How to Promote (and Cross Promote) Your Social Media Properties

If your business has a social media presence, you likely want to grow your following.  Here is a list of ways you can promote your social media properties using your existing channels as well as by cross promoting your properties.  I focused on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn as well as use of a blog, but many of these tactics are relevant for other social media properties as well.

Promote via your existing channels

1. Add links to your social media properties on your website – these can be simple square icons, larger logos that include the full name of the property, or links with text (for example “Join the conversation on Facebook”)
2. Add social media icons to email and newsletter templates
3. Send periodic dedicated emails letting people know about your properties
4. Add links to personal email signatures
5. Add urls to business cards
6. Add signage with icons or urls in physical businesses
7. Add icons or urls to presentations
8. If you do events, add social sharing to your registration form, if available

Cross Promote via your social media properties

Facebook

1. Add urls to “Detailed Info” on Info Tab and to the text box on the left side of the Wall.  You can also include urls in your Wall image (which can be up to 180×540 pixels).
2. Do periodic posts mentioning other social media properties (“If you like the conversation here, join us on Twitter”)
3. Post blog articles (automated or manual – I usually recommend manual)

Twitter

1. Add urls to a custom background
2. Use Selective Tweets to send tweets to Facebook
3. Do periodic tweets mentioning other social media properties
4. Tweet about blog articles

LinkedIn

1. Do periodic posts mentioning other social media properties
2. Post blog articles

Blog

1. Add social media icons
2. Add Facebook Like Box to increase Likes without leaving the blog
3. Add Facebook Like Button to articles to drive traffic to Facebook page
4. Add a Twitter stream

These are my favorite ways to promote social media properties through existing channels or via cross promoting.  If you have other favorites, please share!