Quora is a truly addictive forum. People can’t get enough of asking and answering questions. We’ve been asked a lot of questions too. Thus, it’s high time we shared our five best answers on Quora with you. Let’s see what the world wants to know about social media, blogging, and marketing.
Question 1: Why do people write mean and nasty comments on social media sites (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter)?
Answer: In some cases, they write those comments because they believe they are doing so anonymously. Sometimes, they can get away with it, but other times those comments can be traced back to them. Then, they run the risk of doing serious damage to their online reputation. A good policy: never put anything on social media you wouldn’t want a future employer to see.
Another reason is that they would be afraid to say such negative things when face-to-face with the person they are bashing. Online, however, they feel like they have immunity.
Some people also just like attention. They stir up trouble to evoke negative reactions on purpose. They are called trolls. Avoid engaging with them. It never seems to end well.
Question 2: There is no such thing as an Insta blogger or a Twitter blogger. You are not even a blogger unless you own a blog and actually write. Is that so?
Answer: People who use Instagram and Twitter to express their thoughts regularly would be classed as microbloggers. In a way, this has replaced the old style of blogging that we don’t see much anymore: diary blogging. People write about what they ate for breakfast, what ticked them off, etc. Social media is the place for this now.
Blogs, on the other hand, are now often very niche-focused. Mommy bloggers, fashion bloggers, food bloggers, they’re all out there, and as a reader, it’s actually pretty great. You can find someone or some organization that writes regularly about something you are interested in. However, microbloggers do develop significant followings also, and tend to be called social media influencers.
Are all these people skilled writers? Yes, but in different ways. Microbloggers know how to express something compelling very briefly. That’s not easy. Some might argue that it’s actually harder than needing to write 1000s of words to be compelling. Conversely, could microbloggers still be compelling if they had to write more? We’ll never know unless they actually do it.
Question 3: What’s the best way for me to begin and establish my travel blog? I have no previous experience in blogging.
Answer: First, you need to decide who your blog’s target audience is. For example, do you want your readers to be backpacking students on their first trip to Europe? Seniors looking for the best cruise deals? Eco-tourists? Once you’ve established this, then you need to find out what your target audience is interested in learning about. This is where you should engage in some social media listening. Check out online forums, trending travel hashtags, Quora, etc. Then, build your content around answering those questions. Of course, you need to have the knowledge and experience to answer them, so be prepared to do your research, as well as draw on personal experience.
Next, make sure you have great images to pair with your content. I’d really encourage you to use your own images, rather than rely on stock photos. Also, embed video in your posts that gives readers an inside scoop or peek at something new.
Finally, once you’ve got all your content and images ready to go, you need to promote your blog. There are many ways to do that: SEO, social media, guest blogging, etc. Give it a go, and good luck to you!
Question 4: If I am running a campaign for an event at the campus, what should I do with almost no budget?
Answer: I would recommend engaging in some offline advertising, as well as online promotion. For example, does your university have a radio station? Contact the station and ask if you can promote the event. Also, contact as many different groups on campus as you can and ask if you can post details about your event on their physical bulletin boards, as well as on their social media channels.
Think about where students on campus hang out: the pub, cafeteria, library, athletic center, etc. Check with the manager of each of these places and ask if you can post information about your event. If your pub is having a trivia night, karaoke, or something similar, ask if you can take a moment to speak about your event.
All these promotional efforts will cost you almost nothing. Yet, you’ll be doing something very effective: having a presence everywhere your target audience is likely to be. If you want to think of more offline and online locations, create what’s called a customer journey map. That involves putting yourself in your target consumer’s shoes and going through his or her day. Where will that consumer be? When is he or she most likely to be receptive to your message?
Question 5: Which company uses traditional marketing?
Answer: Traditional marketing is used by businesses large and small. Think about all the flyers you get in your mailbox from large companies (e.g. Pizza Hut, insurance companies) and small businesses (e.g. the local Chinese restaurant, a new medical clinic that’s opened up).
Also, TV commercials aren’t just put out by major companies. Watch local channels late at night and you’ll see furniture stores, restaurants, and more that you can find in your neighborhood.
Another big one is swag. Go to a trade show, an exhibition, or some other large public event and you’ll get coffee cups, Post-its, pens, reusable bags that all have names of companies on them.
Other forms of traditional marketing include: advertising on public transportation, billboards, signs, radio ads, etc.
Best Answers on Quora Continued…
Do you have a question for Mujo? Ask away in the comments section or visit us on Quora. We may feature your question and our answer in our next blog post.
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