The other day I saw a LinkedIn post from a thought leader claiming that social media for companies was a hoax.
His colleague agreed. Then quipped:
“It’s always useless. Unless someone’s niece handles it, it’s probably useless and a money pit!”
And yet, their position and companies were highlighted prominently next to their names.
I choked.
Then did a double take and a series of mute facial expressions that prompted my husband, working next to me, to ask, “Are you ok?”
🤔 Let’s figure this out together. If you feel like this is true, the first question I have for you is:
Who has been lying to you?
Is it the InMail that arrived one winter morning claiming a 3x increase in ROI in three months? Or your money back. Guaranteed… Right…
Is it the lead expert who told you you only need one post to land a client?
Maybe it was the content ninja who deduced that because your customers sell on Instagram, you should try to sell there too.
Or was it that social guru who convinced you that TikTok’s algorithm is the best for B2B SaaS?
Here are a couple of truths:
You will most likely get it wrong the first 10 times
If you don’t follow up on reactions, comments, and shares, leads will wither and die
If you don’t like writing, pay a ghostwriter to do it, and not $5!
You can be bootstrapped, but some apps will save your life. Budget wisely
So, with that in mind, and as an apology for the radio silence over the past few weeks. (My kids started daycare, and I moved to a new house).
I’ve decided to do a little mini-series that will help any business owner of an SME to get started.
There are thousands of these in the multiverse of interwebs and social media forums.
The main difference is that I won’t prompt you to convert at the end or to sign up for a 15-minute call.
There are two reasons for that:
I’m tired. After a whole night of children's nightmares. Thank you: Spooky Monsters, Halloween, and Beauty and the Beast (wtf is wrong with that plot line? Even a 3-year-old sees the thinly veiled Stockholm syndrome through that sparkly yellow dress).
Zero-click content
Right! Zero-Click Content
Zero-Click Content ensures two things:
You are not peddling something you just learned. You know what I'm talking about: the first chapter of a book or the first 10 minutes of an unabridged audible series 😉.
You are not triggering people to buy when they are not ready. They could regret their purchase and lower their satisfaction with your brand.
What is Zero Click Content? Check out Amanda Natividad's VP of Marketing from SparkToro, post here.
Or read the blog here. Or check it out on Twitter here. 👇
Yes, no summary here. Read it from someone who told it best. Get what you need.
What has been my experience with it?
Over three years, I’ve seen a company rise entirely from zero-click content. Long story short, it works. But just like in-bound don’t put all your eggs in that basket.
One of the main negatives of it is that you have to be patient. You need to have a monetization strategy in place. You need to be able to adapt and reshape your content as it happens.
Keep this in mind: You won’t be able to see a direct, tangible return immediately unless someone mentions it to you.
You need to budget your time, so you don’t burn out. You also need to be consistent. Discipline is hard. I get it. So start small. Make a habit of it, then grow your time commitment to it.
Make a list of topics that interest you and begin exploring those topics regularly. Start weekly. Keep pen and paper nearby—your notepad—a voice recorder.
Writers have been doing it forever. Check out this episode from Neil Gaiman on sources of inspiration here.
If this is hard, then outsource. Book a meeting with a writer that can help you explore topics together. Bouncing ideas off them will help you narrow down what works and doesn’t.
But start this week. Make a plan and take the first step.
P:S: As I was trying to find an alternative image to white men laughing, I found this keyword, and it’s much better. But entirely off mark.
Cue: White women laughing at salad.
What’s happening next week?
Now, because I know I’ve lost you. Since you are unlikely to come back. I’m cutting it off here today.
Here’s my suggested to-do list for this week.
Master Zero-Click Content. Or at least attempt it. It’s pretty simple. Write content that offers value and doesn’t direct the reader elsewhere.
Make a list of things you don’t understand or want to learn more about.
Next week we are discussing platforms I couldn’t live without.
Here are five:
See you next week!
Mila.