Building brand awareness, trust and authority is important to bloggers, entrepreneurs and businesses. Whether you’re selling products or services, people do business with (and buy from) people who have their trust. Do you use social media to build awareness, trust and authority? Do you advertise? Do you run PPC (pay-per-click) advertising campaigns? Are you active on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google Plus? Do you have testimonials on your site?
Benefits of Utilizing Social Media to Build Brand Awareness
One of the first challenges new bloggers face is to drive traffic to their website. We’ve all been there. We build our blogs and tell everyone we know what we’re doing. We join social media sites and submit our articles to directories. We comment on blogs and work to build awareness that we’re out there somewhere in the blogosphere. At this point, it’s important to develop a branding strategy (using social media) that will attract the attention of our potential customers and clients.
Benefits of Utilizing Social Media to Build Trust and Authority
If you are looking to build a reputation as an authority in your niche target market, shares by people who are already perceived to be an authority can be very valuable. After all, someone who has built a solid reputation is not going to jeopardize their reputation by sharing articles that are inaccurate or poorly written. Sharing articles is like voting. We’re vouching that it’s worthy of reading. If people are sharing your blog posts and engaging with you online, that helps reinforce your credibility. This is especially true if the people who are engaging with you are credible themselves.
Quick Tip on using Social Media to Build Awareness
When I first launched my blog, one of the tactics that I used was to hire someone on Fiverr (“The place for people to share things they’re willing to do for $5”). to tweet a couple of posts for me.
I didn’t hire just anyone. Through my interactions with other bloggers, I heard about Fiverr and followed a recommendation. Before I hired this individual, I vetted her. I made certain that her tweets were of interest to my target client. I checked out her blogs to make sure that her content was valuable and that she didn’t appear to be a spammer.
This one effort did help bring visitors to my site. As for the person who I hired, I still interact with her on Twitter and Facebook. I haven’t paid her to tweet for me again but she does it anyways and I tweet for her too. I was just at a point where I needed a kick-start and my $5 investment paid off.
What are your thoughts? Have you ever used Fiverr? Do you participate in organized groups where you focus on sharing content? We’d love to hear about your strategy for using social media.
Bit suspicious of the SEO effect of Facebook on google, because of the relationship between Facebook and Google. I susupect Twitter has a more positive effect on SEO. Does anybody have any hard facts on this?
Hey Sherryl,
Fiverr is a great place not only for newbie bloggers but also established ones. Lots of dirty and boring stuff can be outsourced. If we’re careful about choosing the right gig our 5 bucks surely pays off!
Cheers,
Jane.
Jane, Thanks for the reminder. I keep telling myself to go back to Fiverr. There are some amazing gigs there.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..How to Ping Your Website Blog and When Not To
Getting brand awareness and authority is very important for any website or product.Social media is the best tool to build brand , create awareness and authority and your post in this regard is extremely helpful.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.
Regards,
Amelie Wakelin
Thanks for letting me know that you found my post helpful Amelie.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..4 Simple Steps to Building Your Brand Online
Brands must focus on customers who post negative reviews and work towards turning them.
You bring up a good point Aurindam. That definitely plays a part part in managing your online reputation. Thanks for mentioning it.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..What Impact does Social Media Have on Businesses?
Good piece of information and really enjoyed reading this post. thanks for sharing and helping people through your blog.keep posting.
Thanks for letting me know that you enjoyed my article Arjun.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Thanks to SEO a Newspaper Reporter in Pennsylvania Found my Blog
Hi Sherryl,
I haven’t used Fiverr before, although I would like to point out that creating branded online destinations is the first step to raising brand loyalty and awareness. It is quite evident from the companies with the most successful social media branding. They tend to surround their customers with various online experiences which allow them to select how they interact with that brand.
BTW nice article and keep posting!
Thanks Sandra. I’m glad you enjoyed my article. I agree with you that it’s important to provide our potential clients and customers multiple opportunities to connect with us.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Can Someone Tell What Your Website/Blog Is About In 3 Seconds?
I’ve used Fivver before for small tasks like bookmarking and it worked well. Given the time it would take to do this yourself on multiple sites, it was worth it.
That’s a good idea too Jeff. I really need to take another look at Fivver. What I should do is look at the person who I already vetted on Fivver and see what else she’s offering to do for $5. Thanks! Your comment got me thinking about Fivver again. 🙂
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Does Your Klout Score Fit Into Your Social Media Strategy?
My pleasure 🙂
I considered doing some of the “I’ll make a YouTube video praising your website”, but I think it may come off as disingenuous.
Social media is a very powerful tool as long as it is used properly. I have seen a lot of people that seem so stiff in promoting their products/services; all they do is market and sometimes it’s more discouraging than engaging. I think that reaching out to your audience and building relationships with them through social media should be given importance because this is where trust comes in. And when there’s trust, people will most likely patronize your product/service.
Your outlook is very similar to mine. I believe that engaging with your audience and building trust will bode well in the future. The competition is steadily increasing. Become a trusted resource is an excellent way to differentiate yourself.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..4 SEO Tips to Optimize your WordPress Blog
that sounds like a good investment you have at Fiverr. If that’s really for $5 for a good kick start, please let me know how to contact this person. Thanks.
Glen, Her name is Karen Woodham and her Twitter ID is @blazingminds. Her following includes people who are in my target market. Good luck!
Sherryl Perry recently posted..4 SEO Tips to Optimize your WordPress Blog
A few years back, branding would take a lot of time and money. You’d had to buy ads on tv and on the radio, at regular times. I’m not saying social media can’t cost. It can, if you outsource, but at least you have a choice and can work on it by yourself if you have the time, saving a lot of money in the process.
That’s a great point Stan. Social media has helped level the playing field somewhat between small businesses and larger businesses with deeper pockets. A great example of this would be YouTube videos that have gone viral.
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Hi Sherryl,
Found your blog on blokube.com. I do really agree with you that “”building brand awareness, trust and authority is important to bloggers, entrepreneurs and businesses.”” Yes, social media sites are very helpful in gaining popularity from other website within your niche but just be careful to take care of your online reputation.
Keep posting!
Hi Julie,
Thanks for letting me know that you found my blog on Blokube. That’s helpful information and further testimony that social media sites help to build awareness. 🙂
Sherryl Perry recently posted..4 SEO Tips to Optimize your WordPress Blog
Thanks for the tip on Fiverr. Does anyone know any other sites like this?
Thanks for letting us know that Fiverr has worked well for you. Did you have any bad experiences on Fiverr? It’s hard for me to imagine paying only $5 for an ebook cover.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..What the Heck is an RSS Feed?
I’m a newbie in this vast field of blogging and I’m learning things. I’ve never used fiverr but heard a lot about it. I’ve noted down many points and I’m applying them and hoping for the best results. Sherryl your writing style is great and I’m now your regular reader.
Thanks for the encouragement James. Good luck with blogging. I don’t know if you read any of the comments but there’s always some great ideas and tips in the comment sections here too.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Treat Your Blog Posts Like Website Home Pages
Great post as always, Sherryl.
You’re so right that effective use of social media can make or break us in this world. I am working on a new book about chocolate and travel and have been working diligently to expand my network in the chocolate community via Twitter and the creation of an li-paper. It’s working, and establishing me as an “expert” in the world of chocolate.
Thanks for your encouragement.
Doreen Pendgracs recently posted..why Branson?
You’re welcome Doreen. Good luck with your book. You’re smart to start promoting yourself as an expert in chocolate and travel now while you’re still working on it. You might want to check out Scoop.it. That’s still on my “to-do” list but Janet Callaway has been using it and she’s raving about it. If you had any questions about it, I’m sure she’d be happy to answer them.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..What the Heck is an RSS Feed?
One of the benefit of using social media is they help you to increase your brand reputation. The more you interact with the people the more chances to get decent amount of visitors towards your site. Social media nowaday become the most powerful media to promote your brand. Great post.
I agree Dia. I would like to add that we need to be interacting with people who either are our target customers/clients or can help us build awareness in those target markets.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..What Can You Do if Restoring Your WordPress Backup Doesn’t Work?
Honestly, never heard about fiverr until I read your post and I went on to check it out. It looks like a pretty fun and crazy as the list of what people would do for $5 go on and on. By the by, whether you like participating in social media, it has become a necessity for you to do so. Everybody else is doing it, you wouldn’t want to be squashed by competitors just because you failed to keep up, do you?
Fiverr is interesting if nothing else. I rarely drop by there but I’m sure there are some opportunities to be found if you search hard enough. As for participating in social media, I think we all need to be mindful of where we’re spending our time and whether or not we’re driving traffic from our efforts. I’ve been restrategizing lately and not spending time on sites that aren’t driving traffic.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Where Does Your Website Traffic Come From?
Sherryl, I have been working hard to build my reputation and connect through my blog, facebook and twitter. Joining a blogging group and being very active during Epilepsy Awareness Month has brought more readers, many of whom are gracious enough to tweet or share my posts. I don’t know that I would use a service such as fiverr but I am always looking for more ways to grow my blog and spread epilepsy and caregiving awareness. My next goal is to find site sponsors that would be helpful to my readers. Thanks again for more great info. I really appreciate and respect your insights.
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You’re welcome Trish. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I think you do a commendable job of building awareness of epilepsy. Good luck with your new goal.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Can Anyone Really Follow 131,000 People on Twitter?
Sherryl, I think you know how involved I am with social media. It’s been the thing that has opened up my business to many people all over the world. Meeting you and everyone else who I consider a friend and colleague has been the result of my social media efforts. A huge blessing!
Dennis Salvatier recently posted..Design Inspiration Should Be Shared
Hi Dennis, You may be one of the first people who I met when I started blogging. Can you remember where we first met? If I had to guess, I would say it was the Bloggers Helping Bloggers group on LinkedIn but I’m not 100% sure.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Social Networking and Casting a Bigger Net
I’m pretty sure that’s where we met. Feels like a long time ago. 🙂
Dennis Salvatier recently posted..Design Inspiration Should Be Shared
Hi Sherryl,
Its great post again. Well most often small and mid-size business dive into social media and engage in heavy time consuming activities such as tweeting and updating Facebook status. But it’s only after sometime that they begin to realize no traction and get disappointed by social media. The problem is not social media, but the false level of expectation that company have out of social media. Social media like all the other media has certain limitations and hurdles that need to be understood and overcome, this means getting your expectation matched with your activities.
We know that Social Media has made it less expensive (and easier) to reach consumers. We know that we can now use Social Media to tailor messaging across a range of consumer groups, venues, and advertising channels. We just aren’t completely tuned in yet to the measurements that are the new indicators of success.
Keep posting the good stuff.
Regards.
John, Thanks so much not only for letting me know that you liked my post but especially for adding your insight. Sometimes, I think people lose sight of the fact that social media is a tool not a strategy. Our efforts need to be targeted, our results tracked and then our course adjusted.
Drop by anytime. It’s always a pleasure to see that you’ve taken the time to visit.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..2 Steps to Stalking the Popular Kids and Getting More Traffic
Very interesting… I’ve not looked at fiverr & I’m not sure I feel good about it after reading your post & all the comments. (great stream of comments, by the way!). I can understand the value with retweets, if that person is tweeting to your desired audience, but paid “likes” or comments feels disingenuous to me. just my opinion 🙂
Heidi (& Atticus)
Heidi Alberti & Atticus recently posted..Feistiness Knows No Age
I think Doc Sheldon summed it up well in his comment that there’s a real risk that “you’re dealing with automated manipulation of a batch of dummy accounts” in some cases. I think there are opportunities to be found there but we need to be diligent about our choices.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Social Networking and Casting a Bigger Net
Hi Sherryl,
First, i find your post very interesting, because it is soooo true. To find a group with other bloggers is important. You can share tips, and you can start a discussion.
i came from Germany and i`m a new blogger. So, i`m thankful for all your tips. I learn so much in the last weeks about blogging and ranking and what is “content and links and backlinks and ranking” ???? *gg* i`m a accoutant and this is my hobby. But I want to learn more and more for starting my own business next year. I hope so. 🙂
in Germany, the other’s don`t share and its very difficult to find good groups of bloggers or interesting sites with tips.
I thank you for sharing with us and wish you all the best.
With loving greetings from Germany 🙂
Hi Sandy,
Thank you so much for letting me know that you enjoyed my post. I strive to make this blog a site where everyone can feel comfortable sharing ideas, information and personal experiences.
It can be lonely when you first start blogging and almost overwhelming at times but (as you see) there’s a wonderful community of bloggers willing to help.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..How To Manage Your Online Reputation Across Different Languages
The branding of a blog occurs when it has number of quality posts on a specific niche subject. It may take some time before your brand is established through social networks. But consistency in delivering quality content is the key here also.
Quality Content! – Well said.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Can Someone Tell What Your Website/Blog Is About In 3 Seconds?
Thank you Sherryl! And that raises yet another point about the circle in which we interact. While many advise to gravitate toward our “target market” (and this is clearly important) it is also important to mingle with varied groups. I have learned so very much from your posts … tweeting and “liking” often but not often enough! Doing better on that is a a pre-New Year’s resolution!
You’re welcome Keyuri. There is so much we can learn from each other. I think networking online is like networking in person. We’re not trying to sell to each other. We’re trying to build mutually beneficial relationships. Even though our core niches are different, both of us could find and recommend the perfect client. You never know.
Good luck with your pre-New Year’s resolution! One of mine is to treat myself like a client and spend some time revamping this site. (So far it isn’t happening.)
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Social Networking and Casting a Bigger Net
“If you build it they will come” doesn’t necessarily ring true with blogs! And so Sherryl, once again you raise value in reminding us to align ourselves with the right people. But you raise an even more important point with this sentence in your first paragraph.
Do you use social media to build awareness, trust and authority?
Writing from our hearts with purity of intention to really be of value to our reader is a dot that the right people will automatically connect to.
Keyuri, You’re the perfect example of a blogger who adds value to their readers. I think your most recent post is right on the money when it comes to technology and small children. Even though I don’t blog about parenting and families, I still tweet and share your posts because so many of my readers, friends and family members do. Thanks for dropping by!
Sherryl Perry recently posted..What Can You Do if Restoring Your WordPress Backup Doesn’t Work?
This post outlines some good methods of using social media to build brand value.
However social media requires a lot of effort for it to work effectively, it is in itself a major communication channel that requires a plan to be devised before any activity it initiated.
I agree with you Talha. To work effectively, we need to have a social media strategy. Plus, we need to measure and track it. Our time is too precious to spend on strategies that don’t work.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Can Anyone Really Follow 131,000 People on Twitter?
Hi Sherryl,
I hope you still remember this face. 🙂
Those are some pretty nice ideas. Internet Identity is a very important factor for anything we do online whether it is for doing business or services that’s why we should always protect it. Specially in social media where we interact to people and build relationship with them.
Cheers!
Hi John,
Of course I remember you! You’ve done a good job of branding yourself. Gravatar.com makes it so easy for bloggers to consistently associate our profile pic and URL with ourselves that most everyone here uses it. As you say, identity is very important.
It’s good to see you again.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Does Your Klout Score Fit Into Your Social Media Strategy?
I have heard of fiverr and actually visited the site a time or two. I hear good things and bad things. I guess it depends on what you are looking for. At $5 you aren’t out much if something doesn’t work out.
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I still have mixed feelings about Fiverr. I agree $5 is a small investment.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..What Can You Do if Restoring Your WordPress Backup Doesn’t Work?
I’m not at the point where I’m endorsing (or dissing) Fiverr yet but I do think that there’s merit in vetting the person that you hire. I could be totally off the mark here and would definitely be open to hearing from bloggers who have successfully used Fiverr.
I absolutely agree that collaboration can be (and should be) beneficial to all parties. By introducing myself to the blogger who I hired on Fiverr, we now do share for each other without either of us actually agreeing that we would. That relationship grew on its own.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Social Networking and Casting a Bigger Net
Hi Sherryl, it’s good to be back here.
Well I don’t think I need to tell you that I’m already a big fan of social media as a means of getting the word out.
Today I’m using it for a different purpose. Sadly that purpose is to expose a malicious DMOZ editor. I had a nasty Birthday surprise 2 days ago when someone left a really nasty and personal comment on my blog. Little did they know that I happened to be online at the time and traced them through my stats. I was gobsmacked when I realised that it was a DMOZ editor. My feeling is that they may also be a local business competitor. (Just 30 miles away and made reference to the fact that they are a professional).
I have decided to use a post on my blog to reply to the comment. Coupling this with a few shares on social media networks, I hope to expose this person. A bit cheecky of me I know but please feel free to visit my link and share the post. Let’s nail this person before they do the same to others.
Steve recently posted..DMOZ Nasty Birthday To Me
Hi Steve,
I’m playing catch-up today but I will definitely get the word out for you on this. (Please share Steve’s post everyone!)
DMOZ is a mixed bag and I gave up trying to get websites included in it years ago. I tried multiple times with multiple sites and never succeeded in having any of them included. It doesn’t surprise me at all that one of the editors is doing something like this. It’s sad but it’s a true commentary on what is happening online today.
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Hi Sherryl,
I had mixed results with fiverr. Some gigs are good but some are really bad too so you are absolutely right you have to vet then seriously or try them out on some test sites or accounts. You are only going to get what you pay for and for a fiver that is often very little.
Nik
Thanks Nik. You’ve echoed my sentiments exactly.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Can Anyone Really Follow 131,000 People on Twitter?
Hi, Sherryl.
I admit, I am not that visible online as I was before, but I do my best to appear at least a couple of hours everyday. And, while I am not online I also do my best to cater to the needs of my clients, so I can get raving testimonials from them. You see, while I know that building an online presence is essential, I also realized after I almost got lost in becoming active in twittering and blog commenting that building relationships with my clients is also quite important. So, I stepped back from being online too much and got back to really showing my clients I care.
Hi Wes, It’s good to hear from you. You may not be as active online as you once were but you obviously have done a good job of branding yourself with your profile pic, your name and your Twitter name. I always recognize you and I’m sure others do too.
I’m cutting down a little on my online social networking too. I have to start treating myself as my own client and pay more attention to that lengthy “to-do” list that I’ve created for myself.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Does Your Klout Score Fit Into Your Social Media Strategy?
Hi Sherryl. Another great post. I always find out something new and useful when I read your posts. I have never heard of Fiverr so now I have a new adventure to explore.
Thanks
Mike
Hi Mike, I’m happy to hear that you learned something new from reading my post. Good luck with your adventures with Fiverr. I’m not sure when but I expect to write a post on Fiverr soon to see what people like and dislike about it.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Can Anyone Really Follow 131,000 People on Twitter?
Hey Sherryl, I like Fiverr, and have dealt successfully with people who worked for me. When I used it for the first time, I was naive with who I picked, but I was lucky. Since then, I have been carefully selecting people to work with, just to make sure that the quality of my brand name is maintained! On one of my blogs, social media has contributed to over 75% of traffic (but then its a new blog, and I have been using social media a lot!)
Thank you Neeraj! I was hoping to hear from bloggers who were successfully using Fiverr strategically. You have succinctly put into words the exact reservations I had. I need to “make sure that the quality of my brand name is maintained!” – Excellent advice.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..2 Steps to Stalking the Popular Kids and Getting More Traffic
Social media is so important in this day and age. I’m afraid that if you’re not moving forward with the times then you will be left behind. Even well established companies and brands make use of social media as it allows a quicker and easier accessibility to consumers.
i’m all for social media – small, big, emerging and completely unknown entrepreneurs, businesses and individuals should make use of it
I agree with you about the importance of social media Gabriella. I’m a huge advocate of it. On the other hand, I have been neglecting networking face-to-face and I need to make that a priority once again. I recently read an article by Robert Dempsey and he talked about someone who was successfully growing his business through in-person networking events. Somehow, I’ve lost site of that.
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Hey Sherryl,
There are so many things social media can bring to your business and brand awareness is definitely one of them. I’ve used Fiverr before but never to hire someone to tweet some posts for me. This is a great strategy that I plan on implementing for my own social media and branding needs, thanks for sharing.
Hi Melony,
Months ago, I thought about writing an article about Fiverr and I dismissed it because my experience with it is limited. The more comments I read here the more I think you’ll be seeing a post about it (from me). I’d be interested in hearing how people are using (or planning to use) Fiverr strategically.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Where Does Your Website Traffic Come From?
I’ve seen lots of interesting gigs in fiverr and looks like hiring someone there would be the best way to get the right service at very minimal cost. Moreover, social media plays an important role in every business success so maximizing its use could be the most effective way to improve one’s business.
Michael, I just expressed some of my reservations about Fiverr in my reply to Janet. I personally am uncomfortable paying someone to like my FB page. I did pay for the tweets. So, I don’t want to appear hypocritical but I do think that I would only want to hire someone who I trusted. I don’t want to turn my blog (and my reputation) into a pure numbers game.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Can Anyone Really Follow 131,000 People on Twitter?
Sherryl, aloha. Great tips for building brand awareness. While I have used Fiverr, it was for a different reason. Neverthless, I felt I received the full value for the money. Many bloggers I know use Fiverr extensively and have an entire stable full of Fiverrs who do things for them.
Since I started my blog, I have joined numerous types of blogging communities. Some I was “in and out” within a short period of time while others I have continued with them for a long time. Each of the communities offered something different.
While being a part of the various communities introduced me to people, what has built my community is interacting with people on their blogs as well as responding to comments on my own. Sherryl, I believe it is only through personal interaction that people get to “know, like and trust” you. No matter how great your content, it does not build the relationship the way interacting in the comments section does.
Sherryl, I am active on twitter, facebook and in some private groups. Thus far, this strategy has worked well for me.
Interestingly enough, since I wrote on scoop.it and started using it more, I find more people “scooping” me, contacting me and tweeting me. The more I use the platform, the more I appreciate it. This week I am setting up one on an entirely different topic–lifestyle reset which is how to shed body fat and easily incorporate wellness into your life. Since that is a totally different topic for me, I will be interested to see what happens when I start tweeting it.
Hope you and your family enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving, Sherryl. Until next time, aloha. Janet
Janet,
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your ideas with us. You and I are connected through several groups and I value your thoughts on social media.
I need to take a better look at Fiverr. That one experience worked well for me but I have a bit of a problem with the idea of paying someone for likes and tweets. I admit that I did do it that one time but the person I hired is a well established blogger who was using her three personal accounts. I have no problem hiring someone who has worked hard to build their followings. What concerns me somewhat is offers like ” will give 3 Facebook fan pages 150+ Likes Each from Active Facebook Users for $5″. Who manages 150 Facebook users? Are these likes automated? Is this really different from spam? Is it a good marketing move? I don’t have the answers to this but this topic could certainly be a post of its own.
Thanks for keeping us updated on scoop.it. I haven’t used it yet but I’m beginning to see the potential in it. I do have to take a closer look at my Twitter strategy. I had been experimenting with my tweets for over a month and Twitter has been dropping as a source of referral traffic. So, I need to revitalize that stream.
Our Thanksgiving was wonderful Janet. I hope yours was too.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..2 Steps to Stalking the Popular Kids and Getting More Traffic
Hi, Sherryl-
Like you, I have a problem with some of the offers encountered on Fiverr… I suspect that when someone offers 50 or 100 Likes, Tweets or forum comments, you’re dealing with automated manipulation of a batch of dummy accounts. In the case of forum comments, particularly, there’s a good chance that many of those accounts have been labeled as spammers, and as such, the benefits are at best, nullified, and at worst, could reflect poorly on you.
That said, though, I’ve also found some very talented individuals on Fiverr, for things like image customization, specific code snippets, custom videos and voice-overs. Good providers can make a little money offering such cheap services, because they “make it up in volume” 😉
Like eBay, I pay a lot of attention to the feedback given on vendors. I would say that everyone should always be extremely cautious of copyright issues were images and sound tracks are concerned… seems many vendors don’t worry about that, and it can get you in hot water.
Doc Sheldon recently posted..I’ll be Darned! This Thing IS on!
Hi Doc,
Thanks for weighing in on this issue. I have the same suspicions as you that it may often be “automated manipulation of a batch of dummy accounts” but I don’t believe I could have expressed it as well as you just did. I agree that it could potentially reflect poorly on us and it’s not worth the risk of damaging my reputatioin.
Code snippets? Now that I could possibly use help with. I do code but it’s not my favorite thing to do. I think I’d probably wait for help on a forum though. Again, what’s the risk? I have trouble paying $5 for something that I wouldn’t be willing to do for $5 myself.
Thanks for the tip on the feedback and ratings. I honestly have spent such little time on Fiverr that I hadn’t even paid attention to that. The one person I hired was the result of a recommendation on Facebook by a blogger who I trust.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Where Does Your Website Traffic Come From?
Sherryl — I have to admit I didn’t know about Fivrr. It seems a little strange what people will do for $5. But it worked for you, so hey….
Of course, I participate in in our LinkedIn group and also a Twitter retweeting group. I think my traffic from Twitter has increased recently because I’ve been scheduling tweets and Facebook updates using Buffer. I don’t know for sure, but a number of articles I’ve read have said Buffer does increase your traffic because the tweets are strategically scheduled, but who really knows?
Jeannette Paladino recently posted..PRSA Uses Crowd Sourcing for New Definition of Public Relations
I love Buffer! I haven’t used it for Facebook yet but I should definitely look into it. I don’t know why but my Twitter traffic has dropped significantly in the past month. I’ve experienced about a 30% decrease. I’ve more than made up for that with two other sources of referral traffic but I really don’t know what to attribute it to. I wonder if part of it could possibly be due to the changes that Triberr made recently.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Social Networking and Casting a Bigger Net
Hi Sherryl,
I haven’t used fivver but thinking of using it for a project I have in mind. I am part of a great group who help each other and I think one of the things to remember like any relationship it takes time to develop and it goes beyond just tweeting posts.
Susan Oakes recently posted..Do Not Let Procrastination Stop Your Marketing Success
I probably should take another look at Fiverr myself Susan. I couldn’t agree with you more about developing relationships. It goes way beyond tweeting.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..What Can You Do if Restoring Your WordPress Backup Doesn’t Work?
I keep looking at Fivver. Based on your testimonial will give it a try with new product launch coming up. Thanks
The Fiverr approach sounds interesting. I’ve always thought that most people’s social campaigns usually fail because they expect people to come to them, rather than going to people. Getting someone else to tweet about you as such makes a lot of sense as it is going to seem far less like spam.
Rick,
One of the people who I follow on Twitter who I consider to give some of the best advice on Twitter is @JohnAguiar. I highly recommend following him. Also, if you get a chance read the article that I’ve attached to this reply about “stalking the popular kids”. Stalking is a strong word but it helped to make a successful blog title and it sort of describes one of the strategies that I used to help build a following.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..2 Steps to Stalking the Popular Kids and Getting More Traffic
I also agree that social media improve cooperation as well! About trust and Authority – I am not very sure, why do you think that?
Hi Anna,
Building authority in a niche is extremely valuable to bloggers who are promoting their own services and products as well as promoting affiliate programs. For example, when I first decided to blog, I researched tutorials on WordPress and came across several “experts”. I finally found a collaborative effort by bloggers who convinced me that they were true authorities. They’re the people who I purchased a book from to learn the true ins and outs of WP.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Social Networking and Casting a Bigger Net
I have just started joining these groups. A friend of mine introduced me to the group. I don’t really understand how things work, but I am seeing an increase in traffic to my website.
Hi Jim,
Good luck finding the right groups for you. One of the first LinkedIn groups that I joined was not a good fit for me. The members were simply going to everyone’s blog and digging it or stumbling it or whatever the task for the week was. I’m not comfortable sharing content that I haven’t read (or at the very least given a good scan) unless I already trust the blogger. I ended up leaving that group and joined one that approves all members and has clear goals. We do visit each others blogs but we add value when we comment and sharing is encouraged but not expected.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Ambassador of Buzz -Social Networking Done Right
I participate in groups that share each other’s content. I think it’s effective. It’s like a family in there. We help each other, not just in the sharing of content.
Hi Kevin,
I’ve met some of the regular bloggers that leave comments here on LinkedIn and Facebook and I count many of them as my friends and allies. The core group that I interact with closely are all extremely knowledgeable in their own areas of expertise. It does go way beyond sharing content.
(I just checked out your Twitter account and am following you. Meeting people who take the time to leave comments on my blog is another great way to expand our online networks.)
Sherryl Perry recently posted..2 Steps to Stalking the Popular Kids and Getting More Traffic
Good and to the point article Sherryl.
Have never used Fiverr but am a member of a blogger’s mastermind group and also cooperate with reputable bloggers on Twitterfeed. And it works very well. Maybe we should cooperate even more.
I’ve only used Fiverr that one time myself. I’m always open to working with other bloggers as you know.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..3 Steps to Develop a Branding Strategy for Social Media