Tips from Chris Brogan on How to Share Social Media

Learning how to share social media, whether with a tweet, a post on Facebook or even +1ing someone on Google+, can be confusing to some. Posting a link on your business Facebook page may not be the best Facebook wall post choice. Your recent tweet may not give you the response you were expecting. Many are confused by how to share social media engagingly and find themselves asking why even bother?

How to share social media is becoming a prominent part of our personal and business lives. It’s important to know the correct way to share and how to engage other people in the process.  Businesses and people alike are asking questions about social media, like why use Google+ when I already have Facebook and Twitter accounts? People are confused by social media but it doesn’t have to be hard to use.

Chris Brogan (@chrisbrogan), best-selling author of Trust Agents and renowned blogger is immersed in social media daily. He juggles work and home life while being involved in every aspect of social media. We can all learn a few things from Chris with his insights into the complicated realm of how to share social media.

Keys to the Best Facebook Wall Posts

1)     Joe Ciarallo (@joeciarallo) of Buddy Media found in a study that the best Facebook wall post does not use promotional language; it could be the kiss of death.

2)     Use the 12 to 1 rule, says Brogan, where you promote other people’s or companies things 12 times more than your own. This is the best way to earn and build relationships.

3)     Sometimes, the best Facebook wall posts or twitter posts are those where you recommend your competitor because your product isn’t the right product. This may seem odd to some, however it’s a huge opportunity to win the trust of the community as well as become an influencer.

Benefits of Google+

1)     One of the key benefits of Google+ is that it allows a better opportunity to build more relationships than other forms of social media.

2)     Engagement level is far deeper, which Brogan says is an advantage of Google + because he has seen more traffic through Google+ than he has on Twitter.

3)     Opportunity to keep the conversation going, unlike Twitter and Facebook.

4)     A benefit of Google+ for first adopters? An opportunity to teach businesses and people what to do next.

The Three A’s

One of the keys on how to share social media content correctly is using the Three A’s: Acknowledge, Apologize and Act.

1)     Acknowledge:  If there is a problem you have to acknowledge it. Previously, PR professionals could get away with spinning even the worst news around to make themselves look better. With all of the online social networks like Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ you can’t do that anymore.

2)     Apologize: Find out from your legal department what you can and can’t say and apologize without sounding like a bad person.

3)     Act: Act upon your apology to solve the problem.

How to share social media is an important part of businesses today. But using it correctly and in the most engaging way is difficult. Use these Chris Brogan tips and you should be well on your way to sharing, engaging and building relationships!

About the Guest Blogger

Jenna Andre (@jentopthat) is a public relations professional at Orange Communications in Minneapolis where she works with manufacturing, professional service and wellness clients.  She is newer to the industry, having only graduated from Purdue University in 2008. She is a member of PRSA and volunteers within the Minnesota Chapter.