Episode #128 - Blogging and Social Media to Build Your Audience - the Merrymaker Sisters - a podcast by WordPress business specialist Troy Dean featuring Seth Godin, Michael Gerber, Guy Kawasaki, Joe Pulizzi, Andrew Warner, James Schramko, Brian Clark, Ed Dale, Dan Norris and many more.
from 2017-06-15T01:58
Watch the video of this podcast here.
Emma and Carla are so much fun that we highly recommend you listen or watch the podcast to get the most out of this episode! Their enthusiasm is infectious, and Gin had to make an extra special effort to stay on-topic and not get carried away. The girls begin by telling us about their journey to becoming successful businesswomen. It started in 2012 when they changed their lifestyle habits and Carla began posting on her personal Instagram account about it. There was huge interest in their content, so they began blogging about their story. They loved what they were doing, so started attending blogging conferences and learning everything they could about making it a full-time gig. The sisters eventually quit their government jobs and started making eBooks, courses, and even an app.
Instagram
They started their Instagram domination by sharing photos and hashtags, but are the first to admit that these days, so much content gets lost in the online noise that a more in-depth strategy is needed to grow. Carla explains that Instagram is a useful platform for connecting with people with similar interests.
The sisters use Instagram to:
- Raise awareness
- Entertain
- Inspire
- Educate
But be warned, it’s not a quick route to success. People may be followers for six months or more before even clicking through to your site.
Their recommendation for WordPress consultants is to use social media differently. If your content is a little dry, “Give them the option to fall in love with the whole story.” Be authentic and it will resonate with your followers.
They also use Facebook a lot, which has now taken over from Instagram for the number of click-throughs to their website.
Emma explains that MeetEdgar has been a game changer for them in terms of ease of promoting evergreen content like their most loved recipes. “This has tripled our traffic from Facebook to the blog.”
The girls usually publish around four Facebook posts a day and four Instagram posts a day, but are quick to add that there is no magic number and that the main thing is to be consistent with whatever you are posting.
Final words to the wise: It takes time and needs momentum. Like blogging, seeing results from social media requires a long-term strategy.
FaceBook Ads
- The Merrymaker Sisters use Facebook ads in two ways...
When they launch a product, they use the old ‘pixel on sales page’ strategy for re-targeting. - They use it as part of their Opt-In funnel. For example, they offer a free 7-day meal plan that then goes to a trip-wire product. If the person doesn’t buy the trip-wire, they are then targeted for something else.
Gin asked the girls how they pinpoint exactly what their audience likes. As well as using surveys, they also ask questions directly on Facebook, finding that people love to feel as though they are contributing.
Build Trust Through Connection
“We build trust by personally responding to all emails and posts on Facebook. People then get to know us. It feels so good to connect one on one and help someone. It’s why we’re here in the first place - to help people. Sometimes you can forget this because you’re stuck in the numbers and the measurements, but it’s the reason why we do what we do!”
Blogging
When the business first started, the girls were blogging every day because they loved it so much. They’ve experimented over the years and now post about three times a week. The key is knowing what your target audience are searching for online, and then tailoring that to an article that gives away engaging, good quality information for free. For the girls, that content topic is easy - free recipes! From there, they focus on optimising the page and getting people into funnels.
“Every Business should be prioritising blogging” Merrymaker Sisters on the WPE Podcast
“Whenever anyone asks me what I can do to market their brand, I always tell them by blogging,” says Carla. And here’s why…
- You can do it for free
- You are letting people into the business and they are getting to know you and the business
- You’re helping people and building trust which means they are more likely to come back and then eventually buy something.
The girls give a fantastic example of Bronnie Ware, who wrote a blog post about what she knew and felt strongly. Her post, “Regrets of the Dying” resonated with so many people that she went on to write a best-selling book based on the article. The link is below - you HAVE to check it out; it's a great example of how writing about something that resonates with you might just strike a chord with more people than you think.
Merry Tip:
- Remember that it’s about consistency and quality over volume.
Write about something that you want to write about; something that resonates with you; something that is authentic and real to you or your business.
Living a Stress-Free and Fun Life
Continuing from Mental Health Month, Gin knew the Merrymaker sisters were the perfect entrepreneurs to ask for tips on how we can prioritize mental health.
Carla’s advice was to always come back to the present moment.
Emma explained that it’s impossible to live a totally stress-free life and that you need to find the thing that helps you get rid of that stress and do it! Do what makes you feel happy, calm or gives you joy every day.
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