How to Take a Multi-Channel Approach to Your Social Media Sharing

Social media. Every time I talk about this topic with writers and bloggers, they cringe. No one wants to use social media for business, and they don’t want to take a multi-channel approach and have a presence on every single site even though they know they should.

Here’s the bad news: You do, indeed, need to use social media to promote your blog posts and books—and you be on as many social media sites as possible.

Here’s the good news: You don’t need to spend a ton of time on each social media site. And if you have a robust and sensible multi-channel social media strategy, this activity won’t become the time sink you believe it will.

Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Any Social Media Sites

Many bloggers and writers make the mistake of agreeing (under duress) to use social media to share their work. But they decide to do so and only focus on one site.

“I don’t have the time to be everywhere,” they say. “If I must use social media to promote my work and build author platform, I’ll use only one site.”

I bet you’ve done the same…or decided to only use two sites, like Twitter and Facebook.

That’s a mistake.

The Problem with the One-Social-Media-Site Strategy

Here’s the problem with a one-social-media-site strategy: Your work only can be found by the users of that site.

You might find a vast number of potential readers on other sites. By only using one site, you lessen the number of potential readers you could gain…and the number of people who will engage with and share your work.

And what if some other site has more users who are in your target market than they one you chose to use? You effectively will have cut off your ability to reach those readers—an to be in the best place to attract them.

Take a Multi-Channel Social Media Approach

Taking a multi-channel social media approach provides a better way to approach your promotion and platform-building efforts. However, this does not mean you have to focus your time and attention on every social media site.

Let me explain…

Yes, I’m telling you to be on as many sites as possible…all of them, if you can! What I’m not saying is to spend a ton of time on all the sites. Instead, choose one or two as your primary channels.

For example, join Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Plus, Pinterest, and Instagram. Share your blog posts, and any content you curate or that helps promote your work, on all the sites. But only spend time engaging with your followers on one or two sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. You even can choose just one as your primary channel, for instance, Facebook.

This multi-channel approach gives you the ability to:

• Get found by readers in a variety of places.
• Establish a strong online presence.
• Be visible on all social networks.
• Build platform efficiently.
• Develop a tribe on one site.
• Focus your online marketing time and energy.
• Spend an acceptable (to you) amount of time on social media.

Choose Your Primary Social Media Channel Wisely

Choose your main channel carefully if you decide to take the multi-channel social media approach to your online marketing and platform building. As I said, you want to be on the site that provides you with the most potential readers or followers. Do your research, and make sure the people who make up your target market must use that site.

And don’t choose a site you’ll find difficult to use. For example, if you never take photos with your cell phone, don’t choose Instagram as your primary channel.

It is possible to be highly visible on many—if not all—social media sites without spending all your time online. With a multi-channel approach to your social media marketing, you’ll find your blog readership and visitor engagement growing fast.

Do you have a multi-channel social media strategy? How does it work for you?