The only way you can connect to your audience is by going to them. You need to find where they are hanging out and engage them there.

You can’t wait for your target customers to come to you; you have to go to them. It’s the same case in digital marketing and social media. Find your target customer where they hang out, find out what they like and hate, and just engage with them. You can thank them for their support and handle negative situations.

Jay Baer said, “Companies can’t beat real people in social media; they must join them.” In order to get to know consumers, you need to make an effort. One of these is by hearing them out offline and online. Listen to what they are saying even on social media. At times, people speak the loudest and more freely in social media outlets. That’s where they voice out their opinions on events, products, and brands.

Take the time to hear out what people are saying. Listen to their opinions. These may help you improve and provide a better product. Don’t shut them out or beat them. Go and join them in the venue they are most comfortable in.

The post You Can’t Beat People In Social Media, Join Them Instead appeared first on Ben Francia.

Nobody can deny how information easily breezes through these days, especially with the help of social media outlets. According to statistics, more than 30 billion pieces of content are shared each month in Facebook alone. Content varies from web links, news stories, photos, posts, and more.

It’s so easy to share content with just a click of a button. Like or share it on Facebook and your friends have instant access to it. At times, what we retweet will even trend. Sharing has never been so easy. But we also need to be responsible on what we share online. Will it benefit our friends and followers? Or do we just want to simply “vent out” and express our thoughts and feelings?

Most people are not aware that there is some appropriate to what we share online, social media etiquette as I call it. Basically, we need to think before we post. Here are some questions you need to ask before posting online:

T – Is it TRUE? – Is the source reliable? Is it factual and accurate or just some hoax some people made up? What’s the use of information that isn’t true? It’s best to check the sources.

H – Is it HELPFUL? – Will the post benefit the readers? Is the information useful enough to help improve other people’s lives? The goal of information is to help people gain new or more knowledge about a topic. Make sure you post do that.

I – Is it INSPIRING? – Does the post elicit action and feelings from your readers? Some posts can help inspire people to go after something they’ve wanted to try for a long time. Meanwhile, other posts help make us feel better. They help the soul than having practical use.

N – Is it NECESSARY? – Do you really NEED to share it? Will it serve a purpose or are you creating social media clutter? It’s best to share posts that will benefit everyone. These can be news articles on natural disasters, world news, or what will generally affect everyone. If the general public needs to know it, then go on and share it.

K – Is it KIND? – Spread the kindness and goodness to everyone, even online. If it is rude and shaming others, then don’t post it. Cyber bullying is not to be taken lightly. A lot of people have become victim to it. And you don’t want to be one of the bullies. Nobody gains anything by being mean, offline or online. Kindness, on the other hand, makes you and others feel good.

Next time you want to share or post something, better ask yourself these questions. A little etiquette goes a long way, specially online.

The post Social Media Etiquette: THINK Before You Post appeared first on Ben Francia.

Sharing my experiences with newbies and people who want to update their internet marketing and social media skills has always been a pleasure. So it is no surprise I immediately said yes when Media and Civil Affairs Group and Civil-Military Operations School of the Civil Relations Service of the AFP invited me to participate in the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ 1st Social Media Summit.

The subject of my talk is the Long-Term Impact of Social Media in Organizations: consistent social media engagement empowers organizations to influence its constituents’ perceptions, trust and confidence. Here I will discuss how social media networks are critical in today’s public service and how organizations can improve their social media initiatives.

This Social Media Summit will be on July 11, 2014 at the AFP Theater in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. With a target audience of more than 1,000 participants from various AFP and other government organization, it aims to bring together bright minds to share their knowledge on Social Media. It also aims to inspire participants in boosting AFP’s online initiatives as well as improve public service awareness using various social media networks.

Leave a comment below or you may visit http://AFPSocialMediaSummit.dwdd.com.ph/, for more information on AFP’s 1st Social Media Summit.

The post The Armed Forces of the Philippines’ 1st Social Media Summit appeared first on Ben Francia.

Image from Pinterest

Have you tweeted lately? How about updated your status in Facebook? Maybe you even shared a photo or video. These days, information can be easily shared online. We realize that whatever you need to see or find out about, you can easily find them online.

We don’t just provide information, but we also share them. Our interaction are no longer limited to being actually face to face, but also online. It’s all about exchanging ideas whenever, wherever. Hence, it’s not surprising when Barry Libet said, “The future of business is social.”

In order to have a successful business, you also need to tap the online market. You need to and look for your target customers online. It’s no longer limited to offline situations. The best way to engage with them is through social media. That is the best avenue to get to know them and even learn from them. This way, you can find out what they need and how you can provide them with solutions.

Being social is not just talking to others, but it is also exchanging ideas. Engaging with your customers online is one step to ensure a successful business. Being social is the only way to move forward. If you don’t take this step, then your business will be left out. So go and make the time to engage with your customers. Find who they are, what they need, and how you can help them.

The post The Future Of Business Is Social appeared first on Ben Francia.

When it comes to businesses engaging with their social media followers, it’s all about being human and personal.

The best way to communicate with your followers is by being more personal with your messages and choice of words. Social media is a channel where we can engage with our target customers. At the same time, our followers are in social media not to hear about your new marketing offer, but to connect with people and friends.

The reason that you have Facebook friends is because it is intended to connect with your friends. So it is best to be their friend when engaging through social media. Leave the offers and the brand talk to your website. Show your human side in social media and be relatable to your audience.

Check out the video to know more ways how you can engage with your followers in your social media sites.

The post How Should Businesses Engage their Social Media Followers appeared first on Ben Francia.

People and business new to online marketing have this common question: “How do I drive in new clients and customers in to my website?”

In this short video, I’ll be summarizing the four basic ways how to get traffic in to your website. These strategies include:

1. Content Marketing using a BLOG
2. Search Engine Optimization
3. Social Media Marketing
4. Paid Traffic through Google Adwords and Facebook Ads

If you want me to answer your question in my next video episode,  click on this link and send me your question and I’d be glad to answer them. 🙂

Cheers!

The post Ask Ben | How can I drive in new clients in to my website? appeared first on Ben Francia.