Social Media Awesomeness Twitter Chat with Dennis Yu @dennisyu #VCBuzz

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twchat-dennisyuBuilding a powerful social media following (and here I mean real following of people who want to hear from you and talk to you!) is tough and it takes lots of time and effort. It’s always great to talk to people who have managed to do what’s almost impossible: Become a social media celebrity.

Our today’s mentor is @dennisyu teaching us how become social-media-awesome!

***Please sign in here to follow the chat -> twchat.com/hashtag/vcbuzz

About Dennis

.@dennisyu the social media influencer, recognized expert & speaker. He is CTO at BlitzMetrics.

Dennis has helped brands grow and measure their Facebook presence and is an internationally recognized lecturer in Facebook marketing, having been featured on National Public Radio, TechCrunch, Fox News, AllFacebook, CBS Evening News, and KTLA-TV.

Please connect to Dennis on Facebook and Linkedin.

Questions we discussed

Q1 How did you get into social media marketing? Please tell us your story!

There are people behind numbers. It never was “social media”, but genuine interest in things that led to connections. And that interest outweighed my shyness – not an attempt to increase Klout or be “famous”.

I was completely broke several times. In the same way- I love knowledge, not books. I love learning, not social networks.

Most millionaires have been bankrupt THREE times. So when you’re in hell, keep going.

This the summation of all I know.

Depends on the topic. Al Casey was CEO of American Airlines and taught me. I believe we have something to learn from everyone – so many topics.

Q2 How can one build up social media following? What are some basic principles?

Give before you get. Do consulting to gain first-hand experience you can share.

It’s not about YOUR following, but building THEIRS first. Question for you– who is “they” for you? Share freely, which means you must have personal branding and topic expertise first. Else, why would people follow you?

Follow the smartest people, act as their PR agents so they promote you. Smartest social guy I know.

3 steps:

  1. Build your profile
  2. create content
  3. amplify

Here is amplify.

Leadership is measured by who follow you not on twitter, but in your cause. Learn, Do, Teach (LDT) is how to progress.

Q3 What’s the easiest social media network to start building up your brand at? How to do that?

Most people say Facebook, but start with Quora to connect with experts and build knowledge. Create your profile on a dozen networks for your “plumbing”.

@TedRubin taught me about return on relationships! Guest blogging (you blog on their site or them on yours) is fundamental. Wherever your audience is, go meet them there!

And it often takes years to build some influence. I’ve been at it 20 years and only now starting really bear fruit. Social networks are really about public, amplified giving.

Q4 You joined our sister platform MyBlogU. What is your experience? Do you like the concept and the implementation? What would you add?

My favorite tactic is to interview high profile people and post on high profile sites. Example.

MyBlogU simplifies the process of connecting with experts and honing topical authority. Not just a SEO play– in fact, definitely don’t do it for “SEO”. Once you have gotten a blog live, run FB ads targeting influencers. Here is CCS (content, checklist, software) to create and distribute your content systematically.

Trick is to combine MyBlogU with your network of influencers. That’s how Ann and I connected! Doesn’t matter where you share, so long as you amplify. I wish Quora had ads. MyBlogU is a network and tool– but you must BYOC (bring your own content)!

Everyone here: what’s your favorite example of thought leadership in practice?

Q5 Social media is overwhelming! What’s your personal productivity secret to keeping on top of everything?

My fave tools: boomerang, fb chrome pixel helper, Rapportive, and Ghostery. But it’s not about FOMO, but prioritizing. Don’t try to drink the ocean. The fundamentals never change– focus on classics, not novelty: 9 triangles encapsulate this.

Don’t even say “social media”, else you get caught in a vortex of frothy nonsense. Say business mission and advocates. I have more connections on LinkedIn that Facebook. Do you?

Productivity secret – DDD: do, delegate, or delete. Handle any request or message just once. If you can’t get to the Google doc– email me at dennis@portage.co

The most important item I have to share this year is here. This doc is fundamental to not just social strategy, but business in general. And my top resource for anything LinkedIn. Follow all he says (Jason A Miller).

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