6 Social Media Opportunities You’re Missing Out On

Published on November 15, 2013

You've got the basics of social media down. You've branded, posted, blogged, liked, and tweeted until your heart's content.

But are you missing out on these 6 social media opportunities?

1. An Awesome Biography Section

Believe it or not, many social media users often forget the importance of a well-crafted biography and profile.

While ambiguity in a biography section seems clever and catchy, you may be hindering potential leads. Soup up your biography with relevant keywords, so users will find you when they search.

Remember to link to your website and other social media websites within your profile!

2. Create Twitter Lists

Twitter lists are the ultimate way to organize the Twitter hubbub into a streamlined process. Twitter lists enable you to group people together that you would like to engage with on a daily basis (or not).

If you follow, say, those who are active in the Chicago business field, you can create a twitter list to group these types of users together. Your list will display a quick snapshot of what each person on your list is talking about. Now, instead of trying to sort out the posts you want to see from your friend's relationship musings, your lists can do it for you.

3. Join LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn groups are a great way to socialize and network with those who are in your field. Search for keywords related to you (say, "Chicago Business" or "Real Estate"), and see what comes up.

Be selective. In whatever groups you join, you want to make sure you are an active participant, and that these are groups that can help you generate leads and referrals.

4. Use a "Post Management" Tool

Want an active social media presence? Use free management tools (like HootSuite) to help you make efficient use of your social media platforms.

You want to be able to schedule a single post that sends out not only to one, but ALL of your social media platforms (i.e.: simultaneously post to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn). You can also use management tools to schedule out future posts, or even chart out an entire month of activity.

You can also make use of platform specific tools, like Twitter's newly-released TweetDeck, for some better functionality. TweetDeck, for example, helps integrate Twitter's new image-integrated Tweet system that HootSuite does not yet able to account for.

5. Read and Share the work of others

Social media isn't just about tooting your own horn. Engaging in the activity of others is a sure-fire way to build relationships.

Consider subscribing to an RSS reader (like Feedly) and read up on your favorite blogs and news sources. Sharing a blog article that you think your clients will find interesting boosts your own social media presence (although, writing your own blog is an even bigger bonus).

Re-tweet/share/like other activity.

Whatever you do, it builds recognition of your personal brand and is a great way to build your support base.

6. Use some new social media platforms

Social media blogs often hit up the "big 4": Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn. However, if you only focus on these, you may be missing out on some great social media sites that may work even better for generating new business in your field.

Here are some platforms that are sometimes forgotten:

  • Pinterest - Pinterest can be a great platform even for linking to your blog articles. Build custom images, post it to Pinterest, and then share that link with Twitter and Facebook
  • Instagram - Similarly to Pinterest, Instagram can be a great platform for posting "call to action" buttons (i.e. - Using your blog photo as your Instagram shot, with the caption of "New #blog post this morning - read it here!")
  • Youtube - This platform can work well for some businesses to promote themselves. YouTube additionally is a great resource for generating sharable content on your usual social media websites
  • Yelp - Does your business offer a service? Getting active on Yelp could be a great way to generate new leads
  • StumbleUpon - Have a page that you think a lot of people would like to read? Put it up on your StumbleUpon account! Users with interests that match the content of your page could help generate some more web activity for you.
  • SlideShare - If you generate a good deal of slideshows that are relevant to your business, post them up on SlideShare. SlideShare appeals to many who are researching topics that pertain to your business.
  • Tumblr - While Tumblr is typically a more casual space, Tumblr is a great space for generating inspiration. It could be a good way for some businesses to gain readership.

Need help getting started on social media? Here's how to build your social media presence from the ground up.