Many people are fighting the new normal. I get it – the sheer number of cool tech tools are difficult to keep up with. If you’re a business owner, an author, activist, musician, artist, involved with politics, a filmmaker, poet, manufacturer, restauranteur, etc. – I hope you are already actively leveraging the internet to serve your objectives.
If you’re a marketer, you’re expected to keep up with and use the newest tools. Even so, in a heartbeat the next “new” feels like it’s so 42 seconds ago. It’s exciting to be cutting edge, but we hear from some clients and peers all the time - they are sometimes overwhelmed and exhausted by all the “must do” options too.
Yet – billions of us are already digitally & mobile-ly connected. Check out any city street - easily half the populace is chatting or texting as they scurry to wherever. More and more of us are uploading photos, sharing videos, using facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube, foursquare, Vimeo, etc. We’re also checking in/getting information and deals from other niche communities, like Thrillist for hip, modern men, and Orangette, an entertainingly delicious food lovers blog & recipe destination. And sites like WomenCentric, are being used for business networking, learning and connecting by a variety of enterprising working women, employers, advertisers, etc. around the world.
the secret of business success
It does not matter if you’re pursuing a globe-trotting career or building a hyper-local business - it’s really important to understand the mechanics of the new normal. And – this is key – why you need to actively take charge of managing your data.
Because the internet is one of the key ways people are searching, investigating and making buying & hiring decisions. Whether your personal geographic footprint is 10 miles or 10,000 miles – it’s up to you to place as much timely, smart, geo-targeted, self-authored content in a variety of online spaces as possible.
A. the more strategic content you can place online, the more you can organically improve your search results.
B. So people find exactly what you want them to find out about you, your work experience, your business, your products or services.
And while it may seem totally overwhelming, taking the time to curate and nurture your digital and mobile data can greatly enhance your chanced of success. Of course deleting embarrassing content that can short circuit your career goals is important too.
So here’s your homework. Get your work credentials, skill sets, internships, objectives, testimonials, etc. posted in a variety of quality, high-traffic spaces. Start a blog. Choose one social media channel and use it – for research, news, and to update the world (or your local knitting club) about your doings, events, challenges, etc. Update all your public profiles regularly, to reflect your latest doings and accomplishments using strategic, geo-targeted language. For example, if you are a female interior designer in the UK, make sure to insert your specific service areas in the first sentence of your Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and other profiles/boards.
Sample smart, SEO friendly geo-targeted blurb:
“I’m based in London, but I have done residential and commercial interior design projects as far north as Manchester, and I have served several special clients in Chichester as well.”
Google yourself and the name of your business often – it’s important to know what’s floating around on the net about you or your business. This way you can quickly address any issues.
Yes, being successful today still requires building relationships. By carefully managing your own personal work-related online data (in effect becoming your own PR machine), you can increase your options and opportunities; allowing online and mobile surfers to stumble upon the best information about you. Comfort engenders dialogue and knowledge is exchanged. In this way a budding business relationship has the opportunity to bloom.
So, please don’t get left behind. Make sure you get past the gatekeepers. Leverage the power of a variety of online platforms to serve your own specific purposes – whether you are seeking new career opportunities hyper-locally or internationally. Start planting smart , geo- and search-engine optimized self-authored content in as many quality online spaces as you can.
