Carissa’s Social Media Branding Strategy:

YOU are your brand as much as your website, logo/photo and/or username!

Most of us ‘regular’ users/moms/bloggers are online for communication and friendship. We are more responsive to a real person vs. a brand (or even a logo.) I suggest you use your real name or a variation of your real name in your profile on your Twitter or Ning accounts, etc. In other words, where ever people will click to see more about you: use your real name.

Remember your brand is really as many as FOUR things:
• YOU (as in your real name)
• Your business name/website/logo
• Your username (if you don’t use your real name or your business name)
• The photo you use on all your social media haunts (your avatar)

Mine are: Carissa (CarissaRogers on twitter), GoodNCrazy (my blog title) and my twitter picture above.

Best Practices for Using Your ‘Brand’ in Social Media:

1. TWITTER:

Keep your current Twitter username if it is one of these 3 things: Your NAME, Your SITE/business, or the USERNAME you use in a lot of places. If it is not one of those three, consider changing it. This is easy and you won’t lose any followers. Then in your Twitter profile give your real name, this will allow people to talk to you like a real person if they choose. It will show up in the DM form. We don’t want to call you ‘fancypants’ when we’re talking directly to you!

2. NINGS/STUMBLEUPON etc.:

Anywhere you need to create a username, USE THE SAME ONE each time and use the same picture too. That avatar FOR SURE is part of your brand, so if you change it, change it EVERYwhere!

If at all possible use your real face. If you want to get your brand/logo in there,  hold up a product, or stamp your logo on it. I promise; real faces get more response than logos or products. (And be sure you are wearing regular clothing, often those tiny avatars get cropped in and people look like they are naked, when in fact they are wearing spaghetti straps…!)

3. COMMENTING ON BLOGS:

For Blogger: Create a blogger/google account and in the profile section add your email address and website. Allow people to see your email address. (Create a public email address if you are worried.) Then in the name field use your real name followed by username/business like this: Name{Brand}  This way your real name is linked with your blog/brand.

On WordPress: Use your real name, your public email address, and your website. Or leave your username and then literally sign your comment with your real name. I often sign a blog comment with my Twitter username.

Best Practices for ENGAGING in Various Social Media:

• The whole point of social media is social first, business second.

Create a conversation: keep it genuine and about them. Let them know you are a real person. Be engaging. Ask questions. If you notice someone asking a question, answer if you know the answer. Even better, connect with someone who DOES know the answer. You’ll have made two friends out of one!

• Can you talk about your own business on twitter/facebook/nings?

YES. Remember to keep the 80/20 rule. 80% about other people (tweet out their website, link to a terrific blog post on your facebook stream, STUMBLE stuff you love!), and then go ahead and share your own brand/products/writing 20% of the time.

Don’t be afraid to ask for a favor now and again. (hint: don’t overdo it)

And above all… BE YOURSELF!