Are you willing to do what it takes to create visibility on the Web?

True to form, I've been thinking a lot about visibility, blogging and social media. After all, it's what I do. As I was walking to the post box, I was thinking about the opportunities that have come my way in the last couple of weeks: requests for interviews from two reporters; invitation to contribute chapters to two books on social media marketing; email and radio interviews (I get a request nearly every day), and the list goes on.

I don't say this to brag, but to point out that none of this would be happening if I had not made a very conscious effort to create visibility for me and my business. And none of it would be happening without my blogs. Period. When I ask how a reporter found me the usual reply is from a search that lead to one of my blog posts.

One of the topics I'll be talking about with a reporter later today is "social media marketing mistakes." I'll share my list after the interview when I know what is being included, and I will tell you that the biggest mistake I see/hear is a business owner thinking they do not need a blog if they use the myriad social networking sites available to them on the Web.

UPDATE: Here's my list of Social Media Marketing Mistakes - lots of good comments too.

I wrote about this earlier in my post Why Blog When You've Got Facebook? And with the recent cyber attack on twitter it's seems more obvious than ever that you cannot count on third party networks to be there for you 24/7. Your blog is your best defense and will be there in the long run.

Yes, your server can crash but in the end you have a lot more control. And you are backing up your blog, right?

So what does this mean? You've got a blog and you're on Facebook and you've got a twitter account. But you don't get it and nothing seems to be happening for you.

This is where the rubber meets the road. I hear it ALL the time..."it's too much work"..."I don't have time to write on my blog"..."I don't understand how it all works together"..."can't I have someone else do this for me"...

I get it. Yes, it takes time to market your business. Yes, it takes time and energy and commitment to create a visible presence on the web. And I ask, "How's your business doing now? Are you getting media and visibility opportunities? Can your ideal client find you on the web?"

What are you doing right now to create a highly visible presence on the web? I've been working on some ideas to help my clients tackle the time and energy issues. I'll be sharing them here as I work them out.

In the meantime, I'm curious to know where you stand on this issue: "it's too much time and work" or "I'll do what it takes to build my business"? Where do you stand and what are you doing about it? Share you ideas/comments/suggestions in the comments below.

Related Post:
How to Use Your Blog To Develop Your Online Brand

Online Marketing Needs to Be Consistent and Constant

Comments

[TheCluelessCrafter]

I think that the not-enough-time complaint is often an excuse for something else. Promoting a blog can become very personal, very quickly. I prepare myself each morning by repeating this mantra: baby steps without judgment (neither my own nor others'). You've just got to get out there and relate to people the way you would like to be related to. Karma?

[Angela Wills]

I think for me Twitter and Facebook are a bigger distraction than a help to my business. Honestly I don't know how much I'm really getting out of them. My blogs, on the other hand, are the foundation of my entire online business. I love blogs (though I'm a huge wordpress fan ;) and I build my 'blog's and my 'websites' on them and it works wonderfully.

Having time for anything comes down to how much you really want to do it and what you really want from your time. I have time for everything I want to do, the rest I get rid of. I'm seriously thinking of breaking up with Twitter (I'm not much of a Facebook networker) or at least going on 'a break'.

[Amy Franko]

Great points! I've recently begun blogging, and yes it's definitely baby steps.

I have a lot to learn (probably need a blogging class), but I'm seeing how it can be my "home base" for attracting ideal clients and raising visibility. I'm also using article writing as well.

I love to write, so I'm making time for it. I agree with the comment above about not making time being an excuse for something else!

[Denise Wakeman]

I think you're right about the "not enough time" complaint. We make time for what is important and many people don't think marketing their business is important. Forget "blogging", think building visibility so you can attract more of your ideal readers so you can create relationships with people who have problems your products and services can solve.

[Denise Wakeman]

Angela, what is your purpose or strategy for using Twitter? If you're strategy is not clear then you're probably not getting out of it what you could. For me, it's about connecting with people and leading them back to my blog so they can get to know me and my offers better.

[samjien]

Hello Denise, i totally agree with you. These are big social media sites and billions all over the world are using it. So it really offers great potential of driving traffic to your blog. The point here is that, you're opening doors for traffic. Besides, like what you said, if your blog is worth visiting or has something that will give interest to people. Then it will be visited. There are so many professionals out there that made it to the top because of these social media sites.

For whatever cons and pros are. It is really up to us to decide whether we accept it or neglect it.

[TheCluelessCrafter]

Denise, that's an interesting nuance "forget blogging, think building visibility." Would you expand that a tad more? Thanks for the reply.

[Catherine Toyooka & Catherine Coaches]

Great post.
Yes I am willing to do what it takes and have been hitting the social media circuit full-force!
It absolutely takes a lot of time, but I think it will all be worth it down the line. Social media is great for someone like me who has a new business and is handling everything myself!

I kind of view websites as a "black and white" photo and blogs as a "full color" photo. You get the main gist of your views and goals from the site, but a blog gives you some much needed personality. Plus blogs are so much easier to update and it can give viewers a real connection with you.

Thanks again for the post..it is very timely for me!

[The Kitchen Dispatch]

I have the time, the energy...it's a matter of learning and being guided. My latest blog is related to military life ...a new are to me and so learning about the military blogging communinty has been interesting but at times overwheling. But, I've gotten some good responses.
When I post on my blog, I do a follow up on twitter and facebook. But! I just realized that I do so under my name, rather than the name of the blog. So maybe I need to come up with a new facebook account.

[cdbehrle]

The time thing I think does become an issue when you are also trying to learn all the different platforms out there at the same time. As a small business owner promoting a custom-made and very labor intensive product, (much of which I do myself at this point) the learning curve for say, Facebook and Twitter,etc. severely cuts into the time that can be put into developing new items and working on orders. The blog is a discipline and enjoyable and most importantly, works. Personally, I struggle with the amount of time spent vs the return on the others at this point, I just assume it will become easier with time.