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3 tips on using Facebook to curate content fast



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By Dorien Morin-van Dam

Entrepreneurs are always busy!

Sometimes time just gets away from you; the phone rings all morning and you can’t get anything done. A client calls with an important question and you can’t put off answering it. Your car breaks down and needs a tow, delaying you and your long list of tasks. A family member needs you, now and off you go.

As a busy entrepreneur, even the best laid plans and to-do lists get sidetracked by unexpected events. There’s no one else but you to address the problems and nothing you can do about it but go with the flow and regroup when you can.

speeding through a tunnel

On any given Monday morning, I get back to my desk after a weekend away from my computer and find social media emergencies and tasks that need my undivided attention. Lucky for me, I have a social media plan and a content calendar for myself as well as for all of my clients, so I don’t often have to post ‘fast’ and unexpectedly.

Do you have a social media plan? Do you have a content calendar? If you don’t have either, find a social media consultant to help you create a social media plan and a content calendar to put in place ASAP!

Of course, there are times I am on the go, busy, forget to get my content calendar updated and I need something to post…now. What to do? Don’t panic! This is what I do…

I go to Facebook to find content quickly!

Here are three ways I use Facebook to find content to curate, fast!

1. Interest Lists

I have many interest lists I curate content from. Are you familiar with interest lists? If not, start here: Everything you need to know about Facebook Interest Lists

I follow a lot of people and I have liked a lot of pages. To be able to find what I am looking for, I have created lists of pages, people and news outlets all of who are relevant to my business and my clients’ industries. To find content fast, all I have to do is go to those lists on my profile and look at what everyone is talking about! From there, it’s an easy share to my profile, or a few (extra) clicks to share it to one of my pages. I recommend you subscribe to pages as well as create your own.

2. Trending Topics

This is a great way to get content out, quickly! Simply go to your personal profile and look on the top right side of your newsfeed. You’ll see ‘trending topics’. Click on the topic that would best fit your industry (there is a blue, clickable link for each topic) which will generate a feed of articles related to that trending topic. Pick whichever one you like and share!

3. Hashtag Search

If you are looking for a specific topic, try searching Facebook for related articles by using a hashtag. I admin several pages for which I use this approach and using hashtags is a great way to find news content on Facebook. For example, for a plumbers page, try #plumbing or #plumbingtip, for a golf community, you could try searching #golf and find out the latest news. Make sure to try several hashtags, sometimes it takes a while to find the right one. Don’t forget to also use hashtags on your own posts when sharing your own content, so others who use this approach can find and share your content, too!

I know there are many other ways to find, share and curate content form Facebook. What is your favorite content curation tip?

Author’s Bio: Dorien Morin-van Dam is owner and social media marketer at More In Media, a social media consultancy in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Dorien provides social media consulting, management, training and education; she is passionate about teaching social media to small business owners. She services clients all over the USA and has worked in many different industries as well as with several NPO’s. In her spare time, Dorien manages four kids, three dogs and a husband. She runs marathons and loves to bake, travel and read.

Photo Credit: Loïc Lagarde via Compfight cc

In a content slump? Try these Twitter features!

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By Dorien Morin-van Dam

As bloggers, business owners, social media managers we know it’s just not OK to only share your own content.

I personally try to adhere to the 80%-20% rule for myself and my social media clientele, meaning 80% of the time I share other people’s content vs. 20% of the time, I share mine or the content of my clients. And on certain platforms, it quickly turns into 90%-10%.

Sometimes, however, it’s hard to find good content to share across your platforms, and it’s easy to get discouraged. Twitter has always been my back up plan and I’d like to share three ways I use Twitter to curate content to share.

figurine with bluebirds

3 Twitter Features To Curate New Content With Right Now!

1. Twitter Lists

Use your own lists or lists others have created. Here are the sequences I use to curate content Twitter lists.

a) From my own lists: I go to a list and click on ‘Tweets’. For example, I might go to a list called ‘Steamfeed Authors’. I know that every single author on that list talks about social media.

First, I might scan to see if I can find links to the same blog posts in my feed. If I do, I will go check it out. Usually, when multiple people Tweet the same content, it’s relevant to me as well.

Second, I look for patterns and trending topics. They are usually fairly easy to spot. It could be a new feature on a platform, or breaking news. I will RT if I spot a pattern.

Last, if I can not find anything right away in the feed of those authors, I can easily identify just one author by clicking on their name and then find their own latest blog post.

b) From others’ lists: To find new lists, I will find those who influence me (or my client) on Twitter and check out their Twitter lists. If it looks to be a great list, I will subscribe (that means that next time I will not have to go find it; it will now be shown underneath my own lists!). Then I might follow some of the people on this new list and take the steps outlined above.

2. Twitter Search

You can search anything and everything on Twitter. Just drop a topic in the Twitter search bar and go!

You can also use a hashtag in front of keywords. If that’s not enough, try advanced search on Twitter. Read more on how to search and what to search in these articles. Once I find something that I know my audience will love, I use the RT option, or I might go the article itself and share it on a different platform.

3. Trending Topics

Have you used it yet? In case you didn’t know, Twitter Trends are tailored just for you! Trends offer a unique way to get closer to what you care about. They are tailored for you based on your location and who you follow. I also noticed that what’s trending for me is different on my desktop vs. my iPhone, and that has to do with my location. So when in a content slump, check out trending on ‘Twitter’ and join the on-going conversations!

Now that you know more about Twitter and how to use it for content curation, I hope your content slump is over and you will start sharing awesome content once more!

Author’s Bio: Dorien Morin-van Dam is owner and social media marketer at More In Media, a social media consultancy in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Dorien provides social media consulting, management, training and education; she is passionate about teaching social media to small business owners. She services clients all over the USA and has worked in many different industries as well as with several NPO’s. In her spare time, Dorien manages four kids, three dogs and a husband. She runs marathons and loves to bake, travel and read.

Photo Credit: Mira Pangkey via Compfight cc

3 Tips for Gathering User-Generated Content To Write A Blog Post

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By Dorien Morin-van Dam

Creating content is a tough task, especially since everything you want to write about has already been written about. It’s tough to be original, isn’t it? In recent months I’ve seen a surge in articles being written about user-generated content and how to create it. I have also spotted more and more articles written with user-generated content.

river flowing through farmland aerial shot

There are many social media platforms that lend themselves perfectly for sharing user-generated content; two very well known visual platforms come to mind first. The first one is Pinterest and the second platform is Instagram.

On Pinterest, people re-pin pretty pictures other people pinned before them – 80% of pins are re-pins. On Instagram, using re-post apps, people can easily find and share other peoples pictures, too!

But what about written content? Can we use text-based user-generated content?

A perfect example of written user-generated content is, of course, quotes! Who hasn’t seen and shared quotes on social media? I know I have. It would be a stretch to write a whole blog post just with quotes (it has been done), but I am here to suggest several other techniques that may help you seek out user-generated content.

Here are my 3 tips for writing a blog post simply by asking the right people!

1. Ask your fans.

One way I use my Facebook audience, for example, is to give them two or three words and let them free-associate with those. I often get great ideas for blog posts based on their answers. It shows what is foremost on their minds. I also ask questions on Twitter, but since my audience is greater and more diverse, it has not been as effective for me as asking my Facebook fans.

2. Ask the experts in your circles of influence.

You can do this via email or dedicated Facebook group. Those would be my first choices as I recommend you reach out to each individual privately, and of course, offer to link to them once your write your blog post. Here are some ideas on how to crowdsource content from the experts:

  • You can give each of them the same question (or hypothetical) situation to answer in their own way.
  • You can ask them to give you real life questions (sourced from their audience) about a specific topic you provide i.e Pinterest, LinkedIn profile, Twitter Cards.
  • You can ask them for a solution to a problem you are having. If you ask five experts you will be sure to get five different solutions.
  • You can ask for an interview from an expert. Whether you have created a set series of questions, or you make it up as you go, interviewing someone in your industry, a leader, is a great way to get user-generated content. You will be using their words, their thoughts, to write your blog.

3. Ask your peers.

Your peers are the people in your industry, your co-workers, your fellow bloggers and entrepreneurs. I love involving them and asking them questions or get input from them on a certain topic. People also love to be quoted.

If you go to your peers for a quote, at least they will be aware your are writing something that mentions them and will look for your article to be published.

Alternatively, you could read a series of articles written by your peers and take quotes, and link back of course, highlighting their take on issues.

Your Turn:

• Have you used any of these techniques to get content for your blog?

• Do you enjoy reading these types of blog posts?

• Can you think of other ways to gather user-generated content?

Author’s Bio: Dorien Morin-van Dam is owner and social media marketer at More In Media, a social media consultancy in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Dorien provides social media consulting, management, training and education; she is passionate about teaching social media to small business owners. She services clients all over the USA and has worked in many different industries as well as with several NPO’s. In her spare time, Dorien manages four kids, three dogs and a husband. She runs marathons and loves to bake, travel and read.

Photo Credit: eutoxeres via Compfight cc

7 Tips To Get Your Next Article Curated and Shared!

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By Dorien Morin-van Dam

I love it when my articles get read and shared, don’t you?

I closely watch to see where it gets shared, on what social media platform, and by whom. I absolutely get a kick out of it when my article gets a bit of extra life when an influencer in my industry shares it with their audience.

When I first started to blog, I often wondered what made someone curate an article and share it. After three years of blogging and following and watching those in the social media industry, I have a much better idea of what the ‘sweet spots’ are. Knowing what type of article gets shared, does not guarantee your article gets picked up, by any means. It will, however, have a much better shot of being curated.

7 tips to get your articles curated and shared
  1. Put a Date On It – Really! Go check and see if your articles have a date. If the content is evergreen, I do not mind sending out an article that is older, but if you write about social media platforms and features, I would like to know instantly what date you wrote it. It will tell me if it’s relevant and if I should share it with my audience, or pass it over for a more updated piece on the same subject.
  2. Add an Image – I can’t (I guess I could, but I won’t) curate an article to Pinterest and G+ without a picture. In fact, the only platform I will send it out on without a picture is Twitter, but only if it is really, really good. And my thought is, that if it is really, really good, (and you are a really, really good writer) you should have put in the extra effort to actually find (or create) and upload an image! Your image has to be pin-worthy to be considered for pinning. Therefore, if you want your articles curated to Pinterest, plan accordingly with your image(s).
  3. Craft a Catchy Title – Just like you want to catch my eye and have me curate and share your article, I want to catch the eye and interest of my audience as well when I share your article. Therefore, put a bit of thought into your titles. Make them catchy and irresistible, yet understandable! And please, do not misrepresent the article by using an obscene word or phrase. If you do, I will never share another one of your posts, no matter how great they might be!
  4. Format For Easy Scanning – What does this mean? It means outlining your article in such a way, that if I scan it and see the thought process behind your article, clearly defined by the use of paragraphs, bullet points and a conclusion, I am much more willing to share it than if it was one, long, rambling article.
  5. Mention or Quote an Influencer in your Article – If you can, reference an industry influencer by securing a quote from them. You could also reference a book or eBook they wrote by inserting a quote and linking back, of course. In doing this, it shows you are keeping up with industry greats and the latest research, which is exactly what I am looking to share with my audience as well! And yes, then I might curate and use your article.
  6. Provide a Link and/or Reference Research – Reference an industry influencer or researcher if relevant, by linking to an article they wrote. In doing this, it shows you are keeping up with industry influencers and the latest industry news and you know how to interpret and apply this information. That’s what my readers are looking for as well!
  7. Easy Comment & Sharing System – If I can’t leave a comment on your blog without much effort, I won’t share it. If I can’t share your article without much effort (meaning; I have to go look for the sharing buttons as they are not obvious!), I also will not curate and share your article. Make it simple to comment, simple to share and I will take a second look.

Question: Have you ever gotten a ‘major industry leader’ to curate and share an article you wrote? Thinking back, what article was it and what do you think triggered the share? If you can figure it out, I suggest you duplicate that type of post! And I have to admit I was giddy for a few hours after Mari Smith shared one of my articles on Twitter!

Happy writing,

Dorien.

Author’s Bio: Dorien Morin-van Dam is owner and social media marketer at More In Media, a social media consultancy in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Dorien provides social media consulting, management, training and education; she is passionate about teaching social media to small business owners. She services clients all over the USA and has worked in many different industries as well as with several NPO’s. In her spare time, Dorien manages four kids, three dogs and a husband. She runs marathons and loves to bake, travel and read.

To Give is To Get. The Importance of Blog Comments.

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By Dorien Morin-van Dam

You are business owner. You are active on social media. You even have a blog on your website and you are doing your best to keep your blog original, fresh and active, posting new articles on a regular basis. You send out updates on your social media sites and you might even have joined a blogging community to share articles of like-minded bloggers.

Does this sound like you?

To Give is to Get

But…you knew there’d be a ‘but’ right? What else can you to do ‘spice up’ your blog? What are you forgetting? I am here to tell you that many bloggers forget to do one important thing. Blog commenting. Asking for comments as well as leaving comments.

To my own clients who want to get more eyeballs on their articles, one of the first things I recommend is for them to start seeking out the blogs of other bloggers & experts in their industry and to start leaving intelligent, well thought-out blog comments.

Not sure you’d know what to say and what to comment on? Go read some comments!

Seriously! The best way to learn blog commenting is to go to (larger) publications and to see first hand what types of articles generate what types of comments. According to Jeff Goins, there are 7 types of commenters. Read his article here and decide which one you are, or want to be!

Who Should You Give Your Blog Comments To?

There is no ‘right or wrong way’ to leave blog comment, because in essence any blog that accepts your comment should be grateful you’ve taken the time to give them feedback.

However, if you’d like to target and leave blog comments for the purpose of getting blog comments back, I suggest starting here.

Leave comments for:

• Those in your industry

• Local (business) blogs

• Your colleagues

• Those in your blogging community

Why Should You Take Your Valuable Time To Leave Blog Comments?

There are many reasons behind blog commenting, that is another post on its own, but I did want to start you thinking about a few reasons why leaving blog comments could be beneficial to your business, your own blog and your writing skills.

• To show your expertise – Leave a comment that adds value to the article

• To make new connections – Leave a comment

• To find collaborators – Leave a comment and connect with like-minded people

• To start online conversations – leave a comment and get noticed

• To give feedback – Leave a comment for a specific reason

• To get backlinks – Once your comment is approved, you’ll most often get a link to your own site

• To get noticed for guest blogging – leave a comment and show off your writing skills

What Should You NOT Do When You Leave a Blog Comment?

Don’t make these five blog commenting mistakes! It might seem like common sense to you, but I often get these types of comments on my blog. When I see these types of comments, I am always happy I’ve set my blog commenting system up so that I have to approve any and all comments before they go live.

Now that you know the importance of commenting on blogs, how about I help you figure out how to get some comments for yourself? Consider how you should go about attracting the right audience to your blog and how to entice them to interact with you and leave a comment.

Why Do You Want Blog Comments On Your Blog?

There are multiple reasons to want to have an active commenting community on your blog. Here are some of the more obvious reasons to want to get blog comments.

• To build your online community

• To get potential customers to notice you

• To develop strong relationships with your readers

• For economic growth (get new customers!)

• Give-Away/Promotion

• To get feedback on your writing

• To become an authority in your field/industry

• To drive even more traffic to your blog

Caution!

There are a few things to watch for once you start to encourage blog commenting on your own site. Here they are in no particular order.

• Watch out for spammers

• Take time to moderate any and all comments

• Deal with, and process, negative comments

Ideas on How To Get Comments

An active community of commenters is a sign of a great blog. Comments inspire new comments and the cycle continues. To insure this commenting will go on and on, here are some ideas to get, and keep generating, good quality comments!

• Ask for comments

• Include a call-to-action at the end of each article

• Ask a specific question of your readers to be answered

• Give comments to get comments back

• Write provocatively (or ‘shake things up a bit’)

• Make commenting easy for the public, hard for spammers. Check your settings!

• Create a blog comment policy outlining what is expected of your community

• Respond to comments! You will get more comments that way. First, as people see you reply, they are more likely to leave a comment in the first place and once you reply to their comment, you can ask a follow up question.

Whether commenting has been on the back burner or not, ramping up your commenting can make a huge difference in the quality and quantity of your blog comments going in and out!

I’ve had fun writing this article (my first on this site!) and I have just one question for you:

Will you let me know what your most successful blog commenting strategy is? I can’t wait to read the answer!

Author’s Bio: Dorien Morin-van Dam is owner and social media marketer at More In Media, a social media consultancy in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Dorien provides social media consulting, management, training and education; she is passionate about teaching social media to small business owners. She services clients all over the USA and has worked in many different industries as well as with several NPO’s. In her spare time, Dorien manages four kids, three dogs and a husband. She runs marathons and loves to bake, travel and read.