Social Media Sites and How to Use Them Effectively In Your Business

In Today's Lesson...
Lesson 10 - Conclusion

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Over the course of the last 10 weeks, we have helped to develop your social media strategy and reviewed 9 social media sites and the benefits they can provide your business. As we stated in the beginning, social media marketing is like the yellow pages on steroids. Never before has there been as much opportunity for businesses to reach their target market quickly and affordably.

While each of the social media sites we reviewed has unique benefits and opportunities, there are several commonalities to all social media marketing efforts which are key to your success. In summary, 

1) Build a thorough and strong profile. Each social media site provides an opportunity for you to describe who you are, what you do and where to find more information about your product and/or services. Your profile is often the thing that will cause a reader to take a second look at you and/or your business. Be professional while showing personality. Provide a link to your website. Correct any spelling, capitalization or grammatical errors. 

2) Engage. Social media is just that - social. Don't be a wallflower. Engage, praise, compliment, promote fellow members, thank and be social. If you want to get noticed, you need to participate. 

3) Avoid being a sleazy car salesman (or saleswoman). Social media provides multiple opportunities to promote your products/services. Social media participants expect to learn about you and your business but they will be turned off by repeated sales pitches. Add valuable content (tips, articles, how to's), promote interesting content by your friends/followers, show your human side (your interests, hobbies etc) AND mix in your own products/services. When done in moderation, your followers will be eager to find out more and to make a purchase.

There are many social media sites and many different ways to promote your business through them. Start off small and work your way up. If it gets crazy, then see about soliciting others to help you - sometimes your most active fans would jump at the chance to promote you for free in exchange for the prestige of running your Facebook fan page or even for a few "freebies" sent their way every so often. Use your imagination and have fun!

Social Media Sites and How to Use Them Effectively In Your Business

In Today's Lesson...

Lesson 9 - YouTube

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It's time. Time for what you ask? Time to start using video to market your business. Creating videos around your business and using social media platforms to promote those videos is one of the largest growth areas in social media marketing today. Everyone from wedding accessory shops to internet marketers are using the power of video to promote their business.

Why is video marketing so powerful? Primarily two reasons: 1) People like to know who they are purchasing from. A video provides the opportunity for the viewer (and hopefully customer) to see your face, hear your voice and build trust; 2) search engines, especially Google, loves video content and indexes them rapidly.
YouTube receives more than 100 million views a day.

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Social Media Sites and How to Use Them Effectively In Your Business

In Today's Lesson...

Lesson 8 - Ning

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Ning is a popular social media site which allows users to create their own social network and then invite people to participate and get involved. Ning platforms are much like online forums with the added benefit of users being able to create their own page.

Ning sites are particularly popular for niche based conversations and networking. One of the largest Ning sites is TwitterMoms which now has more than 21,000 members.

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Social Media Sites and How to Use Them Effectively In Your Business

In Today's Lesson...
Lesson 7 - Squidoo

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If you are thinking that Squidoo has something to do with seafood and calamari, think again. Squidoo is a powerful social media site that allows users to create "lenses" about themselves, their business and/or their interests. A Squidoo lens is similar to a blog post except, rather thing being hosted on an individual's blog, it is posted on a community site for the world to view. Imagine having your blog posts listed on a site with more than a million users who are looking for a quick way to find answers to their questions. Squidoo offers that to and more.

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Social Media Sites and How to Use Them Effectively In Your Business

In Today's Lesson...

Lesson 6 - Stumble Upon

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In many ways, StumbleUpon is very similar to Digg. Users rate content based on how valuable they find it and if they think others will want to know about and learn from it. In order to get the most out of StumbleUpon, make sure that the content that you are sharing is valuable, that your site is worthy of a thumbs up and that you spend time providing feedback and thumbs up to sites you value as well.

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Etsy Shop and Blog Hop - Post Your Shop here!

Looking for a little bit more exposure for your Etsy Shop and Blog?

Why not join our Etsy Shop Hop?  Here is how to participate.

1. Add your shop Avatar to the list below and use your etsy shop URL for it..
2. In a blog post on your blog, link to your favourite items from the two shops ahead of you on the list.
3. Add the Shop Hop code to your blog with these same instructions on how to participate.
4. Post your blog URL below in the comments.

So - when this is done, not only do you get at least two new links to your items from another blog which helps you be found, but you also might get more followers to your blogs and visits to your shops.

It's worth a try anyhow.

Social Media Sites and How to Use Them Effectively In Your Business

In Today's Lesson...

Lesson 5 - Digg

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Digg is a social media/social bookmarking site that can help share your content with millions of people worldwide. Whether you post your content yourself or someone "Diggs" it, Digg is a little like voting for your favorite article or content. The more votes it receives, the more popular it becomes and the more traffic and visibility your business and website receives. Posting your content to Digg is a very effective way to establish yourself as an expert and to drive potential buyers to your website.

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Social Media Sites and How to Use Them Effectively In Your Business

In Today's Lesson...

Lesson 4 - LinkedIn

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LinkedIn is perhaps one of the most effective social media platforms for business to business networking. If you want to establish yourself as an industry expert, market to other businesses, network with business leaders and executives, a presence on LinkedIn is a must. One of LinkedIn's features that make it substantially different than other social media sites is that your profile is much more like an online resume than it is with other social media platforms. As a result, with LinkedIn you really want to put your professional best into your profile.

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Social Media Sites and How to Use Them Effectively In Your Business

In Today's Lesson...

Lesson 2 - Twitter

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Twitter is one of the most popular social media sites being used today by individuals and businesses. Often referred to as "micro-blogging" Twitter provides a platform for you to interact with your target market, network and create relationships that can boost your business. Here are a few ways that you can use Twitter effectively to promote your business:

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HOST Member Update!

LA Originals is in the news! Check out her story here:
http://www.communitypress-online.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=780343

Social Media Sites and How to Use Them Effectively In Your Business

In Today's Lesson...

Lesson 1 - Introduction to Social Media Marketing

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http://spellpages.etsy.com

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Do you remember when businesses, small and large, focused lots of time and energy on advertising? When nearly all businesses placed an ad in the local Yellow Pages? Social media is the Yellow Pages on steroids! Through social media, you can market your business and services worldwide, educate consumers, receive feedback from customers, run special promotions, provide coupons to targeted audiences, and more. AND YOU CAN DO SO EASILY AND AFFORDABLY. The power of social media is almost limitless for small and large businesses.

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Work Smarter, Not Harder

Here is a great article from Handmade Spark on how to automate your Twitter account with your new listing notifications.

Catching Up with HOST members....

So - what are our HOST members doing now?

LA Originals has a new line of cute children's hats:



And Spellpages has new items:



And a new blog: http://spellpages-digital.com

And PinMeUp is back up and running:



Busy, busy ladies! Please check out their shops and heart a few!

Treasury East - Bright and Beautiful

Please go show our new Treasury some love!

Spruce Up Your Store Challenge: Updates and Tips

So, if you have been making the changes we have been talking about each week, you should be seeing some improvement in your store's views at least. Go check your Google Analytics to see if this is helping. Continue working on your items, etc.

I ran across this article from The Spark I want to share with you today - give it a read and then apply what you can to your store. There are a lot of great tips in there! 

The article:
http://www.handmadespark.com/blog/tips-to-pump-up-your-etsy-seo/

Then come back and share with us what you did.

Freebie Fridays!

Freebie Fridays have arrived! That's right! I said free! FREE!

Join HOST Friday, April 30th at 7 PM as they sponsor their first Freebie Friday! We will be promoting shops offering free stuff! BOGOs, free shipping, free item with purchase, etc.... you get the idea.....
Look for our post in the Promo section in the Etsy forums Fridays at 7 PM for the list of participating stores. And please add your store to the post if you have freebies of your own! (This promotion is for FREE stuff ONLY. Please do not add your store if your sale does not involve something free.)

And if you have a blog or Twitter and would like to help us promote Freebie Fridays it would be greatly appreciated!

SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT: tantecaroline

Tell us a little about yourself:
I'm an academic by day, and a mad crafter by night, weekends and any other time I can. It's all a wonderful balancing act with husband, son, dog, cat and fish thrown into the mix. I wouldn't have it any other way.

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?
I’m happy with the ones I have now -- dog, cat and fish. I’d have more of them if I could.

Fruit or chocolate?
Fruit and chocolate!

Your favorite meal?
Different meals for different moods, but California Rolls are always good.

City break or weekend in the country?
I’m a homebody. I’d prefer a house in the country that I’d rarely have to leave. And then there’d be lots of room for more animals ;-)

Why did you join/donate to HOST? OR How did you hear about HOST?
I’m fairly new to etsy and my introduction to HOST was accidental. I created a treasury as a means of saying hi to my new teammates on the Niagara Etsy Artisan Team. Turned out one of the members of the team, Krys at ivykeep, is also a member of HOST. She introduced me to the site.

How did you first get interested in what you do?
For me making things was a way of personalizing my home space and having things that seemed out of my reach.
It wasn’t anything I took up or began, though, because I grew up in a household where things were only bought if they couldn’t be made. My mother worked in our home as a seamtress and my father could build anything. Really. He made our first computer, built my first stereo, created a car -- made molds to form a fiberglass body, put together the engine, and finished the interior. Even sewed his own tonneau cover!
My first swirly ball was inspired by a gift from my nephew of a stone sphere. I loved it, wanted more, and found a way to recreate the form, while adding my own spin, or swirl.
The polymer I came to via another love -- books. It’s a wonderful, forgiving and exciting medium, with possibilities for creativity that I’m still exploring.

Tell us about your shop.
Tante Caroline’s Polymer Stuff and Swirly Things has been open since December 2009. All of the etsy literature tells me that I need to find a niche, but I like doing too many things to settle for one. As a result, my shop is an eclectic space with home décor, functional ornaments, and jewellery, all created with a variety of mediums.

What do you love most about selling on Etsy?
I’d truly love to say selling, but I haven’t done a lot of that… yet ;-) Call me crazy but the sense of community here, and the overall appreciation of handcrafted works, just feels good. It’s added a spark of excitement to my usual crafting. I know it sounds hokey, but there’s a real ‘we’re all in this together’ vibe that is tangible! My experience with the treasuries is a terrific example of that.

Where else can we find you? (facebook, blog, twitter, flickr, etc)
I’m on facebook, but I keep my shop separate from that social media. I know that many sellers have found social media useful, but I find it time consuming. I’d rather be making stuff than talking about making stuff ;-)

Any advice you would like to share with others that might read this?
What is the best etsy tip or resource you have found or been given?
At this point, I’m not in the position to give advice. I’m still taking it! ;-) I do think, though, that the inroad to visibility is in creating treasuries, having good photos of your works and networking.

" THE 7 PM FREE FOR ALL SALE for APRIL 17th".... FREE STUFF!!!!!

" THE 7 PM FREE FOR ALL SALE for APRIL 17th".... FREE STUFF!!!!!

Mine will be buy 3 items and get a 4th item FREE....you could do free shipping....buy 1 get 1 whatever you want.

The main thing is the FREE item to generate some sales for people on a slow night.

No percent off in this sale...only BOGO's. or B2GO or B3GO... You get the idea!

If you would like to join in, look for the thread at 7pm.....in promo's.

- Ficklefaerie

Spruce Up Your Shop Challenge: Tagging

One of the best ways to be found in an Etsy Search is to use all your tags.

Please read: Tagging For Success

And your challenge this week is to apply those tagging ideas to your listed items.

Don't forget to add Team tags if you are involved with any teams. It's a great way to get found and promoted by your own team members.

Meet the HOSTies: AllAboutTheButtons

Tell us a little about yourself.
I was an art major in college and flipped from craft to craft for....well,forever. I did not pursue my art as a career but was always involved in some craft most of the time. I now have the time to indulge my love of creating, almost full time.

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be? 
LOVE dogs but truly don't want the responsibility anymore.

Fruit or chocolate? 
Fruit

Your favorite meal? 
Lobster and ice cream

City break or weekend in the country? 
Beach!

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