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Are You Flushing Your Marketing Down the Social Media Toilet?

written by Robert Bruce
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Are You Flushing Your Marketing Down the Social Media Toilet?

Building your Facebook following?

Smart.

Depositing all your content capital in The National Bank of Twitter?

Dumb. Let me rephrase: compounded dumb.

We’ve talked a lot about the dangers of digital sharecropping. So now let’s talk today about a specific news item that could affect your business — at any time.

And, in the tip of the week, we cover writing great headlines in light of Led Zeppelin’s fourth album.

Also, Brian names names.

In this episode Brian, Sonia and I discuss:

  • The real danger (and stupidity) of hinging all your marketing on Facebook or Twitter
  • How to inoculate your business against Facebook Fan Page deletion
  • What is obscurity marketing and can it work for you?
  • Why some writers can get away with “bad” headlines and why you probably can’t
  • How much should you promote your social presence?
  • A simple way to write effective headlines — at the grocery store

Hit the flash player below to listen now:

Other listening options:

The Show Notes:

About the Author: Robert Bruce is Copyblogger Media’s Chief Copywriter and Resident Recluse.

P.S. – Whenever you’re ready, here are 4 ways we can help you:
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Reader Comments (31)

  1. What I really picked up from this audio is “how to write great headlines.” I have always struggled with this for over 6 months, reading a lot of ebook and attending series of webinars and workshops. But there is nothing so interesting seeing myself cranking great headlines after I read this post.

    In fact, I tried writing the title for my upcoming infoproduct, sent the title to my copywriter and he goes “wow!” I’ve learnt so much and this is a motivation for me to persevere and develop my copywriting skills.

    • That’s awesome!

      Headlines are one of those things you work on and you keep working on. Kind of like going to the gym — you don’t just master pushups and then quit doing them. You have to keep practicing to stay strong.

  3. I have always used Facebook as a marketing tool, not a storefront. I am using it more and more for networking with complimentary businesses. I’ve never really been into Twitter but I know I need to be. Would love some recommendations for Copyblogger posts on using Twitter – Sonia? 🙂

  4. Can we please please please kill that “redheaded stepchild” expression – drive a stake through its heart? Please….

    In return, I promise to send Sonia my special recipe for naked mole rat shampoo.. .;)

  5. I really paid attention to the piece on Facebook and Twitter. Many of us who write fiction are using these sites for getting the word out about our novels. I do remember some writer friends complaining last week that some of their material on their fan pages went missing or were messed up. I do think most of us have blogs or webpages. The idea of directing to those places, not the social media is a point well taken.

  6. Two things:

    1.) I dig that headline technique. Been using that and writing/re-writing titles in my moleskine from time to time.
    2.) I dig how you guys have added a music clip to end the show, nice touch.

  9. I love your headline technique. Cosmo, LOL! Great advice.

    I am so ambivalent about FB, with the constant push on the privacy boundaries. I am really enjoying Google+ and interested to see where it goes.

    Awesome show 🙂

  12. I’m quite diligent with my twitter, you know, following those who follow me and posting regularly. But in all this time I have observed that people are going into twitter to tweet, not to read other people’s tweets.

    Sure, there are so many paid products claiming to earn tons of money from twitter. Money from where? From other twitter subscribers or from people buying the program.

    I wish someone can really show me how to use twitter or facebook as cash registers. I mean from people who are not selling something.

    • Joseph, i would read through all the archives of Copyblogger.com (full disclosure – I have nothing to do with Copyblogger, just a loyal fan). They provide all the secrets to how to make money online, no strings attaches, and completely free.

    • Joseph, anyone who tells you Twitter is a “cash register” is lying. Twitter is a content distribution network that gets your work in front of other people at no cost (by people retweeting your content). Get those people to subscribe and pay attention to you over time (preferably by email) and then you can make offers that turn into cash.

  14. I’ve been a faithful fan of the blogs for more than a year, but this was my first time listening. I love your knowledge and the easy way you communicate on air (or whatever the medium is called now) as you do in print.

    On the LinkedIn SEO group, there was a lot of dialogue about GooglePlusand the takeaway seemed to be that it’s not quite ready yet, not widespread to make an impact. Do you recommend building a presence for traditional small businesses on Plus when they barely understand Twitter and Facebook?

    Thanks,

  15. Here’s what I got from the podcast …. wait, scratch that. Here’s what I got from the “Radio Show” … find some way to incorporate Oprah’s va-jay-jay in my next headline. Thanks guys!

    P.s. Your podcast rocks. The best marketing-related audio that I listen to … by far. Thanks for sharing your wisdom in a way that allows me to learn while I walk the dog and/or workout.

  16. The thing about Facebook pages is really alarming. There’s no going back which means that a FB page is not at all our property, even though it’s really funny and ironical that most bloggers put a lot more time on social media profiles/pages than on their own blogs.

    Writing magnetic headlines – ah it’s always ever green to hear about it over and over again. But I’m sure more practice makes writing killer headlines better.

    Thanks for the awesome podcast, I’ve just subscribed on iTunes 🙂

  17. Oh man. When you get three people together like this, cool pieces of information just slip out. (Love all the background mouse clicks too. :D)

    No seriously, you’re going to remove your sidebar social media badges? Don’t need no stinkin’ badges! Haha. But I’m worried. After removing mine, I’m getting more email addresses, but literally NO Facebook likes. Ouch.

  18. I’m studying Social Media Theory and Practice with @dr4ward at @NewhouseSU and there is constant conversation over security on Facebook, but we’ve never addressed the possibility of page deletion. We forget the risk of keeping content on less than secure sites when it’s not our personal private information. Thanks for the helpful posts, I’m definitely subscribing to your blog! #NewhouseSM6

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