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Marketing Your Genealogy Business with Social Media


I was asked by several readers how I gained my knowledge of social media. My answer was quite simply, I read, and learned and read some more. Mostly from online experts, I took webinars and I watched what other people were doing. I’ve tried things, experimented and it remains an ongoing process. 

I have others who ask me why I spend so much time tweeting and on Facebook and now yes, Pinterest. I hear, “I don’t get it” or “don’t you have anything better to do” or “where do you find the time?”

Therefore, I thought a post was in order. In fact, once I decided to write a post, I realized there were three things we needed to discuss. Which we will cover in this 3-part post.

1.The importance of Social Media- the big picture

2. Which social media outlets are best for your genealogy business

3. Where you can learn about social media and how you can use it to brand and market your genealogy business.

Now a disclaimer, I am no expert. Just a blogger who has learned the ins and outs of this business by trial and error. There are plenty of experts on the web, I learned from them, and I continue to learn everyday. There are plenty of experts within the genealogy industry inself and we will discuss how they can help you. I do know one thing, social media is an extremely important element in marketing your online brand or business. It is not about to go away, so it’s time to get a handle on it and understand how you can maximize it for your genealogy business.

I continue to be amazed by people who say “I don’t get twitter” or “how many social media outlets does one person need.” To me this screams a total lack of understanding of just how social media plays into marketing a business. Tell me a business that uses only one avenue of advertising to market their brand?

For some of you this is not new, you get it, and you embrace social media completely. Others might think social media is not for them, it doesn't apply to their business, and some of you fall somewhere in the middle, hap-hazardly using it, however, not to its fullest potential.

Why Should You Use Social Media for Genealogy -The Big Picture?

  • on the most basic level social media can help you connect with distant cousins and gain access to important family history.
  • Social media can help you find clients for your research business.
  • social media can help you stay up on the current trends and news in the genealogy industry.
  • Social media can help you build a tribe, a list of followers, who will want to buy whatever you are selling, whether that is a webinar or a book or both.
  • If you thought social media was just a way to interact with friends, you would be wrong, it is so much more. Social media is a marketing tool.
I’ve heard all too often  “I don’t have time for social media?” My reply “You don’t have time to market yourself our your business?”

Did you know that 50% of those using social media are under 30, isn’t that the market we want to engage to grow the genealogy industry?

Did you know that 93% of marketers use social media to market a business.

Social media is word of mouth, and we trust word of mouth over any other advertising.

And yet I am astounded at the number of people who are not aware of the magnitude and influence social media could have on their business.

Regardless of the kind of a genealogy business you have, whether you offer research services, whether you give lectures, whether you write books, or perhaps you do all of the above. Even if you are not there yet, but you intend on doing all or one of the above, you need social media. You need social media to develop your tribe, to get the word out, to find your audience. You need to do that now, not after you’ve written your book.

I encourage you to watch the video below, in 4 minutes you will learn some of the most compelling reasons by social media is an essential part of marketing any business in today’s society and genealogy is no exception.