Social Media Blitz

Today's Silver Price: $23.78/t.oz

I've recently started using Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest to promote my Etsy shop. It's probably been a few months now, and I've seen an incredible jump in views of my shop. And the results are immediately seen. When I post on Twitter or Instagram, I see an increase in views that same day. On days when I haven't posted anything new, my Etsy views are often zero. Even small blurbs on Twitter can lead to shop views. I believe the social media posts have led to purchases, however I cannot be sure as there is no way that I know of to track how a specific buyer came to my shop.

I've read that in order to use Twitter and other social media sites to successfully promote a webpage or business, you must post often. Regular posts keep people interested in your feed. This type of discipline is something I've struggled with in the past and will have to overcome. Even when I'm lazy and don't feel like posting, I need to post even a tiny snipet, inspirational quote or a photo to try and hold the attention of potential customers. This obviously applies to blogging as well, so I will do my best to post here regularly.

Today I updated my LinkedIn profile. I figured that promoting my Etsy shop through this outlet can't hurt. When I created the account, I didn't think I would use it much as it seems to be a site for business connections. However I've come to realize that if I want to pursue self-employment, I'd better start promoting myself as a creative entrepreneur. I've chosen to list myself as an artist. I have always shyed away from identifying myself with this term, but now I feel that I can embrace it and live it. I am a designer, I am a painter, and overall I am an artist.

I've become fed-up with my 9-5 office job, so I am now intent on developing my business and working towards self-employment. My very wise aunt says, if you throw enough mud at a wall, eventually some of it will stick. So I'm determined to throw as much social media mud on the internet wall as I can!

Below are some of the recent items I've listed in my shop, and at the bottom is a photo of my creative process!

Silver Plated Bracelet

Sterling Silver Ring

 

Double Strand Silver Plated Necklace

Silent Tagging Ladders = False Likes

Today's Silver Price: $32.98/t.oz.

I've stumbled upon a rather curious thing on Facebook. Apparently there are FB pages completely devoted to helping you increase your "LIKES," or fans on your small business page. Let me see if I can explain this...

The page is designed as a community page to help small business owners network and reach a wider audience and thus increase business. The page owner will post that it is time to start the Silent Tagging session (woo hoo!). You, using your personal page, post a tag to your business page. You must then LIKE all of the previous business tags before your post. The LIKING of other pages is a requirement in order to participate in this 'tagging ladder.' The idea is that everyone who posts a tag for their page will reciprocate by LIKING everyone else's page. Everyone gains LIKES. You are supposed to post using your personal profile so it looks legit... but it's really not. The session lasts a certain amount of time (e.g. 20 minutes), and then the page owner announces that the session has ended.

It took me a while to figure out what the hell this Silent Tagging and Tagging Ladders were all about. I quickly realized that I did not want any part of it as it is a bunch of bullshit. I tried to participate in a session last night. First of all, I couldn't figure out how to tag my page. I kept typing the business name but the tag did not appear. I checked all my page settings to see if maybe there was a selection keeping me from posting a tag, but had no luck. Having failed at tagging my business page, I was a good sport and LIKED several other pages who had tagged their businesses. And by several I mean 25 to 30.

I soon after realized that I would now be receiving posts and updates from these random 30 businesses that I had LIKED. Now I'm getting posts about handmade hair bows for babies. And sexy lingerie. And clothing for chicks who ride Harleys. And from someone who makes candles. And from someone who makes classy redneck drinking glasses (yes, really).

What was more bothersome was that I realized I did not want a ton of empty LIKES on my business page. What's the point of having 100 LIKES if none of those people are actually interested in the product or want to support me in my business endeavour? The whole point of the LIKE count is to see how many people are really interested in what your doing.

I'm still in the process of UNLIKING those 30 or so pages...

Sigh.


~~~{Blog Playlist}~~~
Florence + the Machine, "Never Let Me Go"
Bjork, "Army of Me"
Bjork, "Headphones"
Florence + the Machine, "Shake It Out"