google-site-verification: google65e716d80989ba07.html Five Fab Social Media Networks for Your Genealogy Business | The Armchair Genealogist

Five Fab Social Media Networks for Your Genealogy Business


In Part 1,  Marketing Your Genenalogy Business with Social Media we looked at the big picture and all the reasons you can no longer ignore social media as part of your business. Today’s blog post will focus on some of these key outlets and how to utilize them for your genealogy business.  I will also point out some key members of the genealogy community who are doing it right and I encourage you to learn from them.

1. Blogging – You would have to be living under a rock to not understand the benefits of blogging for your genealogy business. I’m not about to go into depth on it’s merits, it been around long enough that plenty have covered it well. Just know if you are not blogging then you need to, like yesterday. Blogging is building your tribe, building an audience for any products or services you are looking to sell. It is a must do. If you want to learn more about genealogy blogging Amy Coffin from The We Tree Genealogy and her Big Genealogy Blog book is the place to start. 

2. Facebook – love it or hate, it’s not going away anytime soon. I think it has loss some of it edge and appeal with so many other social media networks now available. However, Facebook is still strong. Facebook it all about building relationships. This is the place to connect with people and network. When one out of every 13 people are on Facebook then you need to be there as well. People trust the recommendations of their friends over any advertisement, this is the place to spread awareness of your genealogy business, and network with people in your genealogy industry.

The one genealogist who gets Facebook is Thomas MacEntee. Thomas is all over Facebook, everybody that befriends me knows Thomas. Some days my Facebook page looks like it belongs to Thomas. He knows the power of networking. Learn from him.

3. Twitter- ok, like I mentioned in last week’s post there are still plenty of people who don’t get it. Think of twitter like a micro-blog. In 140 characters you can keep in touch with other genealogy bloggers, announce from live events such as genealogy conferences or society meetings. You can promote your blog, a lecture your about to give, a webinar your launching or your next society meeting.

Twitter is an opportunity to market and monitor your genealogy brand. Caroline Pointer, is probably the Twitter friend that comes to mind first and foremost. Caroline @FamilyStories knows just how to maximize twitter to benefit her genealogy business. With over 4000 followers she’s got it going on. 

4. You Tube – With You Tube being the second largest search engine, it is completely under utilized in the genealogy community including by myself. Need to get on that.

You Tube is an opportunity to express yourself in a way you can’t  in a tweet or a blog post. Sometimes it is just easier to show someone how to do something rather then write it down and that is where You Tube can be an important part of your genealogy business.

Most of us have a video camera and when you talk to the camera like a person, you easily come across as conversational. The use of images, voice, and narration makes videos the perfect tool and an easy solution. There are few genealogists who are ahead of this curve, but Lisa Louise Cooke from Genealogy Gems knows the power of You Tube. Check her out.

5. Pinterest – Ok, I can hear the sigh now, not another one, well there are some compelling reasons for how and why you should be on Pinterest. Don’t dismiss it until you have checked it out.
Pinterest is like a vision board. It’s like cutting pictures from the Sears catalog and hanging them on the fridge. Only better much better. 

It is about suggesting to your prospective audience what you can do for them without hitting them over the head. And since 54-70% of Pinterest users are female based, and that pretty much defines the genealogy industry as well, this is where you need to be next.

As first look, you may think you need to be a retailer to make the most of Pinterest. However, services can get in on the Pinterest craze as well.

Even though genealogy may be a more data-driven, content driven market that doesn’t mean we don’t have something interesting to share. It all in how you package it.

Here’s how it works. You pin a blog post from your blog to your board. The only key is to find a great visual to capture the content on your blog post or for any product or service you are selling. Once you pin it to your board others will find it based on similar interests. This is where Pinterest is different from Facebook. Facebook is based on relationships where Pinterest is based on shared interests. This social media network allows you to connect with new readers over your similar interests.

Once you have pinned to your board, you create a backlink to your blog. Every time your pin is shared to a new board your link goes with it, driving traffic to your site.

Don’t just pin your own blog, but mix in some other interesting finds from across the internet, anything else you might think a fellow genealogist could be interested in. Let your Pinterest page represent who you are and your brand and pinners will find you.

Unlike twitter and Facebook, which is streaming content that your audience can easily miss, Pinterest is constant, it changes when you change it.

Pinterest drives more traffic then Google+, Linkedin and You Tube combined. With 10.4 millions users, an achievement they hit faster than any other independent site in history you would be crazy not to sit up and take notice.

Pinterest is only 2 years old, still new to the ground and it will be interesting to see where it’s headed, but I have no doubt it is headed for huge things. You can check me out on Pinterest for ideas.
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Overall, I am not advocating you choose one of these social media tools over the other, I am advocating all of them. Diversify your online social media marketing plan, they each reach an audience in a different an unique manner and they all need to be part of your marketing plan.

Part 3, next week, lots and lots of links to learning more about Social Media for your genealogy business.