Simple Answers to Crazy Social Media Questions You Need to Know

Clients are often embarrassed to ask certain questions about social media. And often, what they do ask is surprising. So I’ll answer a few actual questions from clients.

If I Follow Someone, Am I Advertising for Them?

No. People can usually see who you’re following, unless you have a private account, but you’re not advertising for those you follow. However, you will see the posts of those you follow in your stream unless you do something to silence them. And you can tailor what you see. For instance, you can mute someone on Twitter and still be following them. If you feel obligated to follow someone, muting is a good option.

What is a Hashtag?

A hashtag is the pound sign (#), followed by a word or series of words. It is used to organize posts, and you can measure them by following (usually just clicking on) a hashtag. For more about hashtags, see this article: Hashtag Wins and #Fails.

Why Do I Need a Hashtag?

You don’t. That is, they’re optional. But hashtags do help you find and organize posts about similar topics, so they’re very helpful. And you can have your own custom hashtag, too. Anything that saves you time on social media, is a win for you! For instance, if you have a conference or business event, you could ask everyone to use the same hashtag. Be sure to check that your proposed hashtag isn’t being used for something shady, though.

Do I Have to Pay to Play on Social Media?

No, it’s not mandatory. But it’s more and more difficult to get actual engagement (eyes on your ads or posts) if you don’t pay. You can pay as little as $3 to boost a post on Facebook, though. My suggestion is to smart with a small budget and measure, so you don’t lose a lot of money.

If you don’t want to pay, you can also engage more with others (that is, comment on their posts), and that will drive your engagement up, as my friend Robert Nissenbaum suggests.

Have you ever considered that your comments are a form of content? That they have the same ability to develop and nurture relationships, to establish authority, and to drive action? #tsomedia https://t.co/WYyYT5Rnh7 #contentmarketing

— Robert Nissenbaum (@rnissenbaum) December 19, 2017

You might like this article Pay to Play is the Future of Social Media?

Can I Like My Own Posts?

You most certainly can, but you might have better luck on social media if you let your followers like your posts instead. After all, you put the post up, so by default you already like it, right?

Do I Have to Be on ALL the Social Networks?

Not at all. There are so many, that I’d just choose the top social networks for your followers. For instance, your followers might not be on Snapchat or Pinterest, but they probably are on Facebook. Some people just choose one platform and stick with that one. You might want to choose two to start with. And usually I recommend that you at least squat on those that you won’t actively use, so you can reserve the name.

Where Can I Find Good Content to Post?

Search for things your audience might be interested in reading. And you can always recycle content, too. Don’t forget about their lifestyle!

Have Questions?

Don’t be embarrassed to ask! Leave a comment and/or question, and I promise to get back to you! And thank you.