I heard about Gary Vaynerchuck’s 2013 book, Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World, while listening to the RISE podcast by Rachel Hollis. She spoke so highly about it that I checked it out of my local library to see what I could use as takeaways for my own work as a content creator.
Here is a summary of what I lifted out of the book that might be of interest to you as well. Admittedly, his style of writing didn’t engage me very easily but I did learn a few things which is the point, right?
There are so many social media channels out there and a whole bunch of new ones being created as you read this! What I liked in this book was Gary’s simple explanation of how each of these channels are best used:
- Facebook is all about making friends. Sharing content is the best way to gain a presence.
- Twitter is the channel to share news and information. It is all about the hashtags.
- Tumblr is for the artsy crowd.
He writes that ‘social media is the fastest growing marketing sector getting people’s attention.’ That was five years ago and I suspect it is still very much the case. Bottom line: if you are a business owner or a nonprofit, you have to engage in social media.
Some key suggestions he shared:
- Keep your call to action simple and easy to understand.
- Craft content for all types of devices.
- Respect the nuances of the channel being used to convey to message.
- Look for topics that are trending and incorporate in your posts.
Native content is key. What we put on those channels needs to look and sound like other content that is appearing on it. And, as always, good storytelling is a non-negotiable.
Whether you can spend 40 hours or 40 minutes a week on social media, come up with a plan that makes sense for your organization. If your business or service is a visual one, then Instagram is your best bet, for example. My tip: craft a calendar of activities so you are regularly engaged on your channels. This includes your own posts but also remember to interact with other activity on the channel, too. No one likes it when you talk too much.
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