5 top tips for creating quality social media content

So you have your finger on the pulse of online marketing and you know social media is a vital part of the mix..... Your problem is that you struggle to create fresh and lively content that people want to read.  Don't panic - help is at hand with these top tips:

1.  Define the reasons why you want to use social media:  You may not need a 50-page strategy document but you do need a strategic approach.  Do you want to use social media mainly to direct more traffic to your website or to specific pages on your site e.g. to your online sales, to booking forms, to an email enquiry form, to your services page? Do you just want people to call you?  Perhaps you don't have a website and just want them to come to your Facebook page? Set your priorities now and then make sure that social media posts link your audience to the right destination.

 2.  Use your specialist skills and expertise: Your customers value more than your product or services - they value your expertise and knowledge. So start sharing this online in, for example, blogs, e-guides, short videos.... using social media posts to link people back to them.

 3.  What do your customers talk to you about?  On top of your specialist skills, you and your customers share many common interests in your field of work.  These interests could range from business planning, marketing and networking to finding the cheapest printers, conference venues, suppliers and more.  Wherever you normally go to find information on such issues, next time you go there, share this information on-line. If you are seeking it out, countless others will be too and you may have saved them some valuable time.

 4.  What news stories do you follow?  Do you follow news about your community and your region, your business sector, your sporting and leisure interests? Then share these by posting links to news and feature pieces online - taking care to only share the freshest news!

 5.  Variety - mix it up.... Don't post 5 business news stories in a row, particularly if they are all bad news!  Get a good mix of light and hard news stories, and try to cover a range of issues. Also make sure that you break up your own selling messages with other news and content. And don't forget variety in scheduling - post at different times of the day.

If you feel you need more support or training to help you with your online content creation, then contact us any time: info@iniscommunications.com We offer website and social media packages and in-house digital content training.

Happy Posting!

Paul Davis' new book - EVOLVE - raises issues of business leadership

Patricia Call (SFA), Paul Davis and Senator Feargal Quinn at the launcH of EVOLVEJust back from Dublin after the highly successful launch by Senator Feargal Quinn of Paul Davis' new Irish business book EVOLVE.  It was held at The Cliff Town House on St Stephen's Green - a perfect venue for the occasion, which was a warm, friendly celebration of Paul's achievement.

In EVOLVE, Paul outlines how we can change the way we do business by using our own vision and values as the driving force behind our business. And he has struck a chord.... Senator Quinn gave a glowing review of the book and quoted numerous examples of how many good and decent people create hugely successful enterprises by embedding their core values and beliefs in their business culture and methods.

It's a far cry from the kind of business leadership which dominated the Celtic Tiger economy - which in itself is enough to emphasise that it is time for change!  The book highlights that if you develop your business with your own values and beliefs at the core - whatever ideology, culture or religion your beliefs are based on - then this is what leads to business success.  

So what does this mean for me?  It means that yes, it is OK to believe that providing a quality service to customers with integrity, passion and commitment is more important than developing a "killer" business instinct which aims to "blow my competitors out of the water."  It means it is legitimate to use the values of truth and accuracy upon which my journalism career was built and apply them to the practice of PR.  It means its fine to run my business in a way which allows me and my colleagues flexibility around family commitments. And it means I can continue to ensure that my business makes a contribution to the local economy and community by using my skills to create a level playing field for clients and by 'doing our bit' on a voluntary basis.

So why not take a look at how you run your business? Do you feel under pressure to run things in ways which make you uncomfortable?  Do you park your personal beliefs at the office door? Could you create a happier workplace and develop a more successful business in the long run?  Check out EVOLVE by Paul Davis on http://amzn.to/xTQORe (paperback) or http://amzn.to/xdnVZN (Kindle version)

B&B Ireland appoint former Donegal Co Manager Michael McLoone to board

I've been working this week with B&B Ireland on the PR around the appointment of new board member - former Donegal Co Manager Michael McLoone .  The announcement attracted local newspaper and online coverage and Ballyshannon man did a piece for Ocean FM News today and will be interviewed on Ocean FM's North West Today at 9.30am tomorrow morning.  He's also lined up to the newspaper review for the Shaun Doherty Show on Highland Radio at 10am this Friday, so we're keeping him seriously busy! See details of his appointment on our News page

Online and Social Media Content Training

We have been delivering some training to the B&B sector this week under the Donegal Skillnet programme.  We looked at taking a strategic approach to online content, covering website content and social media platforms and profiles. 

The emphasis of the event was on hands-on practical training and advice so we worked through ways to create quality content for websites and social media covering the following issues:

• Creating news stories
• Writing blogs
• The best writing styles for online content
• Using and promoting your in-house expertise
• Following trends

As part of our practical approach, we worked with the trainees to create an online content template of issues, stories and areas of content which were directly relevant to them and which would supply them with more than enough material for regular, fresh and up-to-date blogs and social media posts.

Then we put all that had been learned from the day into a one-year Online PR Plan, which would guide them through 2012 in a structured and strategic manner, focussing on their key messages and target audiences.

Really enjoyed the training event and delighted with the positive feedback we received!

Legal rights of children with disabilities - new online discussion kicks off

Family and Child law expert Deirdre Burke, herself the mother of a child with disabilities, has started her own series of blogs on the legal rights of children with disabilities in Ireland. Deirdre says there are core legal rights enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Ireland has agreed to uphold, but that seeking to exercise these rights can be quite a different matter and can cover a complex range of issues.  Deirdre says she wants "to raise awareness and discussion on issues such as  HSE assessments, access to education (pre-school, and beyond), the Special Education Act, the Disability Act, regional services and the gaps in provision."  She's hoping that the new blogs will create an online conversation so parents can "share what we know and hopefully also work together to give our children the chances and opportunities they deserve."   Check out the full blog on:

http://ow.ly/7Ebw7