Social Media Optimization For Dummies

Chapter 10

Promoting Your Content

In This Chapter

• Promoting content on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
• Working with images and video
• Pushing content through social news sites
• Crafting content for specialty channels
• Connecting with mobile users

Creating the right mix of channels is more art than science, and the formula for success tends to vary by the type of content, the nature of the target markets, and the amount and nature of your resources. Some basic principles remain, but the ratio of the ingredients in the recipe can change.

In broadest terms, there are three categories of channels:

• Channels where you control the exposure
• Channels where you earn exposure
• Channels where you buy exposure

The first category of channels really shouldn't require any explanation. We will say, however, that your content should “live” on your channels; in other words, you should always try to publish all original content on the channels you control and then push the content out to other channels from there. Don't make the mistake of putting your content exclusively on channels outside your control. You want to own it. Always.

The second category — that is, channels where you earn exposure — is the primary focus for the social media optimization (SMO) practitioner and the focus of this chapter. The third channel shouldn't be ignored, however. If you have the budget for it, paid promotion on social media channels — a topic touched on in the chapter — is a proven winner.

Getting the Big Three ...