Google+ – Carolyn M. Bowen, Author

December 3, 2018April 5, 2021

It’s Not You – It’s Me!

Quote for Today: “Just as you don’t need to be on every single TV channel, I don’t believe a brand needs to be on every single social media one in a big way.” – Shiv Singh

The new social marketing trends for 2019 are captivating. This one caught my eye with understanding behind the motivation. Put simply, there’s a rising desire for small businesses to cut back their social media posting across multiple platforms.

The reasons are persuasive for analyzing what’s working or not. Social media is time-consuming and is linked to depression for some users. Actively participating costs time and money that may be better spent elsewhere.

The time and resources to create and develop new products and the cost of doing business through these channels is a key point. The need to evaluate the return on the investment (ROI) for the monies spent creating posts, images, videos, etc. is crucial. For example, just because an influencer says there making sales with their storytelling online doesn’t cut it anymore. The proof is in dollars and cents. It has to be experienced for one.

For example, have you encouraged folks to like your page on a social platform to find few ever saw your creative postings? That’s a dead-end to organic growth from your efforts. The caveat – is until you promoted or sponsored the post as an ad don’t expect growth. Then, the results will depend on the product, the precise targeting, and other demographic variables. And, only a small percentage will click through to become subscribers or potential consumers.

The dollars spent cultivating these type fan bases have been sucked into a dark hole never to be seen again. Take time to study and learn from others about what’s working and make changes as needed. Don’t waste your time and money doing the same old thing expecting different results.

Recently we learned Google+ was ending their social platform that according to some news reports was designed to compete against Facebook. I am sorry to see these changes but understand the reasons behind it. If something isn’t meeting the business goals – end it.

However, this is one of my favorite and largest fan bases. I welcome all my fans to follow my website blog for the latest news about my writing life. In the meantime, I’m staying to the end. The latest report is that Google+ Support will be cut off on December 11th and the app will shut down completely on March 12th, 2018.

I plan to continue evaluating where my advertising dollars are best spent across the web and what social media platform/s helps me achieve my goals. I’ll tell you more about my mistakes in marketing and one I’m correcting soon. Hint: Develop your own real estate.

You can catch me posting on my favorite social platforms daily. Why? Because of the friendships I’ve developed over time and the encouragement and mutual sharing of ideas. What are your social media marketing plans for 2019?

Shopping for a special someone in your life? Whoever it is, we’re guessing they’d love a good book, because who doesn’t? Look no further than action-packed books by Carolyn Bowen!

Social Media Hangouts!

These are a few of my favorite social media hangouts! Drop by and say hello!

Goodreads

Twitter

Love picture ideas? Me, too. Pinners Follow Here!

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November 14, 2018April 5, 2021

Social Marketing Today

Quote of the Day: Everyone lives by selling something. Robert Louis Stevenson

The art of marketing is solidified when you have identified your target market, folks who are interested in your products and services and provide a means to communicate. Today, social media plays an important role in connecting with like-minded people – talking and listening. But, how do you choose which platforms to use for finding your audience and potential customers?

When you are able to see the overall picture and plan your business future, you’ve just become an author, the business end of being a writer.

Answering the Question

For me, as much as I enjoy creating and sharing photos/videos when posting about my books, I’ve got to be aware of the conversion rate. As an author, you need to know how and where to get your books in the hands of interested readers. I asked the question, where are my potential readers hanging out and what site delivers the best return on my investment?

Having lots of followers on social media isn’t the point. Having people interested in what you say and your offerings are important and play a key role in building relationships.

Many new small businesses rush to share on most or all of the social media platforms. Take your time. Begin with two or three of the major ones and expand from there, if desired.

I would suggest sites, in the least, where everyone who follows can see your posts without advertising. I’m not saying don’t advertise, you can pick a post that’s performing well within your community, tweak it and monitor the results.

My favorite social sites for some time have been Google+, Twitter, and Pinterest.

As mentioned in an earlier post, Google+ is phasing out this platform as currently operated. I’m sad. Second, Twitter has always been a great site for me although the news feed moves quickly. Your post most often has a shelf life of 30 minutes max. The good news is your posts are shown to everyone and advertising is affordable if desired. And, third, Pinterest is a fun place to show-off both personally and professionally. It is a behind the scenes kind of thing that allows followers to get to know the real you.

If you enjoy photos and following the trends for just about anything life has to offer, you’ll love this site. Me, I especially love the cute kitties, travel, fashion, and meeting book lovers!

I’m trying out a new site, MeWe.com, the next-gen social network. I like the idea of a site engineered with privacy in mind and the ability to connect with like-minded folks. I’m learning the ropes and will share more about my experiences in a later post.

Do you have favorite social media sites? I’d love to hear from you about what works for your business. Note: I’m on other social sites for various reasons – business and personal.

The Writing Life, Carolyn M. Bowen — Photo Credit: Pixabay

Latest Writing News

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