Five simple, necessary steps to build a lasting social media plan for your publication

When thinking about how to use social media to enhance the life of your digital publication, there are clearly thousands of potential outlets to consider. Yet the options can become daunting when trying to narrow down the few that could best serve your needs.

Luckily, there are five steps to take that will put you on the right track to building a social media map that will build upon your goals and carry your publication to the next level of optimal online presence, with a running theme through each of the five steps.

1. Identify and find your Ideal Reader online.
Where is your ideal reader spending time online? When you’re working on positioning your publication online there is now more than ever an incredible opportunity to place your publication in front of those who most want and need to read it. This is your Ideal Reader, the reader your publication speaks to and resonates with the most. Once you know this reader’s profile in detail, including age range, income bracket, what they most want and need in terms of content, you can find out where he or she spends the most time online- Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, YouTube- and offer your publication to them there. This is the starting point of your social media plan.

2. Know what your ideal reader needs most and offer it to them through your social media content.
What does your ideal reader need most, and how can you offer this to them before they subscribe to your publication? Once you figure out where your ideal reader is online, you can bet they are talking about or looking for the one thing that your publication can offer them. You can then put together content that offers them answers to their questions, before offering them a chance to subscribe to your publication. One example is offering a link to view an article free of charge. This is an excellent way to introduce them to your content without being pushy or trying to sell your publication. Once you offer them such a high level of value, the publication sells itself.

3. Optimize your blog
Your blog is another way to offer value to your ideal reader, and can become your ultimate marketing tool if used effectively. Let your blog articles address your Ideal Reader’s most pertinent questions, and give them a chance to read more by opting-in to your digital publication from there. There is no better way to build your list and gain new subscribers than through well-thought out, considerate and effective content that shows you are engaged with your Ideal Reader’s needs.

4. Offer your Ideal Reader the chance to opt-in to your publication multiple times.
When you offer value in your blog content, your Ideal Reader is going to want the chance to get more. Don’t make it difficult for him or her by putting your opt-in way down at the bottom of your website where they have to search hard to find it. Make this option quick and easy by placing the opt-in link within your blog article and at the end of the article, so they don’t have to think twice about it.

5. Allow your ideal reader the chance to market your content for you by sharing it with readers they know need it.
Content is truly the new currency in online marketing, as readers know that the more value they get the more they can put their trust in a particular brand. So why not go the extra mile by giving your readers the most streamlined, easy and informative experience they can possibly have while spending time with your content online? Giving them free content that addresses their needs first will give them a reason to build loyalty to your publication. Giving them the option to share your content allows your loyal readers to share your publication with those they know will gain the same amount of value as they do. The easiest ways to offer this is to have a link within your content that they can send without having to leave the page. The Realview Facebook App offers this option, as do share buttons for Twitter and Facebook. Your loyal readers want to help you spread the word about your publication. Now you can make it easy for them to do so.

In short, the best way to market your publication is to know who your most Ideal Reader is and address their most pertinent issues through your publication. By offering them valuable content before asking them to purchase, your publication will do the work for you in building brand loyalty, which leads to building your list of new and loyal subscribers.

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