social media strategy

Yes, definitely it is okay as long as you provide quality comments. Show interest first on what they offer. But never ask to follow you.

Sure is.

Engaging with key influencers in your niche is a great way to build up your own organic following.

Don't get too stalky about it, but occasionally when a post resonates with you and you know it'll appeal to your audience, do go ahead and share it. Make sure you acknowledge them too; nothing worse than ripped off content!

Step 1: Listen and Compare

It’s an old social media strategy, saying by now, but “listen” is still good advice that’s often ignored. The reality is that your clients will give you a good information to where and how you should be active in social media, if you broaden your social listening beyond your product name.

Step 2: What’s the Point?

Yes, you can use social media to help achieve several business objectives. But the best social media strategies are those that focus on a more narrow rationale for social. What do you mainly want to use social for? Awareness? Sales? Loyalty and retention? Pick one.

Step 3: Select Success Metrics

How are you going to determine whether this is actually making a difference in your business? What key measures will you use to assess social media strategy effectiveness? How will you surpass (hopefully) likes and engagement? Will you measure ROI?

Step 4: Analyze Your Audiences

With whom will you be interacting with social media? What is the market and psychographic characteristics of your current or prospective customers? How does that impact what you can and should attempt in social media?

1) Define your target audience
If you have not already identified and recorded your buyer personas, start by defining the key demographics of the audience

2) Start blogging
Fresh content is the linchpin of a successful social strategy, so you will need to commit to creating fresh, quality content on a consistent basis.

3) Create educational content
Consider creating downloadable material like ebooks, checklists, videos, and infographics that address your buyer’s pains.

4) Focus on a few key social channels
Most small businesses do not have the bandwidth to establish and sustain a great social media presence on more than a few of channels.

Yes it's ethical, as long as you provide valuable content and keep your comments relevant and on topic.

I think that if you're think of all social networks as the same, you've already lost.

The audience's on Twitter and FB are dramatically different. Snark on Twitter works great. On FB, it's annoying.

For FB, simply sharing others posts can often be plenty. Instagram and Pinterest and entirely different animals as well. Really, depending on your personality and what you're selling, it's going to change how you interact on social media.

Yes it's totally fine if they like your page they will follow you back. There's nothing unethical about it.

7 Steps in Creating a Winning Social Media Strategy
# Extend Efforts Throughout Your Organization
# Ensure Social Goals Solve Challenges
# Focus on Networks That Add Value
# Create Engaging Content
# Identify Business Opportunities Through Social media
# Engage Instead of Ignore
# Track, Improve and Market Your Efforts