The good news is that you can still drive traffic, generate leads, and even sell directly through social media<\/b>. You might not buy the island this week<\/em>, but you can build a successful company off the back of your social efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To do this, you need a sound strategy. One you can re-use, alter, improve, and repeat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So we\u2019ve compiled 23 of the most compelling, well-researched, actionable social media resources available<\/strong>. We\u2019re talking strategy guides, playbooks, courses, and checklists. Your social marketing is about to go from \u201cuninspired\u201d to \u201cunbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s do this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are key differences between each of the major social media platforms. Instagram prioritizes images and video, Twitter is for real-time updates, and Facebook is fast becoming an all-purpose beast. Your social strategies will vary somewhat for each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But there are also similarities between them all. You need a social media plan that works across the board, with special tweaks for individual platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our first 12 resources explain how to use social media for lead generation, to build a following, and to give your brand a voice. Plus we have a bunch of great guides to social selling<\/em>, which more businesses are using as old-fashioned sales techniques become less helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll get a strategy that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This ebook shows you the fundamentals, and helps you start using social media more strategically<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you\u2019ve got your strategy, you need the right tools to execute it. You\u2019ll want to test out a range, and this book has a great collection to start with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ranging from free and basic, to enterprise-level suites, you\u2019ll get an idea of the sorts of tools you need to consider investing in. Plus, there are links to all of them, so you won\u2019t even need to go searching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bonus<\/strong>: This book follows the same structure as our first resource, so grab both and use them hand-in-hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Need to beef up your social media marketing? Get the best tools for the job.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Want to know how Jeff Bullas<\/a> creates social sharing buttons, or how Michael Stelzner<\/a> broadcasts live with six guests at once? Get reading<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social media marketing can be a challenge for small businesses. You may not have the budget to hire someone just for this task, and you\u2019re forced to squeeze it into your other marketing efforts. Like spinning plates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This series from Brenda Barron<\/a> shows you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plus, she gives in-depth analyses of social media management tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, Sprout Social, and Tweetdeck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This guide from the Post Planner blog explains the lead generation method on social. Beginning with choosing the right kinds of leads and creating a good landing page, you get detailed instructions for generating leads across platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n All of that with great examples to illustrate, and a straight-to-the-point writing style. What\u2019s not to love?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Download this guide<\/a> to understand:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If improving social media engagement is on your to-do list, this ebook is a great place to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One sure-fire way to reach new audiences and improve your reputation is with influencers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are industry VIPs. When they talk about your brand<\/a>, people listen. So if you can partner up with one (or many!), you\u2019ll speed up the slow \u201cbuilding awareness\u201d process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best part about them, though, is that many of their followers are looking specifically for buying<\/em> advice. If you\u2019re selling products or services, a recommendation from one of these power users can lead directly to sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think about it this way: when you need a mobile phone, would you buy without reading reviews first? This is the way we consume these days. So make sure you have reviews or recommendations from the coolest guys in town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This guide<\/a> shows you how to find influencers, get acquainted, and forge a relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t have time for a whole ebook? This short guide from the Salesforce blog gives you a great overview of social selling strategy. But that doesn\u2019t mean that it\u2019s light on detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Salesforce\u2019s Carl Henderson<\/a> will tell you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to dive into social sales, but aren\u2019t quite sure what that means, this is a great place to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whereas the last resource was more of an overview, this HubSpot post gets a lot more hands-on. If you want to introduce social media into your sales playbook, read this<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It contains a great guide to optimizing each of your social profiles for sales, with examples. Since social media is about to become a key communication channel for your sales team, they need to present the right face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll also get tips for joining LinkedIn groups, and will learn how to share content to bring new prospects to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you ever have trouble justifying social media marketing to others – or yourself – this is the blog post for you! Using real examples from people who\u2019ve succeeded, Neil Patel<\/a> breaks down the value of social selling, and provides some of his favorite strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are also a bunch of great real-life examples to learn from, which is always better than strict theory. And while he calls it a \u201cbeginner\u2019s guide,\u201d there\u2019s plenty to reflect on for just about any digital marketer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use this as a rough skeleton and add your own sales flavor. Plus it\u2019s brief, which is great because no salesperson on earth has hours of spare reading time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a fun (and slightly sneaky) technique to generate social media leads with the help of your competition. In this blog post, Close.io CEO Steli Efti explains how his company brings in new customers thanks to complaints about rival companies. It\u2019s also just a good story. See for yourself<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Twitter is a wildly popular marketing platform. It\u2019s easy to use, open to everyone, and allows an endless flow of content. No matter what kind of company you are, there\u2019s really no reason not<\/em> to use Twitter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The problem is, everyone knows this already. If you wade in without a plan, you\u2019ll be completely ignored. To give yourself a chance at breaking through and reaching a new audience, you have to have a sound strategy and great things to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following pieces will help you launch your Twitter marketing<\/a> effectively. And if you\u2019re already using Twitter, here\u2019s a chance to evaluate and improve what you\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This quick checklist helps you make sure you\u2019re approaching Twitter the right way. Since you\u2019ve only got a 140 characters, you need to get them right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll get 8 quick tips to improve your strategy. If each and every tweet meets most of these criteria, you\u2019re onto a winner!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether you\u2019re just getting started, or want to quickly re-evaluate your approach, this one-pager<\/a> breaks down the most important aspects of successful Twitter marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is a checklist not enough? Here\u2019s the full guide<\/a>. This book will take you from just writing good tweets, to actually marketing<\/em> and finding customers on Twitter. Start using Twitter to generate some serious leads<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve built a Twitter following and established your voice, it\u2019s time to think about selling. After all, using Twitter for awareness is nice, but actually reeling in customers is so much sweeter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This post from Jawad Khan<\/a> for Problogger gives you more advanced Twitter strategy, with a specific eye on sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s plenty of delightful detail to digest, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our recommendation: If you\u2019re new to all this, start with \u201c8 Ways to Make Your Tweets More Impactful<\/a>\u201d (resource 13). Then, use this guide to hone your Twitter craft to perfection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll find tools to help you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your Twitter marketing isn\u2019t making the dent you\u2019d hoped, you may need to invest in better tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, fashion, jewelry, and e-commerce brands can make a killing using Instagram. But any creative company with a vision and a story to tell can build a passionate audience and convert leads there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also a wonderful space for solo marketers growing a personal brand, and startups promoting their company culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some of the best resources if you want to win on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Want to build an audience on Instagram? We\u2019d all be happy with a few thousand followers. Maybe tens of thousands for your main company account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How about 900,000+ followers? That\u2019s what Foundr Magazine has been able to achieve so far. And it\u2019s not only followers. Foundr has built sustainable, growing revenue directly from its Instagram presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So we asked Foundr CEO Nathan Chan how he did it, and how we can all do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This webinar<\/a> will show you how to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re building an Instagram marketing strategy, this is the webinar for you<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re just not the webinar type, this four-part blog series from Made Freshly<\/a> is a good alternative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Specifically, it shows you how to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now\u2019s the time to fix your Instagram marketing<\/a> for good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If nothing else, this would be great simply because it lets you visualize<\/em> your Instagram marketing strategy. But it\u2019s also packed full of tactics and takeaways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll learn:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plus, it has a ton of fascinating statistics about the super-popular social network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Facebook looks set to become the single most important marketing platform on social. Not only is it the biggest network, they\u2019ve also added video, live streaming, and even a platform to sell goods directly on Facebook<\/a>. Just like Twitter, Instagram, and frankly any social media platform, you need to start by building an audience. Nothing will be as useful to you as a group of loyal, passionate followers. For those looking to sell directly on social media, Facebook Marketplace<\/a> is an appealing choice. Basically, it\u2019s a little like adding Etsy or Amazon to your customers\u2019 Facebook feeds. If you\u2019re running any kind of e-commerce, that has to be an intriguing option. This guide is best for ecommerce brands, but also contains great advice for anyone trying to get more from their Facebook marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a long, detailed, behind-the-scenes look at some of the most important Facebook tools for sales. Shopify<\/a> provides an excellent guide to using Facebook Ads<\/a> – one of the most popular and effective marketing tools on the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But what if you don\u2019t care about holiday sales<\/strong>? Thanksgiving and Christmas have just been and gone. Don\u2019t worry, this is a great breakdown for any time of the year that just happens to talk about the holidays. No matter how your Facebook strategy, you\u2019ll want to check this post out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Besides, there\u2019s always Valentine\u2019s Day, and Presidents\u2019 Day, and St Patrick\u2019s Day, and Arbor Day, and…<\/p>\n\n\n\n This article is a comprehensive guide for social media managers on when\u2014and when not\u2014to hide comments on their Facebook Page. It explores the pros and cons of hiding versus deleting or responding to comments, with actionable advice and best practices for protecting brand reputation without sacrificing transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those were 23 must-have resources to supercharge your social marketing strategy. Hopefully you\u2019ve found a handful (or more) that\u2019ll help you get more from social media moving forward.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Resources for any social media platform<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. How to Turn Social Media Conversations Into Leads<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re transitioning from \u201csocial media for fun\u201d to \u201csocial media for business,\u201d this is the place to start. This guide explains the basic strategy of social media marketing, and how to use it to achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
2. The Best Tools for Turning Social Media Chatter Into Customers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. 50 Best Social Media Tools From 50 Most Influential Marketers Online<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n
![\"Get](\"https:\/\/mention.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/best-social-media-tools-from-influencers.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Yep, even more social media tools. This post from Aaron Orendorff<\/a> is a little different, though. He interviewed 50 influential marketers and asked them for their most valuable tools. Whereas our second resource sets out a strategy and offers tools to support that, this post offers advice from serious marketing heavyweights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Get Started: Social Media Guide for Small Business<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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5. 15 Ways To Get Leads On Social Media (Marketer’s Guide)<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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6. How to Maximize Brand Engagement on Social Media<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A common goal for social media marketers is to \u201cincrease engagement\u201d with customers and fans. And it makes sense. An engaged audience is not only more likely to provide feedback and say nice things about you, they\u2019re also likely to share you with their friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
7. How to Work With Influencers to Maximize Social Media Exposure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
8. Social Sells – The Mini Guide to Social Selling<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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9. The Sales Professional’s Go-To Guide to Social Selling<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
10. The Beginner\u2019s Guide to Generating Sales Through Social Media<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
11. The Ultimate Social Selling Routine for the Modern Sales Pro [Infographic]<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n
![\"ultimate-social-selling-routine\"](\"https:\/\/mention.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/ultimate-social-selling-routine-1024x664.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Ready to start social selling, but don\u2019t know where to begin? This infographic from Sales for Life<\/a> gives you a structure to follow as you dive in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n12. How Close.io Closed $585 in Monthly Revenue from 1 Tweet<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You should really read the whole thing<\/a>, but here\u2019s the strategy in a nutshell:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Twitter marketing resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
13. 8 Ways to Make Your Tweets More Impactful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
14. How the Best Twitter Marketers Use Monitoring to Generate Leads<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019ll help you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
15. 7 Powerful Tips for a Winning Twitter Sales Strategy<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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16. 8 Twitter Tools to Improve Your Sales<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n
![\"twitter-tools-improve-sales\"](\"https:\/\/mention.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/twitter-tools-improve-sales.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
This excellent post on Social Media Examiner<\/a> isn\u2019t just a list of apps. Sandeep Sharma<\/a> introduces eight of his favorite Twitter sales tools, and then gives a detailed strategy for how to make the most of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Instagram marketing resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
17. Instagram Masterclass with Foundr Magazine CEO Nathan Chan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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18. Instagram Marketing Master Guide: How to Grow An Audience That Buys<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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19. How to Make Sales on Instagram in 3 Easy Steps (Full-Strategy Infographic!)<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n
![\"make-sales-on-instagram\"](\"https:\/\/mention.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/make-sales-on-instagram-1024x478.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
This infographic on Buffer\u2019s blog<\/a> is also by Made Freshly – because seriously, they\u2019re good at this. It shows you a complete Instagram sales strategy in linear fashion, laid out like a roadmap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Facebook marketing resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You need to use Facebook right. These guides will help you do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n20. How to Grow Your Facebook Audience: 8 Success Tips<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You want a following that engages, gives feedback, and (most of all) shares.
Enter Kristi Hines<\/a>. She\u2019s a certified marketing celebrity, and knows what she\u2019s talking about. This post for Social Media Examiner<\/a> gives you hands-on growth hacks to build your audience quickly
You\u2019ll learn to add Facebook links to email signatures and websites, bring followers from other social platforms (and your blog), and find new followers using Facebook\u2019s own tools.
And you can start doing these things right now<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n21. Selling on Facebook: 6 Non-Obvious Ways to Increase Facebook Sales<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
This post from Brilliance.com<\/a>\u2019s Jonathon Ohayon begins by explaining Facebook\u2019s Shopify integration<\/a>, then shows you how to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
22. 14 Advanced Strategies to Drive More Holiday Sales With Facebook Ads<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
23. Should You Hide Comments on Your Facebook Page?<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s all for now<\/h2>\n\n\n\n