you do. Before and after pictures are always good. The more creative and dramatic the better.

Posting Tips

Put a “+” before the person’s name that you want to tag in a post

Tagging will notify the person you tagged that they are being mentioned in a post and you are inviting them to respond

Can tag anyone that you add into your circle even if they don’t have you in their circle

Tagging in Posts on Google+

Hashtags are used to connect relevant topics

The hashtagged word/topic becomes a link to other people using the word/topic

Helps connect you with people talking about the same things you are

Increases your visibility

Hashtags- Use ‘Em!

Google Plus Cheat Codes

Used to be easy to keep your family, friend, and work life separate.

Add different people to different circles based on their role in your life and see only their posts. Only they will see what you post.

Helps you filter through the noise Hear from the people you WANT to hear

from WHEN you want to hear from them

Circles

The more people that have you in their circles, the more people can see your content.

Even if your site doesn’t normally show up in the organic search results of Google, it will show up first on the search results page of those people who have you in their circle on Google+ complete with your profile picture next to it.

SEO Advantage of Circles

Ask people through your other social media sites to add you to their circles

Check out communities for people with interests similar to yours or that deal with something your work specializes in

Engage in some of the conversations, share some information. People will add you to their circles if they like what you’re saying

If you just add some people to your circles, often times they will add you back

Get In Their Circle

Equivalent to the “Like” button on Facebook “Plus 1” something someone posted, a

picture, video, a website, WHATEVER! Google takes this Plus 1 as an endorsement

or recommendation Also keeps track of what you’ve Plus 1’d

The Plus 1

The importance of the +1 button has been hotly debated, but the working theory is that whenever this link is clicked, it helps your SEO. We say…not really.

The truth is when someone hits the +1, it’s one signal to Google. Don’t forget comments and shares. So, one browser has 3 opportunities to send a signal to Google that your post is good-+1, comment, share it

Putting the +1 on your website is a good idea.

Plus 1 and SEO

+Post Ads- they exist, so there is a way to advertise on Google+

Not widely adopted, but it’s a shot at advertising on some prime Google real estate

For example, a car salesman could target his Google+ posts to appear on auto parts websites

While this sounds good on paper (like communism), the jury’s still out on how effective it is or will be

Ads On Google+

Ignore the Communities: play well with others

Just talk about your own products/services Spam your circles Leave your profile incomplete Ignore the circles Ignore negative comments Build a profile and ignore it Not ever post or +1

What Not To Do:

Tag people (or think about it)-can prompt interaction (not always the kind you want)

Post on community pages to get more visibility

Cross post hot topics to G+ for traction Use G+ to write long messages (blog posts)

then tweet the link Always use keywords in every post

What TO do on Google+

Take these steps:◦ Post your blog content on your Google+◦ Build “Blog Sharing” Circle◦ Notify everyone in it to see your post and ask

them to share it, comment or +1 it. ◦ See what kind of engagement you get

When You Blog

Use Google Events to invite people to events

Emphasize G+ on your website Use images-this always increases

engagement Use bold and italics in your text to help it

stand out.

What TO do

Add some images- you need a picture of yourself and a cover photo (just like Facebook)

Fill out your profile as much as possible and identify circles that make sense for your industry. Always include a few networking circle

When you share a post, share it with the public as well as the people in your circle

You can also notify people by email when you share but use this carefully. Don’t get spammy

Build Your Profile

• Go to: digital.makeitloud.net• Answer A Few Questions

• Get Free Feedback On What’s Missing With Your Digital Marketing

The Doctor Will See You Now!Get Your Digital Marketing Diagnosis

Please Help Us

If you enjoyed any part of this, please do one or more of the following: Like/Follow us on

So, basically, please share our stuff!