What To Do When You are Promoted Online

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

Whether you are a writer, artist, designer, speaker, entrepreneur, business owner, coach, or other career, if you are looking for free ways to promote what you do/sell, the opportunities on the internet are numerous.  They vary widely - an article, an email interview, a podcast appearance, a chance to step on stage as a speaker (live or zoom). These are probably the top ones, but if you dig deep you'll find many more. 

As a writer who began her journey as a co-owner of an online magazine, I worked hard on promotion. Every month a new issue would go live and on that day I would spend over two hours on Facebook - the main site at that time.  I tried to find everyone whose name appeared in the magazine from the writer, to the people we wrote about, to the full photographic team on every shoot. If I could find them, I posted a direct link on their e-page with a note saying you are mentioned.  The magazine exploded over the first six months because of it. 

Since that time, I have developed a great respect for the power of community and those all important internet algorithms. And as a published author now, I've sat on both sides of the fence - I've been the one promoting others and I've been the one receiving promotion (podcasts in particular). What I have learned is, unless you are a celebrity with a huge following, it takes a dance shared by both sides to give online promotion the kind of visibility we all hope for. 

As a receiver of promotion, I try to share the date and time I will appear if on a live show, or the launch date if part of a collaborative book.  After, I first react to any post them make AND I make a comment on it. That begins the dance that helps give the promotion wings. Next I share the link on my social media where those interested can listen to the replay, buy the book,  or read the article.  I always tag the other person or organization in my posts as well. 

If I am the one providing the marketing opportunity, after a new article/interview is published I share the link on all my social media sites and tag the person I am promoting. Then I send them the URL so they can do the same. There are people who innately get how to make the most out of the opportunity. In the first 24 hours the numbers tell the story.

Digital promotion of any kind offers a chance to get some free marketing, and that is golden. Looks, reads, visits, listens, views, shares - it's what BOTH sides hope to get. What can you do to make sure that bit of digital promotion gets the wings it needs to be a success in promoting you? A few simple things and they honestly don't take long. I personally try to do them within 24 hours, but anytime in the first few days is great. 

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  React - the very first thing you can do is react to the post made by the person promoting you. It helps start the traction for the post to have more visibility. Facebook - love, like, wow. IG click on that heart button. Twitter - like. 

• Comment - This is not only the magic sauce, it is where you start to build a relationship that will hopefully bring you more press in the future. Make a comment on their post - whatever you want to say - from your heart. It not only makes the person who took time to promote you feel good, it helps the post get wider exposure - and wider exposure is the goal for both of you. 

• Share Your Own Post - This is oh so important.  I usually copy the URL and share it with my own written post. On Facebook, if the post security is set at public, you can share it using the share button, adding some words of your own.  If the account isn't public, then it limits who can see it, so I would do an original post. On Instagram you need to create your own. On twitter you can retweet adding your own words.  The more places the link is shared, the more people who share it, the better exposure your story will get. And that means more free promotion for you, and for the site that promoted you.

• Say thanks - This is about building a relationship and building community. It can lead to more opportunities in the future, and help you become a part of a larger group that works to support each other.  It can be as simple as a mention in your post when you share the links or included in your comment on their post. Gratitude is a powerful motivator. 

Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash

There are a couple other ways that digital promotion can be used that won't work for everyone, including me, but I want to include them in case they are useful to you.

• Email  - If you have a focused email list for your clients and supporters, or a newsletter you send out regularly, you could include the URL to your digital promotion with a description. I don't at this time, and if you don't then let this one go. I would never randomly send it out.  But if you have either, this might be a great way to keep the promotion growing. 

• Website inclusion - This is only useful if you have a page on your website that shares your latest press.  If you're getting lots of press, it takes time and effort to keep this page updated with only the most recent links, and to keep the old ones removed. BUT it might be worth the effort if you get a lot of traffic on your website. My website is woefully out of date and needs cleaning up, so I wouldn't do this if you don't have time to maintain it.

I have a special place in my heart for those who express gratitude and put in the same time and effort I do to give their press wings.  The numbers double almost from the start when that happen and we both reap the rewards. That makes me want to find a way to promote them again in the future. When I am the recipient of promotion, these are exactly the things I do to reap the greatest rewards for both of us. I do my best to be a involved part of the process and spreading the word.

When we as a community come together, what we can create is a ripple effect that reaches a much wider audience. If you have other suggestions, DM me or comment on this post and I will add them to the article with credit!

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From Colleen Tsoukalis of Clothesline Finds - "Most important things are to credit the Artists/Designers/Authors and to comment on posts."

From Andrew Jackson of J Andrew Speaks - "Another idea is to join Facebook groups that have a similar subject matter as yours and post your links on group pages."