The Best Blog I’ve Ever Written… Packed Full of the Best Bits from Social Media Marketing World #SMMW20

by Cheryl Laidlaw

Best Bits Social Media Marketing World #SMMW20

After attending Social Media Marketing World in San Diego this year, I was blown away and overwhelmed by the all the fantastic speakers and aha moments I had.
I came home and… that’s right… did absolutely nothing with my new found knowledge.
Until now!
Can I just add… that I’ve wanted to attend Social Media Marketing World for the past 8 years. It was a geeky dream of mine and the excitement I had was unbelievable.
Since arriving home I’ve been asked by many people “What were your best take a way tips from Social Media Marketing World” that it was finally time to write my best bits down so I can go back over my notes and I can share them with you too!
So here are my tips, tricks and phrases I learnt from attending…

1. Edit old Blogs

A few of the speakers stressed this point and that’s why its number one on the list.
I’m probably not alone when I say, I find it difficult to stay consistent when writing blogs. So going over old blogs and adding more content to them is a great way to show up more.
Not only are you updating your audience with new ideas/facts or knowledge but you are also telling Google that you care about your site and updating the content.
Add external links to your copy. Finding ways to relate to external content is a great way of educating your audience as long as you open these links in a new window
(if you don’t know how to do this, please ask. It’s one of my pet hates)
Add images to your blog… Not just 1 or 2. I mean 5 or 6 (maybe more depending on the length of your blog).
Setting the scene or using images to brighten up copy will keep your audience more engaged.  And…Don’t forget to add your alt tags. We want to rank for those too!
But if you really want to rank higher, why don’t you go a step further and also put together a video for people that would rather listen.
Once more thing…. Notice how my text has lots of line breaks?
This makes the blog very user friendly, easy to read and perfect for those people that want to scan blogs for the best bits. Let’s be fair… we do this.
As a result of all the above Google will reward you with a new position on search and your site traffic will increase. How does that sound?

2. Differentiate yourself based on trust

As we all know, people do business with people they know, like and trust. So, what can you do to build trust with someone?
The more your audience/client/customer see you, the more they will feel like they know you. So, how are you going to show up?
If people don’t know you, they can’t buy from you. Use one platform to make sure that you stand out and show who you really are?
I use Instagram to show my clients and potential clients who I am but you can use a platform that best suits your audience.
Where do your clients hang out?
Don’t worry you, you only have to choose one!
The industry expects say its V I D E O but we know this right.

3. Don’t mess with paid advertising until your processes and lead magnets are set up properly!

Don’t be too eager to throw money at adverts, some people think it is a easy win to getting sales but you need a whole machine in place before you start.
It’s best to get potential customers on a list (newsletter or Facebook messenger) before hitting them with a sale. That way you can build up the know, like and trust factor and you can retarget them with other sales and promotions in the future.
Always use a advert specialist who can give you more information about creating a marketing plan. If you need an intro or want to know more from the best in the industry, here they are:

4. Communication is key!

We all know how important it is to communicate well but businesses are still getting this wrong. What the hell do you do?
If the problem you solve isn’t included on the headline of your website? Instagram bio and Linkedin headliner. Then it needs to be.

A quick exercise (and one of my favorite exercises from #SMMW20) is called the ABT method by @ParkHowell which stands for:
AND
BUT
THEREFORE
It’s a great way to tell people exactly what you do using just a few sentences. To download this, click here.
Here is mine:
We work with small businesses to help them get a step up on their competition AND get more sales online
BUT the problem is they don’t know who to trust, they think its expensive and have limited time to invest.
THEREFORE we build a website to be proud of, from concept to launch in just one day. – without the stress!

I’d love to see yours, Post them in the comments below!

5. Blog titles and blog length!

15 word headliners work really well in Google. Who knew!
The amazing Andy Crestodina (if you don’t know, better get to know) is an SEO and Google Analytics expert who recommends from researched gathered that your blogs should be 2000 words plus.

• The average blog post is 1142 words
• 69% of bloggers write 1000 words or more
• 6X as many bloggers are exceeding 2000 words

“38% percent of the bloggers who spend 6 hours per article report “strong results” from blogging.” Andy Crestodina @crestodina
How do you feel about that? It’s a lot to take in but here I am giving it a stab and I’m still only 962 words in as I write this ha.

6. FAQs

I’ve been barking on about the importance of an FAQ page for years so when It came up at Social Media Marketing World, I was pleased.
Do you have a FAQ page? If not here are a few good reasons why you should:

• An FAQ page improves user experience.
• FAQs are prime candidates to be selected by Google as Featured Snippets.
• An FAQ page can save you money on customer service.
• An FAQ page can be a great source of content ideas.

You can also use a great tool called Hotjar (which is a heatmaps analytics tool) to see which questions most users want to know the answer for.
With this information you can write blogs and make sure that you answer any questions in more detail.

7. Create Op-ins/Lead magnets that match your blogs content

You should have a lead magic on your website to catch visitors which enables you to retarget them but if you want to go a step further you can create lead magnets that match the content of the blog.
Go to Google analytics and see which blog is performing the best. There may be a few.
Now create a download that is related to the post. Clever huh!

8. Call to Actions

Ask the question… Are you ready to talk now? Then give them the option of how they can get in touch with you.
This simple question at the end of your service page tells the user what they should do next.
It could be as simple as

• Are you ready to talk now? Call me on [insert number]
• If you agree, share with your friends!
• What you do think? Comment below with your ideas.

9. The Ultimate LinkedIn Tip

Using video to communicate on LinkedIn is so powerful and I’m not talking about uploading video to your feed.
Once you have connected with someone on LinkedIn you have the ability to communicate with them how you wish.
So, How would you feel if you received a personalized video from your new connection?
Pretty impressed right.
You can do this now.
When you hit the reply button, press the plus sign next to the text box. (on your mobile app)

Then select the video icon.

They simply record your personalised message and wow them with your message. Remember to use their name.
I guarantee that they will be impressed by this.

10. Hashtags

Try to own 2 hashtags. One you make and the other one that everyone else uses.
When owning your own hashtag, you can easily find anyone who talks about your business and better connect with them online (as long as their account isn’t private).

11. Talk about ONE thing

We are told all the time to niche in our businesses so hearing this a lot from #SMMW20 was no surprise.
Talking about just one service will increase your sales. This will give you so much authority and you will become the ‘go to’ person.
Focusing on one thing will eliminate your competition but make sure that you choose the service/product that you are the most passionate about.
Choosing a subject that is attached to money making might sound like a good idea but you will soon become tired and bored which will shine through in your marketing content.
You can do this by asking yourself these questions:

1. Identify problems you can solve.
2. Identify your interests and passions
3. Research your competition.

Then test your idea by asking people what they think. Or better still If you need help with this then Amy Caiger specializes in this subject. @Amycaigerbiz  www.amycaiger.com

12. The Confidence Plateau

It wasn’t until I went to SMMW that I released through the help of Andrew and Pete’s talk that I was in a ‘confidence plateau’ with my business.

Having been very content with how I run my business and what I charge. I didn’t think that much else could change or I didn’t want to believe it could.
I was set in my ways and I wasn’t thinking of new ways in which I could grow my business even further, as growing a business is scary, lets face it!
Here are just a few things Andrew and Pete suggested you can do to get out of the confidence plateau:

As soon as I returned home from San Diego, I raised my price for Website in a Day and positioned myself solely as a website expert.
My Instagram marketing is now focused on my web knowledge with of course ‘behind the scenes’ content.
I picked up the phone and started to sell and be more proactive with meetings
What are you going to grow your business from the above list?
Doing just one of those from the list above can be scary but worth it!

So, there you have it. 12 best bits from Social Media Marketing World #SMMW20 that are going to improve your reach and how your audience perceives you.
What one point will you implement straight away?
I’m already booked to go back to Social Media Marketing World in 2021.
I met so many great new online contacts from around the globe and have new list of favorite speakers that I can go to for next level industry knowledge. Do you fancy joining me next year?