In the era of social media marketing one thing really holds true – You’ve got to be REAL to succeed. You’re meeting a wide variety of people daily via the internet and as in your daily life – first impressions are paramount. If you’re not REAL, you’re not going to connect and if you can’t connect there’s no reason to be involved in social media.

So what exactly is REAL?

R – Relevant. Your posts must contain important, significant information. Trivial postings will quickly kill your chance to connect.

E – Enthusiastic. When you write about something you are passionate about, your enthusiasm shines through and people connect with you.

A – Attention grabbing. Not for yourself, but for your subject. You might have excellent information for people, but if you don’t grab their attention right away, your message will be lost.

L – Learned (learn-ed). Let people know you are an expert on your subject. Stick to what you know, share your knowledge and you will be appreciated.

Social media has allowed us to connect in ways we wouldn’t have thought possible a few years ago. Make sure your connections are REAL and enjoy the ride.