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How to get started on Social Media 

 February 11, 2015

By  Pascal Depuhl

How to get started …

Someone turned on a fire hose on Thursday at #Switch2Social workshop and wow–that was some great information–but honestly hearing that much info about Social Media in one sitting, can make it difficult to figure how to get started on Social Media.

Your website is the center of your universe

Learn from Rosh "How to get started on Social Media" First of all you gotta have a website, like Rosh said. One that can convert people, who found you on Google, into clients. Take a quick look at your site. Is there a clear ‘Call-to-action’, i.E. something you are trying to get people to do? It can be as simple as having someone buy a print from your site, calling your phone number or as complicated as a contact form, that automatically adds all entered information into you Customer Relationship Management system, sending the potential client a branded and personalized email (thanking them for contacting you), while alerting you, that there is someone waiting for you to look at on an app on your smart phone. If you don’t have a website with a call-to-action, that’s where you start.

I blog, therefore they get to know me

So you got a website with a clear call-to-action? Great. How’s your blog look. Remember Scott says he uses Social Media to get to know a potential creative (before he ever talks with them!)? You’re blog is your online personality. You can share things here that are a little more informal, personal and quirky. It’s a place that you can share long content often (remember Google loves long content). If you don’t have a blog going yet or it’s been languishing for a while now, Kate wrote a nice post yesterday on how to start blogging.

But my images speak for themselves …

You say “I don’t need to blog and tweet and pin and tag, right?” I’ve got some bad news for you:”The bottom line is that relying solely on your imagery to speak for you has become …[nextpage title=”next”]

… dangerous.” Hey, wait! Before you get upset with me, I didn’t write this–although I agree wholeheartedly with Heather Elder, the photo rep out in California, who did. People expect you to be a good photographer. That’s a given today, sorry. It’s no longer enough to only have your portfolio online and nothing else. Fortunately Heather goes on to say: “Adding your voice to that imagery is equally as dangerous, but for everyone else, not you.” You’re work has to be online. On your website, Vimeo, Flikr, YouTube, … pick your favorite system (Rosh called these the inner planets), but you gotta add your voice to the visual content you have out there.

Are you gonna get to ‘how to get started on social media’ anytime soon?

OK. Got it” you say “but when are you gonna talk about how to get started in Social Media; so far you haven’t said anything about that.” Yup. You’re right. Social Media is where you communicate, where you meet people and gently bring them to your website. However, before you can start converting, what you’re gonna say has to be ready (otherwise your posting another picture of your cat, right?) Heather talks about adding your voice. Question is what are you going to say?

Can I confess something to you? I’ve been on Social Media for over a decade now and just now figured out that I’m talking to the wrong audience. I’ve been creating content for other photographers and cinematographers, which is nice–but none of you guys hire me for work. That’s why I invited Scott to speak. His insights from across the table where invaluable. I’m working on figuring out what a creative director wants to read on a photographers blog, what a marketing person will set time aside to listen to or what a small business owner will spend a few minutes to watch online.

The last thing you need to figure out before you get started on Social Media, is what you’re gonna say. There are so many netowrks out there, it’s impossible to mention them all. If you want to learn about the different Social Media sites, how they are unique along with case studies of how companies used a specific platform really well (and very poorly) read Gary Vaynerchuck’s book Jab, jab, jab, right hook. It’s hands down the best book on Social Media I’ve read. If you want to read another one, read Rosh and Lindsay’s book The linked photographer.

Go out there and have fun

Now you’re good to go, have fun. Be real. Be yourself. Help others. Champion good content (even -actually especially- if it’s not your own), you’ll be surprised to find the amazing doors that Social Media will open for you and your business.

Quick Recap:

#1 You need a website with a ‘Call to Action’

#2 You have to have a blog that shows your personality

#3 You’re work needs to be online

#4 Figure out what you’re gonna say

#5 Have fun!

 



This post is part of a series of posts that the speakers at “#Switch2Social – Social Media secrets revealed!” are writing this week. Here are links to the others:


Rosh Sillars (@RoshSillars): What I didn’t share about social media in Miami
Kate Benson (@katebensonphoto): Switch 2 Social Recap | A Seminar On Social Media And Blogging
Pascal Depuhl (@photosbydepuhl): How to get started in Social Media
Jorge Parra (@photoshooter): Success Strategies for Freelancers in Linkedin
Scott Coventry (@scosee): Friday’s post

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Pascal Depuhl


Miami product photographer, video producer, cinematographer and chief mindchanger at Photography by Depuhl

I love to share the knowledge I've gained over the past two decades. Catching light in motion.

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