6 Secrets of Social Media Success

The best-selling book, "The Secret," provides inspiration for social media strategies.

It’s putting in that extra social media hour at the end of the day. It’s taking the time to do those two or three additional retweets. It’s making a positive comment on a blog acknowledging someone when there’s nothing in it for you.

It’s giving – not taking.

These are some secrets of success in social media. Taking those extra steps can make a huge difference. I was reminded of this while moderating the session, “Adding Social Media to the Marketing Mix” at SES London by two brilliant social media marketers: Mel Carson, Microsoft’s community manager, and Kristján Már Hauksson, founder of Nordic eMarketing out of Iceland.

Carson and Hauksson dynamically portrayed real-life business examples of how to optimize social media content in a way that takes a life of its own: creating a social network ecosystem.

Hauksson referred to “The Secret,” a best-selling book that discusses how positive thinking can have life-changing results and examines the laws of attraction.

One of “The Secret’s” insights that can be applied to a successful social media strategy is: you are a magnet attracting you to all things, via the signal you are emitting through your thoughts and feelings. OK, so replace the words “thoughts” and “feelings” with “tweets” and “likes.”

Secrets for Social Media Success

  1. Be inspiring! Check out this video “Inspired By Iceland.” The video, which exemplifies inspiration and creativity, is delivered with sharable energy. If you inspire, your fans and followers will come.
  2. Optimize your social media for the people who are not there! Bring it to life in pictures, video, and reporting via blogs and posts so your events live on.
  3. Go the extra mile. Take the time to interact, give back, and use @ replies and RTs (retweets). Comment on blogs in the most unselfish ways possible.
  4. Be disciplined. Set aside time – whether it is 15 minutes a day or two hours a day – for positive social media interactions.
  5. Remember: the laws of attraction apply to social media. What you put out will come back to you two-fold. Talk about more than yourself or your company and integrate good will and acknowledgement.
  6. Make someone’s day! Provide an out-of-the-blue favor or offer a goodwill gesture. Go above and beyond. It can go a long way. Carson related how he responded to a follower on Microsoft’s Twitter account who was trying to get into a special concert and he got him in for free. This small gesture made a huge impact on one fan and resulted in a series of positive tweets and Facebook posts.

Need further proof? Once devastated and practically crippled from a volcano in April 2010, USA Today two months ago identified Iceland as a top travel destination for 2011. Thanks to an inspiring social media campaign!

In social media, like in life, everything is possible. But it depends on what you give – and not take.

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