Is It Time for Your Social Media Efforts to Level Up?
By Sherry Heyl
You have a Facebook Page. You have hundreds or even thousands of people who are following you. You are posting on a regular basis and your fans are engaging with you. What more can you ask for?
If you think of your social media efforts in gaming terminology and have reached this level of social media engagement, then congratulations you have passed Level 1.
Just like any game, Level 1 is where you learn about the rules of the game and how to navigate around and what type of characters you are dealing with. Level 2 is where the real fun begins.
Level 2 in a game is when you start collecting secret powers. Level 2 in social media is similar in that your messages and stories get a boost because your followers become your advocates telling your story. In a game, to get the secret powers to work you have to find where the powers are located and how to trigger them to work in your favor. In social media this means finding the people who’s values are aligned with your mission and providing them with the tools and incentives to be your advocate.
Once you have collected enough powers in a game it is usually time to act. Depending on the game you are playing, you may have to go to battle or go on a mission. Either way the goals is to use your the powers you collected to achieve a goal. With your social media plan Level 3 is when you are tasked with getting your community to respond to calls to action, whether it is to donate, volunteer, or participate in various other ways.
As you move through the levels of the game the tasks become more complex and integrated and the achievements become more rewarding. The same is true as you Level Up your social media efforts. If you have ever seen a gamer focused on the task of getting to the next level you will notice that it takes focus, passion, quick thinking and agility. The same is true when you are trying to level up your social media efforts.
About the Author
Sherry Heyl is the founder and CEO of Concept Hub, helping client build purpose-driven communities. Sherry has had the opportunity to work with a large variety of clients in Metro Atlanta playing key roles in the strategy and development of online communities for ATL Insider, Lens on Atlanta, and eRollover. Sherry was the founder and Chair of SoCon (social media) Conferences as well as the founder and past-Chair of TAG Enterprise 2.0 society. Sherry has over a decade of experience in B2B business development and holds 2 undergraduate degrees from Florida State University; Business Marketing and English with an emphasis in Creative Writing.
