So how would you like a steady stream of topics that you could always call on?

And, supposing you could be absolutely certain that these blog topics would be of interest to your customers, clients and prospects too?

I have a fool proof way of finding blog content finding me. It’s no secret and it’s really simple.

I bet you can see this tip nestled in every ‘where to find blog post ideas’ article that litters the web. The thing is, in those list posts it’s very easy to gloss over this source as just another idea when I think it deserves more acknowledgement than that. So, let me tell you a story that demonstrates how it works…

Some time ago, I was mentoring a client on how to use Twitter effectively. She wanted to find more customers and build the visibility of her local business. My training and mentoring service includes unlimited email support so clients can fire any question at me exactly when they face it, and I can get back to them straight away.

One Friday afternoon I received a one line email from my client asking this question:

What does #FF mean on Twitter?

I spent 5-10 minutes writing out my response explaining in detail what this weird code-like language meant. As I was doing so, I remembered back to my first days on Twitter when I wondered what #FF meant too. And all the tweets I see every Friday asking the same question. Then, I remembered how many times I see #FF shout outs done badly each Friday. Sometimes on other days of the week too (I guess every day is a Friday to someone??)

And I thought: this would make a great blog post.

So, I took the body of the original email I had sent my client, added to it along with some picture examples showing good and bad #FF shout outs and posted it on my blog. It’s since become my most popular post consistently driving thousands of visitors to my website every month.

A lot of my blog posts are answers to questions I’ve been asked by clients, prospects, Twitter or Facebook contacts, readers of my blog or subscribers to my weekly social media tips.

I bet there are certain questions you get asked by your customers and prospects regularly too. These are the ones you want to start with. I actively encourage questions because I realise that by asking my audience what they want I will be more equipped to deliver material that they are interested in. Infact, I’ve got so many ideas I haven’t got time to write them fast enough but I never have to worry about finding something to write!

Here’s the #FF article I’m talking about in this post, and here’s another popular question blog.

Do you have a social media question you want answering? Pop over to my Facebook page here and I’ll answer it!

Do you know what the best option is for your business? Are you representing yourself professionally on Facebook and making the most of the amazing features available? With Facebook being so huge, having a number of features and different options it’s not surprising users get confused when it comes to marketing their business. I get asked which is the best option a lot and I see loads of businesses using the wrong one so I felt it was important to cover this subject.

Let’s look at the differences between a profile, group and page.

Personal profiles are designed for people to connect with friends and family. Most users on Facebook keep their profiles just for close friends. Some also use their personal profile to network with other business owners, and this can be a useful way to continue a business relationship having met in person. But, using a Facebook profile to directly sell goods and services is against Facebook’s T&Cs and they can shut your profile down if they catch you. Just think if that happened to you. Consider all the effort and work you put in for it all to disappear along with the contacts and community you’ve created. It’s not worth it! If this is you, I recommend moving your community as soon as possible.

It’s also against Facebook terms to have more than one personal profile. For instance, a personal profile just for friends and another profile for business contacts. If you want to use your profile for business and leisure, order your contacts in to separate lists. This means you can choose which updates are visible to your different lists and can target your business related messages to your business contacts without annoying your Facebook friends and vice versa.

To connect with a personal profile on Facebook your invitation has to be accepted by that person, and the profile displays personal information at the top of the page (depending on how much information has been provided and privacy settings), like this:

Think for a minute: do you want to be a friend with a business, know where they ‘live’ or where they’re ‘from’, then wait for your friend request to be accepted before you can interact?? What kind of first impression does that create when other business pages have interesting welcome tabs encouraging visitors to like the page, or tabs providing useful information for customers such as opening times and location maps…?

A group is ideal for small communities of people who share a similar interest. Groups can be open (anyone can join), closed (your request to join has to be accepted) or secret (the group is completely invisible to everyone other than the group members and you have to be invited to join). Groups make it easy to share documents, schedule events, and chat with members but the limited functionality means it’s not the most suitable option to promote a business. It is however, a great way to provide additional support to customers and clients particularly if you have a service based business or are a coach or trainer.

Facebook pages are created with businesses in mind so it stands to reason that this is the best option if you want to promote your business on Facebook. There are lots of reasons for this:

• They are designed specifically for businesses in mind. OK, I’ve already said that but it’s worth repeating
• They include lots of customisation features so you can create special landing pages, newsletter sign up options, discount coupons, shopping carts and run competitions directly from Facebook
• They are indexed in search engines like Google (good for being found on line, also known as SEO)
• It is classed as an additional web page (this means people don’t have to be logged in to see a Facebook page – they don’t even need an account = more reach and visibility for you)
• Anyone can ‘Like’ your page and invitation requests are not needed to be authorised (which means less admin for you and more reach and visibility again)
• Pages, because of all of the above reasons, look more professional. Take another look at the above image if you don’t believe me.

So there you have it. If you need more help with your Facebook presence and strategy, or want help switching from a personal profile or group to a business page then get in touch. Or, come introduce yourself on my Facebook page and get free and exclusive Facebook video tips to professionalise your own page!

If you’ve arrived at this website looking for Absolute PA you’ll see that things have changed quite a bit around here! So I feel like I owe you an explanation.

A Short History

I started Absolute PA, a virtual assistant service, in 2009 and built it from scratch in to a successful business, largely using social media and online marketing to raise my profile and find clients. You can read more about that in this press article.

At the time I launched, social media was just beginning to make waves.  As a micro-business owner and having previously worked in media and PR, I recognized its benefits immediately as a low cost way to reach more customers, build my reputation and make valuable business connections. The more success I generated through social media, the more excited I became. I knew I had to make it an integral part of my business! Social media became a valuable resource and marketing tool for me, providing numerous leads, clients, opportunities and web traffic. I generated a huge 56% of web traffic and a quarter of new business wins in 2010 from Twitter alone!

Having experienced the power of social media marketing for myself, I wanted to help other business owners achieve success too. I was increasingly being asked by clients to help set up, manage and implement social media and online marketing plans for them.

As I made my way around the web and spoke to other small business owners, I saw that many were getting it wrong, and how confused and nervous some were (still are!) about using it. I really wanted to help. But, if I was really going to help them succeed I wanted to know all the tricks and techniques to provide excellent value. I didn’t want to simply rely on my own success with Absolute PA. As great as that was, I didn’t feel it was enough. So I studied and researched how best to provide social media and online marketing as a service, concentrating on strategy, planning and measuring – the important bits that many small business owners don’t think about. Anyone can set up a LinkedIn profile or Facebook page, that’s the easy part. Making it work for your business is what counts.

So in 2011, I wound down the VA side of the business, (which was now only a small part of what I was doing) to concentrate fully on providing cost effective, realistic, time saving social media and online marketing support to other small businesses. Enter AliciaCowan.com!

The Present

I love social media and digital marketing. Everyday I see how it helps small business owners increase profits and positively effect their work and life experience through gained knowledge, more customers and joint ventures. It’s what I get excited about!

I believe that most importantly, social media marketing has to be simple. I draw on my practical organisational skills to find ways that make it less time consuming and overwhelming, and how to slot it in with the way my clients work.  I specialise in creating realistic and simple strategies, training and mentoring, dealing with the techy set up stuff and long term management support so they can stop wasting time and start seeing results. As small business owners, we haven’t got money to burn or time to waste!

I also run training workshops and regularly speak on the obstacles facing small businesses using social media and how best to overcome them.

I absolutely had to get one for myself and two people I met on Twitter about 18 months ago who have since become great friends, business associates and mentors (Keren Lerner and Tamsin Fox-Davies). I thought it would be fun to record the gift giving which then became a great excuse to tinker around with the iMovie editing software on my Mac.

The original filming was done on my Flip Mino HD camera. If I was to buy again I’d get the Kodak Zi8 as it’s got an external mic jack which means better sound quality. You can get your own Addict mug from Name Art.

This really short video shows what you can create with basic recording and editing equipment. Not bad for a first attempt! What do you think?

The reason could be that your ‘show post from‘ is set to ‘Friends and pages you interact with most‘. It’s a dodgy Facebook default setting and could mean that important updates are being hidden from you.

Watch this 1 minute video which explains how to change your settings…

Facebook is ideal for keeping in touch with people you don’t see much, nurturing relationships with those you’ve just met and meeting new people – whether personally or professionally. That’s why you’ve connected on Facebook in the first place so quick, go check your settings!

The question is, which choice are you making?

• Do you want your business represented in a way that isn’t in line with your values and may have a negative impact on your brand?
• Or, do you want all your internet places to be in alignment, that clearly communicate your personality in a professional way so everything matches and is distinctively yours?

That’s what I offer as part of Social Set Up.

When I work with a new Social Set Up client I like to find out about them, their business and what they want to achieve from online marketing. It’s important to create a profile that is matched to meet their objectives, makes the most of the savvy techniques available and speaks to their customers so it not only gives a great first impression but also works hard for them too.

They also have the benefit of my experience, knowledge and little black book of trusted suppliers. I’ve studied the strategies, tested what works and implemented them for my clients which means they don’t have to.

And once they’re ready to go, I provide useful how-to information so they can achieve the best results from their shiny new Twitter profile/Facebook page/Blog/LinkedIn profile/Website/Email newsletter (delete as appropriate ) and are not left thinking ‘now what?’

My aim is to give them something they can spring from so it’s important to me that they know how to use it because I want them to achieve success.

Of course, you can do it all yourself if you like. The information you need is out there on the internet (the free stuff on my Freebies page might interest you too!)  and if you’ve got the time to find the right information and act on it, then go for it. Or you can speak to someone like me who can take the tricky, time intensive, techy set up stuff away and do it for you.

Alicia really helped me out when I had a short deadline on a tough project. I couldn’t have done it without her. I wholeheartedly recommend Alicia for all social media marketing delivery projects.
Tamsin Fox-Davies, Small Business Marketing Mentor

If you want to find out more, pop over to my Contact page where there are 11 ways to contact me! I look forward to hearing from you.

Towards the end of 2009 I was asked to contribute a short piece on the rise of social media networking for Creative Action Design’s annual, Ingredients.

At the time, innovative businesses were taking tentative baby steps into social media marketing – exploring, testing, figuring – some successfully, some not. Most were questionning how to measure success, and this question held the biggest debate, along with ‘how can we use this without it taking up loads of time?‘

Those questions still come up but as the success stories continue more businesses are willing to include social media into their marketing strategy. Small businesses are equally keen to adopt social media – worried that they will be left behind and enchanted by its popularity, low cost and accessibility.

Nearly two years later, social media has been accepted as an important (if not essential) marketing channel but despite things having moved on, the information in my article is still current. You can read it in full here: The Latest Trends In Social Networking

Do you comment on blogs? Here are five great reasons why adding comments is good for your social marketing and online profile.

1. Creates opportunity – by regularly engaging on blogs you’re building your contacts and this can lead to more connections, guest post opportunites and new business.
2. Raises your profile – adding interest to someone’s article gets you noticed by other readers and the blog author.
3. Drives traffic to your own blog – it can drive more visits as other readers, commentators and the blog author will want to learn more about you. They may even leave you a reciprocal comment!
4. You’ll learn something new – there’s nothing like a good debate and it will enrich your own experience.
5. Sparks more blogging ideas – reading other blogs is inspiring and the debate may spark an idea to present an alternate view in your own article.

A few of extra tips:

• Research and comment on blogs that compliment your business and have the same audience as you to really see the benefits.
• Add a genuine comment. Simply saying ‘great article‘ or ‘really love your post‘ doesn’t offer any value. Say why you loved it, continue the debate by asking a question or putting another point of view across.
• Get a Gravatar (Gravatar.com) so a picture of you (instead of a grey head outline) will be shown with your comment. It pulls the photo registered to your email, and as if by magic, it will follow you everywhere. This will help build personal relationships and gets you noticed especially if it’s the same photo you use on your social networks.
• After you’ve added your comment, share on social networks. If you’ve taken the time to include a comment you probably think the blog itself is worth seeing, and what’s more your comment and link will reach even more people.

Now you’ve learned all of this, why not leave a comment in the box below and tell me which tip is your favourite or add your own!

The good news is that not only does it really work but you also don’t have to do it all!

There are a number of tasks you can outsource that will save you time, clear headspace, keep you seen and professional while you look after the engagement side of things. That’s where the magic happens – after all, there is no one who knows your business or is as passionate about it as you.

This is Digital Done For You. Taking your material and unique expertise, making it internet ready and publishing it online so you can spread your message, raise your profile and get seen by the right crowd. All without being bogged down with the techy, time intensive detail or repetitive tasks.

Whether you know your way around Facebook, Mailchimp and WordPress or it’s completely alien to you, you can benefit from my savvy skills and techniques that will enhance your stuff and keep your marketing running like clockwork.

Here are some nice things my clients have said:

Engaging Alicia has transformed both my business and my experience of running my business. I find it hard to know how I managed without her for so long! Alicia’s expert knowledge of social media marketing and mastery of all things technological has enabled me to kick my business up a gear.
Kate Warren, Professional Development Coach

Alicia is personable, friendly reliable, her work is fab, she is a great font of knowledge on many things including Facebook, and Twitter and she will certainly provide you with a top level of support that you need. I would have absolutely no hesitation in referring her time and time again…
Mark Shaw, UK Twitter Expert and Published Author

If you want to find out more, pop over to my Contact page where there are 11 ways to contact me! I look forward to hearing from you.

Really? I don’t think so. Why? Because practically everyone and his dog has a Facebook profile, using it to easily catch up with friends and family members around the world, storing messages, photos, videos – entire life histories are there.

Cute doggie Coco Tadd on Facebook

The owners would have to do some serious, long term damage to sink the biggest social network on the planet, and that’s not going to happen anytime soon. In fact, they’ve recently hit another record breaking milestone of 750 million active users. So, really it’s stronger than ever.

With that in mind, isn’t it time your business was there? Here are 5 reasons why your business needs a Facebook page.

Accessibility

Setting up a Facebook page is free and anyone can do it. OK, you might want to invest money in customising it, planning a strategy, learning how to use it like a marketing ninja, or have someone manage your page for you. Even considering all of this, we’re talking peanuts compared to traditional marketing costs.

Your customers are already there

Think about this a minute: when you research for new goods or information, where do you go first? The internet maybe? Guess what – chances are your customers do too!

2 billion internet users worldwide are looking for recommendations, help and inspiration online. Facebook has 750 million users logging on every month, spending more time there than any other website. Even if you catch the eye of just 20% of users (dogs included), that’s a massive audience. No other website is that big. If you’re not reaching out to your customers on Facebook, then they’re probably having fun with your competitors who are.

Beast is top dog on Facebook

Talking of customers…

We’ve established Facebook is where your customers are hanging out online. Not only is being there good for building loyalty with them, but also for getting customer feedback, influencing and raising your profile with their friends. That’s a whole new audience of people who probably have the same interests as your customers, which means they’re going to be interested in your service or products too. It’s word of mouth on steroids. Woof!

Personality

It’s the perfect place for people to get to know the personality of your business, for you to demonstrate your company values, and what makes your business unique. Use Facebook as an extension of your website so potential customers can fully understand what you do, what you offer, and get to know YOU because people like to do business with people and brands they like, know and trust.

Facebook pages are indexed by Google

Did you know visitors don’t need a Facebook profile to see your page? Anyone can see it – just like they can see your website. If you’re regularly posting updates relevant to your audience and have used the right keywords on your page it’s going to do wonders for your search engine results. Remember, Facebook is the biggest website in the world so it’s got massive klout.

Love or hate it (and I do hate it sometimes), you can’t argue that Facebook has been a game changer in the way we communicate with friends, family and increasingly in business. Ignore it at your peril or talk to me about getting your business on Facebook.