Follow The Digital Brick Road: How & Who To Follow

Dorothy goes digital.  She followed the Yellow Brick Road and found Oz.  When we follow, do we really find what we’re looking for?  It’s not how many; it’s who we follow that counts in the world of quality versus quantity social media.  Over time, quality leads to balanced quantity, thus when you follow the digital brick road, how and who to follow is critical.

• Don’t buy followers.  They are people not pocket books.  Numbers don’t impress; sincere and genuine engagement does.  Buying X amount of Twitter followers for Y dollars is lazy and easy.  Don’t be lazy.
• Create high quality, relevant content. Give it context and value.  If your blog posts, e-mail newsletters, and other social platform posts center on your area of expertise, birds of a feather will flock together.  Search engines will notice your topical content as they crawl.  Relevant followers will thus find you easier through search.
• Segment who you follow.  Follow the fit so you don’t have a “fit.” Follow and like matches for your target segment, clients, and customers.  For the most part, I try to follow marketing related individuals or companies.  Keep it focused.  Flexibility is fun, but don’t spread your net too wide.  Ten percent fun followers is a safe benchmark.  Confession: I do follow the Indianapolis Colts & Peyton Manning’s Broncos.
• Say “Thanks for the follow,” when you can.
• Follow the followers, of the follows that fit.  If I find a great small business marketing contact, chances are their followers may also land in that category.
• Re-tweet, re-post, share, and link the content you find valuable.  Reward your followers-often and they may return the favor.
• Beware the social hacks.  Those Flying Monkeys in The Wizard of Oz are a great metaphor for “grab and run” social junkies.  Take a little time to examine who you like, follow, and connect with.  It pays off.
• Don’t pitch.  Be human.  Connect.  It’s social not sell media.

If you want to go back home to “Social Kansas,” pick good partners in the journey.  Dorothy did.  Remember, doing digital right is all about courage, having a heart, and using our brains.