Use SpeakPipe To Keep The Conversation Going With Your Audience

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SpeakPipe is an online service that allows podcasters to get voice mail feedback from their audience. It's a handy online tool that works in one of two ways. 

1. You can add a snippet of code to your website or blog which will display a widget
2. You can send listeners to your custom SpeakPipe homepage

In this episode of the podcast I play a question that was left for me using SpeakPipe.
The question came in from Ron Hitson and he wants to know how I would send traffic to a squeeze page without using my blog.

Many professional podcasters are using SpeakPipe to connect with their audience by allowing them an easy way to leave a voice mail using their built-in computer mic or smartphone.  When I listen to podcasts I enjoy hearing the playback of questions left by by podcast listeners like myself.

Podcasters Who Are Using SpeakPipe

Here are a just a few examples of podcasters who are using SpeakPipe to turn listener feedback into content for their shows:

• James Schramko dedicated six episodes of his Super Fast Business Podcast (so far) to Listener Comments. 
• Daniel J. Lewis of The Audacity to Podcast features the SpeakPipe widget prominently on his contact page along with his phone number and additional points of contact. 
• Dave Jackson from School of Podcasting gets tons of feedback through SpeakPipe that he often plays on his show. Here's a great example of a message left by your's truly.

SpeakPipe Plans and Pricing

VIEW THE SPEAKPIPE PRESENTATION

SpeakPipe Keeps The Conversation Going from Ileane Smith

Promoting Squeeze Pages

To respond to Ron's question about Squeeze pages I talked about how there are many marketers using YouTube videos to promote their offerings.

I gave three examples of marketers who are using YouTube videos to effectively drive traffic to their landing pages.

• Amy Porterfield
• James Wedmore
• Clay Collins from LeadPages

LeadPages is the number one solution for creating landing pages and squeeze pages. I'm using LeadPages to grow my email list and the folks from LeadPages have a long list of options for you to choose from. Another thing I love about them is that they are masters when it comes to split-testing conversions. They test colors, images, copy - you name it - if there is any aspect of an offer that they can test, they will do it and share the results with all of their customers.

PS: Don't forget to leave a rating and review for the show over in iTunes! 

Hot Tips for Using Facebook and Tracking Your Social Proof

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Facebook Marketing Can be a Complicated Beast!

There are so many aspects to running a successful Facebook Page that at times it can be overwhelming. On top of that, Facebook often makes changes to the platform and even after you get it all figured out, they go and change it again! But because of the massive amount of people who are constantly checking in with their friends and family and following their interests on the platform, it simply can not be ignored. 

Believe it or not, you can score a win on Facebook and in this episode I offer some advice to help you get started. Start by keeping your goals in mind and you can use some subtle techniques to drive traffic off of Facebook and back to your blog.

Link Your Profile To Your Page

This is one super simple strategy and I'm willing to bet 80% or more, of Facebook Page owners miss out on this one.

Create a link from your profile to your Page. All you need to do is add your page as your employer and that will generate the link. If you tried to do this already and it didn't create the link, you might need to change your page to a "company or business". You can watch this YouTube video and you'll see exactly how to set it up.

Add Your Facebook Page Link on Your Profile

Ditch The Fake Like Button!

Facebook changed the layout of our pages over a year ago to a format that is referred to as the Timeline. At the top, there is a huge cover image and under that image, over on the right-hand side you'll see four Facebook apps. One of those shows a preview of the latest photos that you posted or that someone has tagged your page in. That is the only app that will always show on your page and you can't remove it. But the good thing about it is that it's constantly being updated with all the awesome pictures that your posting on your wall. 

There is another app, that can be moved down, but by default it appears to be a Like button. This app shows the number of people who have liked your page, but it's a little misleading. You might think that when someone clicks that button they are liking your page also, but actually they aren't. They are taken to a completely different page that shows some of your Facebook analytics - which you might not even want people to see! 

THE "FAKE" LIKE BUTTON

I just grabbed this screenshot from the Panera Bread Facebook page and although they have millions of Likes, you might not be so lucky! So don't let people get distracted by all those charts and stats about your page. Use that little pull down menu on the right (where I have the arrow pointing to) and change that app! This is taking up valuable real estate on your Facebook page and you want to have something like an lead generation form from LeadPages or a YouTube channel app there instead.  

Hey you can even embed your blog in a Facebook app, like a did with this blog. If you click the "Podcast" app on the Basic Blog Tips Facebook page, you'll see this blog and how you can listen to the podcast right inside of Facebook. I used Thunder Penny, and you can get the instructions for installing Thunder Penny right here. 

Tracking Your Social Proof

Since the ultimate goal of your activity on Facebook is building your authority and sending traffic to your blog the question remains, how can you track the fruits of your efforts? 

One way you can find the amount of traffic coming to your blog from Facebook is in your Google Analytics reports. Here is a video tutorial that shows you how to set up Goals so you can see how much traffic is coming from Facebook and the other social networks

Track Social Media Conversions in Google Analytics by Ileane Smith

Klout Moments

Another way to get insights to the effectiveness of your Facebook activity is by checking your Klout profile and looking at Klout Moments.

I added my Facebook page to the Klout account connected to my Basic Blog Tips and right away I can see that recent activity I posted had engagement with 17 of my fans.

Klout Moments

Facebook Power Editor and More!

The Power Editor lets you upload your email list so that you can target your subscribers with ads, and take things to the next level by creating "look a like" audiences, based on specific interests and recent purchases people have made! That's a really intense strategy and I'll tell you more about it once I've had to chance to get some real practice using the Power Editor.

Resources mentioned

If you think you're ready for some advanced training now, than be sure to check out this interview with Amy Porterfield and Jon Loomer on Jon's Social Media Pubcast:

Secrets, Strategies and Sales with Amy Porterfield

Next you should check out Facebook Timeline Slicer Pro by Joey Kissimmee. I wrote about this on my other blog in this post which also includes a video so you can see it in action:

Introducing Facebook Timeline Slicer Pro

Last but certainly not least, I have to mention two absolute icons in the world of Facebook and all things related to social media Mari Smith and Mike Stelzner. Mari has just a fantastic email that goes out every week called The Social Scoop, and Mike heads up the staff over at Social Media Examiner and here's a link to his latest interview with Mari.

New Facebook Features: What Marketers Need To Know

Additional Resources and Tracking Tools:

• Wisemetrics - "Enterprise-class Facebook Analytics made easier and free"
• Cyfe - Watch my video review of Cyfe for tracking Facebook and YouTube
• Post Planner - Get proven, engaging status ideas with the click of a button

If you have any questions for me about this episode, please leave them in the comments section. Also, please share some of your favorite tips for Facebook Marketing success!

PS: Don't forget to leave a rating and review for the show over in iTunes!