Best Time For Social Sharing? It Depends!

Best Time For Social Sharing? It Depends!

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According to many, there are ABSOLUTELY to-the-minute, one second later equals failure, BESTEST OF THE BEST times to share on a social media platform!!!

I’ve had it. Enough already! To quote Popeye …

That’s all I can stands, I can’t stands no more.

What’s got me on this tear?

The publish and promotion of social media articles and infographics “sharing” the best time to post for maximum reach, reaction, engagement and more.

There are SOOOOOO many reasons these articles and infographics grind my gears, but I don’t really have the time to write a novel and don’t think you’re game to read tens of thousands of words on the subject. So, I’m sharing just a few!

Let’s Talk About Time Zones!

So, let’s think about this. Let’s say we’re told that 9:23 AM is the BEST time to post to Twitter (I’m just making this up, of course).

But is that 9:23 AM Eastern? Central? Mountain? Pacific? And that’s only spanning the time zones that cover the continental United States. What about daylight-saving time?

You get my drift, right? I’ve never seen an article or infographic detail the differences in “best time” social media sharing based on audiences that span multiple time zones. Most people running a digital business find themselves with a following that spans countries, if not the globe.

9:23 AM for me, in my EST space, is 6:23 AM for my family and friends AND peers in California (PST). While many of them are early risers like me, there’s no guarantee that they’re sitting ready and waiting to see what I’ve posted as the sun rises on their day.

Wow, That’s A Wide Window …

The most recent “best time” share, the one that prompted this article, shared lots of best time information for the big social media platforms. It detailed the “best” times to post to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Linkedin.

Then, and this is what I found ludicrous and laughable, the author turned his back on those “best” times and touted a smart posting window that stretched from 9 AM to 7 PM. What?

The 'best time' to post to social media channels spans ten hours? Well thanks for the info, Captain Obvious.Click To Tweet

A ten hour window is pretty wide. You wouldn’t accept that from a service provider. Imagine if you were getting cable TV installed and you were told the installer would arrive between 9 AM and 7 PM. No bueno!

It’s not one bit different when you’re lead to believe you’re going to get the golden goose and finally know the absolute bestest single time to post a scintillating social share for your audience. Even less bueno!

Let’s Look At Lifespan!

The lifespan of a single social media post depends on so many factors. The platform. The size of your audience. The speed and breadth of that audience’s feeds. The time of day your audience is active. The popularity of any hashtags used. The addition of a visual prompt. The value or vibe of the post itself.

The lifespan of a tweet is different than the lifespan of a photo shared to Instagram. The likelihood of you seeing a specific Facebook post is different than the likelihood of you seeing a specific pinned image or Linkedin post.

And, digging a little deeper, you can’t easily compare the lifespan of one tweet, post or share with another. Did they have the same hashtag? A photo? Was it a conversation starter like a question or a link out to your content?

The Scariest, But Most Honest Answer To Social Media Timing Questions …

It Depends!

That response might sound wishy-washy and passive aggressive in other applications, but when it comes to the “best” time to share on social media in order to “best” impact reach and engagement, it is the BEST answer.

Because the best time for my audience might not be the best time for your audience. Even within my own circle of influence, the best time for my audience in June might be vastly different from the best time in January.

It’s all about putting in the time and effort to craft the kinds of social media shares and posts that suit the needs of those you’re trying to reach. Then you gotta monitor your most important metrics to see what works and what doesn’t. And you’ve gotta do that over and over and over again.

Social media marketing isn’t a set it and forget it kind of endeavor. The practice, the strategies, the tactics evolve over time. As do the “best” times to reach your audience.

I can get on board with a one-size-fits-all scarf. It makes sense. But there’s nothing sensible about a one-size (or time) fits-all solution for social media marketing.

If You Publish, Make It Easy To Pass It On

If You Publish, Make It Easy To Pass It On

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Whether it’s your blog posts, podcast episodes, videos, tutorials or your site’s images, if you want your content marketing shared you have to make it EASY!

This morning I clicked a Twitter link to a great read on making the best connection with your audience while speaking. It was well-written, incredibly topical and a great fit for my social media followers and peers.

What it wasn’t? It was NOT easy to share. As in NO social sharing buttons on the site whatsoever. Though the article also touted the digital marketing skill set of the author. Seriously?!?! #SMH

Your blog post value rapidly diminishes in my eyes, and the eyes of anyone who calls him/herself a content marketer, when you make it appear you never want anyone else to set eyes on the flipping thing!

Content Marketing = Publish + Promote!

Guess what guys and gals? While it’s very important to create killer content, if that’s all you’re doing, you’re missing out on rather a lot of the content marketing machine.

It’s not Field of Dreams! If you publish … there’s no guarantee the hordes will come.

If someone besides your spouse, besides your mother, comes across your killer content, wouldn’t it be wise to make it easy for them to share it far and wide?!?!

Content Wants To Be Shared, So Make It Easy Ding-Dang It!Click To Tweet

Your Content Isn’t Easy To Share If:

  1. You have NO sharing buttons whatsoever!
  2. People have to log-in to a third party app in order to share.
  3. Your video has no synopsis to hint at what it’s actually about.
  4. Your Twitter handle isn’t automatically populated when people click your Twitter sharing button.
  5. Your gorgeous pin-worthy image has NO description.
  6. Your visuals are tiny and poorly designed.
  7. Your type is so small no one wants to pull out their reading glasses to see if the words or worthy of sharing.
  8. Your oh-so-clickable title has NOTHING to do with the actual meat of your publish.

I could go on and on, and I probably have in the past!

Why Publish Then Make It Impossible To Promote?Click To Tweet

I’m Keeping This Short, Sweet & Share Ready!

Content marketing involves a whole lot more than the creation of the content you intend to market. Clicking publish and sitting around hoping someone finds it is simply creating content, sans the marketing that rounds out the activity.

Don’t expect your readers to do the heavy lifting when it comes to the marketing of your carefully crafted content. If it’s that good, a few readers might go the extra mile to ensure the word is spread. But if your reader’s in a rush or having a hectic day, they might not be so ready to exert the extra effort.

So do it right and make sharing easy! It will make your content marketing efforts easier in the long run!

Better Blogging: Size DOES Matter!

Better Blogging: Size DOES Matter!

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That title could come across as rather click-baity, but I promise that the words about to fill your screen actually hold true to the promise in the title. I am, indeed, stating that size matters when it comes to your better blogging efforts. If you want your best blogging efforts read and shared, you need to consider size. Type size, that is …

Type Size Matters!

I’m 47 years old and my eyesight is still pretty dialed-in. That being said, I far too often find myself squinting on many a site that hasn’t jumped into the twenty-teens when it comes to type size and web design.

Tiny type and dense paragraphs aren’t likely to prompt repeat reads or social sharing. And don’t get me started on tiny type in a gray so light there’s no contrast with the white background. That’s another blog post entirely.

Legibility & Better Blogging:

There’s a difference between legible and readable.

leg·i·ble
ˈlejəb(ə)l/
adjective
(of handwriting or print) clear enough to read.
“the original typescript is scarcely legible”
synonyms: readable, easy to read, easily deciphered, clear, plain, neat, decipherable, intelligible
“large, legible handwriting”

We generally think of legible when it comes to handwriting. Consider the stereotypical doctor’s handwriting. Having worked my way through college as a pharmacy tech, I can vouch firsthand that many a doctor delivered prescriptions in almost impossible to decipher handwriting.

But legibility plays an issue when we’re perusing a blog for shareworthy content.

If I can’t SEE the content without squinting, because it’s too light, too small, or is delivered with a grungy typeface, we’ve got a legibility issue.

Hey Blogger! I'll never know if your content is readable if it's not legible!Click To Tweet

Legible + Readable = Killer Content!

Only if your content is legible will many a social sharer take the time to suss out whether it’s readable and, thus, ripe for social sharing!

Almost every content marketing expert under the sun has published a list of better blogging musts. I can certainly summarize here with a list of my own …

  1. Headers to highlight important sub-topics within the post …
  2. Shorter paragraphs …
  3. Proper word choice, ditching the geek speak and jargon
  4. Careful and calculated use of images and graphics to hone in on the point …
  5. Etc.

But let it be shouted down from the rooftops, no one’s going to critique the length of your sentences and paragraphs when they’re bemoaning the 10 point type in front of their tired and watering eyes!

10 point type?!?!?! I, for one, won't be sharing anything that requires me to squint! Click To Tweet

Bump Up The Volume AND Type Size!

The days of default 12 (or even worse, 10) point type should NOT be looked back to longingly. There’s nothing nostalgic about inducing nausea and migraines amongst your readers.

This site’s default type size, making use of all the loveliness that a carefully selected Google Font has to offer? 18, baby! And my type color default is BLACK on a white background.

When you make it legible, you give your readers the chance to decide whether your content is readable. And when it’s legible and readable, it’s more often deemed shareable! And isn’t that what better blogging is all about?

Why are you holding out? Bump up the volume and better your blogging by bumping up the type size. TODAY!Click To Tweet
Twitter Talk: Your RT Is Not A Thank You!

Twitter Talk: Your RT Is Not A Thank You!

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It’s time for a little real talk about the way some speakers are conducting themselves on Twitter.

I know, I know, I’m snarky as all get out, so where do I get off saying anyone’s not being nice?

My answer? Yes, my writing style, both short and long form, is certainly snarky. But, if you’ve ever interacted with me in a one-on-one social media conversation, you’ll see I’m one of the nicest and most appreciative spouters of snark around!

You’re Being A Twit On Twitter. Knock It Off!

All righty all of you speaking Tweeters. I know you create and share content for a variety of reasons. But we all know that when we publish or share a link we cross our fingers and blow the fluff off a dandelion (just me?) hoping our social media circle will share that content.

And then? It’s here where things can go a bit pear-shaped and wonky.

If you’re a proponent of appreciation marketing, you know that shared content deserves a sincere show of appreciation. Meaning some sort of thanks.

I can get behind a heart or a like, though I’d prefer a comment that actually includes the words “thank” and “you.”

What I can’t really get behind? The immediate RT of my share.

Appreciation is a heart or a thank you, NOT an RT of your own content!Click To Tweet

Ummmm, Thanks For The RT?

Am I missing something? Is this really a sincere form of appreciation?

I mean, I know, it gets my handle in front of your followers. And that’s certainly nothing to be sneezed at.

But it’s not particularly social. It doesn’t invite me to continue the conversation. It doesn’t give me the warm and fuzzies and it doesn’t make me think you’re feeling any warm and fuzzies.

Say Thanks Instead?

When you RT my share of your latest publish, I don’t feel appreciated. Instead I feel like you’re using my share as a means to share your own content again without your audience getting on you for sharing it too often.

Now, that’s just my opinion. Perhaps I’m wrong. I often am!

But if you’re trying to build a valuable presence on a social media platform, I can’t understand this type of anti-social sharing. Wouldn’t a short, sweet and personalized thank you be more meaningful? It certainly means more to me.

What do you think?

Am I on to something here? Or am I just being persnickety as well as snarky?

Do you feel appreciated and thanked when someone RTs your share of their content? Or would you prefer two simple words?

Thank you!

Top Notch Tweeting For Speakers

Top Notch Tweeting For Speakers

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I’m often surprised when I see how little effort many brands and small businesses put into their tweeting. Maybe it’s because I spend the bulk of my online time on Twitter, where I’ve built a nice following and circle of peers, but I often feel that the social media platform that works in under 140-characters or less, doesn’t really get its due.

Twitter Is Terrific

I admit it, I can get all atwitter about Twitter. It’s my favorite social media platform and I spend more time tweeting than I spend on any other type of social sharing. Why? Because I’ve seen and been able to reap the rewards and the results of the time and effort I put into the Twitterverse.

Why’s tweeting so terrific?

  1. It’s easy to get started. Signing up for and setting up your account doesn’t require a degree in rocket science.
  2. It’s simple and requires you to get the the good stuff immediately. 140 characters.
  3. Its fast-paced feed allows for the most repeat shares (smartly done, of course) of any social media platform.
  4. It’s easy to connect and converse with your peers and your prospects.
  5. Twitter lists make content curation a breeze (more on that in a future read).

If my love isn’t enough to get you on board, here’s what a few other social media marketers have to say about the platform run by the little blue bird:

Getting Started In Social Media Series, Part 1: Twitter

On Twitter’s Birthday: How Twitter Changed My Life

Why Should You Use Twitter: Confessions of a Dedicated Tweeter

I hope I’ve convinced you that tackling some tweeting is worth your while. If I have, you might like to peruse my top tips for tweeting terrific and not terrible!

5 Tips For Top Notch Tweeting

1. Share The Expertise Of Others, Not Just Your Own!

When it comes to tweeting, you have to remember that you aren’t the owner of the only smarts in your industry. It gets real old real fast when you only share your own content, especially if you don’t have a long blogging or content creation (video, infographics, etc.) history.

Smart social sharing involves tweeting what others have created and crafted. Sprinkle your own content in, too, of course, but do it with a sense of balance and an understanding of what your audience is looking for.

2. Acknowledge Those Who Share Your Articles, Videos, Etc.

When someone takes the time to share your latest epic blog post or the slide deck from your latest speaking gig, it only makes sense to acknowledge the sharer. It takes mere seconds to send a quick “thank you” reply to the original sharer, and it’s an easy way to engage in a little extra conversation.

For example, along with your thanks you can ask what they liked best about the read they shared. You could also ask if they’ve written about similar topics. If they reply in the affirmative, you just might find some great content to share that will help you with Tip #1.

And remember, retweeting your own post as shared by another is NOT acknowledgement. It’s self-promotion. Take the time to craft a thank you that doesn’t once again share your own content!

3. Make Sure You Get Credit For Your Creations!

I can’t tell you how many times I try to tweet and share some killer content only to find that the author hasn’t added his/her Twitter handle to the tweet copy. Don’t make me search it out in your site footer when it’s REALLY easy to have it automatically load. I sometimes decide it’s not worth sharing if I have to search an entire site in order to figure out how to attribute authorship.

Go into your social sharing settings and add that handle. Otherwise you’ll have a hard time thanking those who share your stuff. Go too long without tweeting thanks and you just might find your content going unshared.

4. Make Tweeting Easy For Your Readers/Visitors!

140 characters, that’s the Twitter limit for sharing. But the smartest tweeters know to leave at least 20 characters available for those who want to retweet. And that’s including that handle mentioned in Tip #3. And any relevant hashtags.

There’s almost nothing more annoying than having to rewrite someone’s tweet because they didn’t set it up properly for sharing. Except when someone has their blog auto-excerpt their SEO snippet into their tweet. Which is way over 140 characters. Which means it’s truncated.

Craft tweets for the easiest sharing and retweeting and you’ll reap more rewards for your tweeting efforts!

UPDATE: Twitter now allows for MORE than 140 characters per tweet. But you still don’t need to use up every last character. Keep it to the point, use relevant hashtags and leave a little room for retweets. Sharing is so very social!

5. Timing Is Everything When You’re Tweeting!

Ten tweets in ten minutes is not the way to make the most of your tweeting time. In the biz (the social media marketing biz – that is) it’s known as firehosing and it’s a quick and easy way to lose followers and decrease the ROI of your tweeting efforts.

Spread it out. That’s why there’s a plethora of top notch social scheduling and management tools available for varying monthly investments.

And don’t share old content that’s no longer of any value to your peers and prospects. Old blog posts should be revised before you add them back into your tweeting schedule to ensure they’re correct and timely.

Trust me, sharing out of date information is NO way to build trust and wow prospects!

Your Turn …

So, there you have it. A few tips to get your tweets to tally up points for your business and brand. We’ve barely scratched the surface, though. Twitter is a terrific tool, especially for those building a personal brand – I’m talking to you speakers and presenters!

I’m working on a Top Notch Tweeting For Speakers email course and I’d love to get a few of you on board early as a beta-test team.

How can you get involved? Leave me a comment and I’ll get in touch with you re: becoming a guinea pig!

 

Is Your Social Sharing Showcasing Or Shouting?

Is Your Social Sharing Showcasing Or Shouting?

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I’ve been helping Derek with the growth of his social media following – especially on Twitter, along with his social sharing, and I’ve noticed a disturbing trend amongst many of the speakers and speaker coaches he’s chosen to follow. Said speakers don’t seem to grasp the “social” concept of social sharing.

Social Sharing: Should Showcase, Not Shout!

I get it. Of course you want to share your own blog posts, ideas and savvy snippets from your public speaking journey.

As a speaker coach best practices are your bread and butter, and sharing those is smart.

But the way you go about sharing best practices, tips, tricks, and articles is as important as the shares themselves.

Too much “it’s all about me,” mucks up the works. Social is about sharing, not shouting from the rooftops.

Shouting on social media isn't about ALL CAPS or bold text. It's the what and when of your shares!Click To Tweet

You’re not posting in all caps, and Twitter doesn’t allow you to bold your text, so how on earth can your sharing be compared to shouting? Here’s how:

  • You only share your own content, over and over and OVER again.
  • When someone tweets or retweets something you’ve shared or published, you don’t respond – AT ALL, but you do RT your own content.
  • You’ve set up a ridiculous automated DM to go out to all new followers.
  • You tweet the exact same tip (no revisions or changes to the text) three times in the same day, sometimes within the same hour!
Are you crowing about past accomplishments or creating opportunities to connect?Click To Tweet

Crowing Does Little To Create Connection

When it comes to effective social sharing, it’s important to consider the intent and purpose of your shares.

Of course you’re trying to effectively showcase your expertise, your speaking or consulting success, your product and/or services.

But social sharing is about balancing your best bits with the best bits you’ve found while interacting with others across the social space. You haven’t created ALL the content your given subject, now have you? Of course not!

Social sharing is about delivering the best content, the best ideas, the top tips to your audience. And you can’t do that alone.

Do you have a coach or mentor? Are you part of a mastermind or peer group? Do you read a lot of industry or niche articles? If you answered yes to any of those three questions you have something else to share!

Social Sharing Answers Questions

And your own content isn’t the only answer. Sometimes it’s not even the correct answer.

Guess what? You’re not the great and powerful, Oz. You don’t have all of the answers.

When you share the answers provided by your peers, colleagues and even your competitors, you showcase knowledge and an understanding that you don’t know it all. When you’re secure enough to share the ideas, best practices and smarts of your peer group, you’re sharing and being social, rather than shouting.

You can strut your smarts and ALSO share the smarts of others!Click To Tweet

When you answer the question, you win, even if the link shared doesn’t lead back to your own site. You’ve made the day of the individual who asked the question. You’ve also created an opportunity to connect and build a real relationship – with that individual and with the expert whose advice you shared.

Showcase Knowledge, Even If You Didn’t Publish It!

Sharing is caring. When your audience feels cared for they’ll continue to seek you out for answers and eventually you might make a sale, land a speech, get the gig.

Smart sharing involves providing the best information, even if you didn’t create it.