thread Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business in Square Readers Book Club

📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

DinaLRosenberg — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 17:40:36 GMT

Hey Square Readers,

We’re almost at the end of Day Trading Attention by Gary Vaynerchuk, and so far we’ve talked about your business’ use of social media, covered the basics of why attention matters, went through The Modern Advertising Framework, and did an overview of the current Social Media Platforms.

Now we’re going to do something different: we’ll help each other out and play Social Media Consultants to give each other advice on what kind of content would be most effective to post.

Get Social Media Advice

Sometimes an outside perspective is really helpful, so let’s all help each other with this. Let’s use this as an opportunity to brainstorm different content ideas we can use across platforms, and give each other suggestions.

Share your social media handles & links, and give a description of your business, in the comments below.

I’ll look through your social media channels and give some advice, and I hope you join me in helping others too.

Jump into the comments below to:

Post your social media handles & links.
Describe your business and what ideas you’ve had so far.
Take a look at others’ answers and jump in and share your tips, too!

Don’t forget to:

View and Subscribe to all threads about this book

RSVP to our Live Discussion – Tactic Talk: Social Media

Happy reading!

Dina

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

PessoAlumni — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 21:14:37 GMT

Thanks so much for doing this, @DinaLRosenberg ! Looking forward to having folks share their handles and the feedback everyone gives!

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

CareyJo — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 02:04:07 GMT

www.facebook.com/arcticheat2017

We're an HVAC service company

I've struggled with ideas - it's difficult to post content that clients want to read about, very few people care about their equipment or any knowledge of it, they just want someone to show up and fix it

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

DinaLRosenberg — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 15:43:34 GMT

HVAC has been on my mind this week because my Combi System broke down and needs to be replaced.. yay.. HVAC isn't sexy until you don't have heat or hot water... ha ha.. This week I've been taking "homesteader" showers- boiling water on the stove so I could wash up. I'm literally seeing a reel or TikTok of me doing this - with a voice over saying don't let yourself get here- HVAC maintenance is important, etc.

today I learned that those systems need to be de-scaled every 3 years to prevent build up... have we ever done that? no... and maybe that would have allowed us to keep the unit we are now replacing for a few more years. Who knows?

I love the idea of an educational series- like a troubleshooting 101. What are the little bits of knowledge that are intuitive to you that a business or homeowner should know?

For example when our heat isn't working the first place I go is to make sure someone didn't hit the emergency off switch (we have gas) on the way down into the basement (it's a tight squeeze and this happens a lot).

The second thing I do is go in the basement and make sure the pilot light is on..

Maybe HVAC isn't super sexy like some things but gosh is it critical.

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

bonny — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 17:22:35 GMT

This has been such an interesting book. I'm running a little behind (life got in the way) but I will catch up soon. Admittedly, I don't do much with social media because I've never seen much response to my posts but I'm realizing as I read the book that it's because my posts didn't have a actionable focus to them, I very likely used the wrong keywords for tags also, and I don't post on a set schedule because I can't think of anything to add.

Ok, on to the description of my business:
I blur the lines between fine art and illustration. My original art is either watercolor, colored pencil, or a combination of both. I make my products beautifully designed and elegant to use.

www.bonnywagoner.com

IG: @bonnywagoner

I suppose I should work in I don't use AI in the creation of my artwork (since it seems it is going to be an up and coming challenge for all creatives). I'm the manual, old school creative.

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

CrismarChandler — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 10:44:42 GMT

Thank you for this opportunity. We are a small candle business located in the Midwest and our viewer interaction has been very minimal. It's hard to come up with content for candles besides pictures of them. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Facebook

Instagram

Thank you for taking the time to look and I'm excited to hear your ideas.

Shamarr Voskuil

Co-Owner of Crismar Chandlery

www.crismarchandlery.com

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

DinaLRosenberg — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 14:21:39 GMT

Hi Bonny!

I think people by art not only for it's beauty but for connection. Art creates feeling in us- emotion- and reminds us of our shared experiences. That others may feel the same way we do and we're not alone.

I would love to see reels / videos of you creating your art- maybe some talks about why you choose the subject matter you do. would also consider tagging the brands you use to create your art with the hopes that they would "regram" your content

In addition here are some new hashtags to use that I think could help. Also, add your own hashtag #bonnywagonerart to every post you make.

#watercolorart #watercolourpainting #watercolors #watercoloursketch #watercolours #watercolourillustration #watercolour #artoninstagram #watercolourart #watercolor #artistsoninstagram #watercolorartist #watercolorist

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

DinaLRosenberg — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 14:41:45 GMT

Hi Shamarr!

Right away of the top I'd say talk more about the fact that your scents are pet safe. That's a VERY interesting niche and pet owners would never want to do anything to deliberately hurt their pets, ever. So perhaps content centered around educating consumers as to why some candles are toxic to pets. Do you have pets? Perhaps reels about them, too?

I'd also love to see videos of y'all actually hand-pouring the candles.

Check out the content on instagram for the hashtag handcraftedcandles https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/handcraftedcandles/

Witchcity Wicks seems to get a ton of engagement https://www.instagram.com/witchcitywicks/

I really like their posts around their scent collections and I'd love to see each scent collection get it's own post.

If you offer seasonal scents, create content around their "vibe'- so the candle and what the scent evokes. For example you scent cafe you say:

We think it's time you finish that book you've been putting off. Instantly turn your room into your dream café with the smell of fresh roasted coffee and cream. A scent escapade that's sure to delight.

I'd create a reel of the candle burning and then clips of a coffee shop, a beautiful latte, someone sitting and reading in a cool coffee shop, all different images rotating... with a tagline of, "if this is your vibe you'll love cafe"

Hope this helps!

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

CrismarChandler — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 20:46:28 GMT

Thank you so much for the feedback! You have brought up some interesting points and ideas that I can't wait to try. I truly appreciate your assistance.

Thank you,

Shamarr

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

CareyJo — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 19:29:49 GMT

I loved @DinaLRosenberg's suggestions but I would add to it that I've looked at your website and the pictures of the candles have no background. If you're using these same photos for your SM channels, I would recommend changing them up. They're not inviting. It needs to be dressed up, like a store display. Surrounded by things that invoke the scent. Flowers, leaves, lemons, etc. I would even add nicknacks where appropriate and have them lit. You want the photos to make an emotional connection with the viewer.

The next thing I would do is trivia or history. I would either do reels or posts (with pics of course) and talk about candles. How they're made, what they're made of, where they came from, how to care for them, etc. But I would do each tidbit in a separate post. Make them come back for more. Don't give it all to them at once and space them out, like once a week. I've been a candle user for decades. Most people don't know you're supposed to trim the wick to 1/4" inch. You should also use a snuffer so you don't blow wax when you blow out the flame. If you don't have a line of snuffers to sell with your products, maybe you could add a couple to your line and see how well they do. You can also encourage customers to use a candle safe pad underneath, to prevent burning of the furniture when the wax gets low. Once mine start getting to 1/2" of wax in the bottom, I let them burn for a shorter time so they don't melt all the way through, but I also have them on pads. You could point out that once a candle gets down to 1/4" of wax, it can be hard to keep the wicked weighted down and upright to burn, which can be a hazard.

Hope this helps!

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

DinaLRosenberg — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 20:17:13 GMT

this is GREAT advice!!!!

I agree- some new photos would go a long way.

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

GoalGetter — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 10:15:42 GMT

I've just started the book, but love what I'm learning so far!

I sell children's books via vendor events, book fairs, and virtual parties. I haven't done much with social media. This month is Hispanic Heritage Month, so I'm posting a quote a day from someone with Hispanic Heritage. If I have the "time" I'll take a look at the National Calendar and post books related to the day with tips on how to incorporate them in celebrating fun days like National Walk to a Park Day! I know I need to be more consistent with that, but again I don't get much involvement, so it's not a priority.

https://paperpie.com/brandpartner/SC1971

FB: https://www.facebook.com/FunBooks4Kidz

IG: @4_iola

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

GoalGetter — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 09:51:54 GMT

I agree with @CareyJo on editing your photos to reflect the scents. If you don't have nice backgrounds, you can also edit your photos in CANVA or some other photo editing platform. Even if it is just a white background, the candle and a piece of fruit indicate the scent.

Also, I think if you make some videos of the process of making the candles, that would be interesting to see.

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

GoalGetter — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 09:59:11 GMT

My only suggestion is for you to make videos of you creations.

I know when I see someone doing art or pottery I always want to watch and see the final product.

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

GoalGetter — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 10:13:56 GMT

I would suggest pinning a post that is relevant to your business at the top of your page. You can do that by clicking on the three dots of the relevant HVAC post and then "pin post." That way people see a post right away about your business, if they're vising it for the first time.

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

PessoAlumni — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 20:19:19 GMT

Thanks for sharing @CrismarChandler , and for all of the great advice, @GoalGetter , @CareyJo , and @DinaLRosenberg !

I definitely agree that some picture of your candles surrounded by the real things that the scents are inspired by would be amazing. Also 100% think that some videos of the candles being poured would be incredible and soooo satisfying -- which is a big niche on social media. Also some videos of you with one of the candles burning, explaining the scents would be great.

Depending on how many total scents you have, you can make a photo post each week, each with a similar style, of one candle scent. This way you can make a sort of formula and batch the creation of your posts.

I highly recommend that in the written descriptions, you dive into the feeling that the candles can create in a person who buys them, the atmosphere that they can create, and memories they evoke. Drive that emotion!

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

PessoAlumni — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 20:22:33 GMT

Thanks for jumping in @bonny !

I love the advice from @GoalGetter & @DinaLRosenberg so far -- absolutely agree with all of that.

You could totally do some long form videos of you creating a piece -- either from start to finish, or just broken up into how you make them. People (me included) love just watching people make art, even in total silence without you talking. You can post the long form videos on youtube, and also make timelapse videos & just short clips of interesting parts (close ups especially) and post those on instagram & tiktok.

Definitely also agree about more videos of you talking about the art too -- going over everything you've shared with us that you tell potential customers at fairs -- give your pitch!

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

PessoAlumni — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 21:07:19 GMT

Thanks for jumping in, @GoalGetter ! I'm glad you're loving the book so far, and we'd love to hear your thoughts on the rest of the book in our other discussion threads too-

I love that idea of doing a campaign like that around holidays and special days & months. To get more involvement in some of them, maybe putting in a CTA (Call to Action) asking folks to answer in the comments their favorite book about the same topic. I think you could also make those posts a bit more engaging by showcasing a picture of the book itself, rather than just the frame -- this way the posts stand out more and look different.When all of the posts look similar, folks are less likely to look at them, since they won't know which they've seen before at a quick glance. So maybe instead of a full image like you have now, make a banner that can go over a picture of the book, with the headline and quote that you select.

Overall I think more real pictures of the books, even pictures of lines highlighted/in-focus within the real book, rather than a created image, will do really well!

I think maybe doing some 30 second video reviews of books would do really well too! You talking to camera, holding the book, giving a quick synopsis -- and you can do one a week or something like that.

I would also recommend name & brand consistency for your handles and names across all of your platforms if possible, this way your followers can recognize you everywhere. On instagram it just says "4_iola" while your facebook is Fun Bookz 4 Kids, and I'm not sure what the paperpie.com site is.

Hopefully we can get some suggestions from @DinaLRosenberg & @CareyJo & @bonny & @CrismarChandler for you too!

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

PessoAlumni — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 20:32:03 GMT

These are such great tips, @DinaLRosenberg & @GoalGetter !

I absolutely agree with all of the above, and I think people care more about knowledge & tips than you think they will, @CareyJo ! I totally would (and regularly do) watch videos & read posts like that! I say give it a shot and experiment -- ya never know unless you try.

Re: 📣 Get Social Media Advice for your Business

DinaLRosenberg — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 21:41:16 GMT

It's a chicken-egg scenario. If you don't post, you won't get engagement but it is de-motivating when you don't get engagement.. I get it.