Social Media's 20:1 Rule

Does anyone really trust this guy?

Take a look at your last 20 social media posts - blog posts, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc.

How many of those were pitching your products or services?

I recently read a very interesting post that suggests you should give helpful information freely and without strings 20 times for every "Pitch piece" you post. If you have five posts that are selling something, you should have over 100 informative posts in any given channel.

This is not easy. We're busy. We barely have any time to blog or tweet, so how are we going to come up with 20 helpful posts for every one we send out there with an "Ulterior motive?" After all, how can we sell something if we don't promote it?

The article reasons that people who are trusted tend to have more influence and are more successful using social media than folks who are always asking for something. Many top bloggers have over 100,000 monthly viewers. Some have millions. You'll see several common traits among the most trusted names in social media.

1. They post often - usually at least once a day, sometimes much more
2. Most of their posts are insights, information, and useful tips without a sales pitch attached
3. They point you to other useful sources of info - they are not afraid to send you away from their channel

You trust the clerk who sends you to another store for the right product. Your needs are ahead of theirs. They may lose a short-term sale, but in the long term, they also win, because you keep coming back to them.

It takes work to maintain this ratio, but it can be done. Over the next month, see if you can do it. If it means only posting one pitch piece and 20 informative pieces, so be it. Practices become habits. Giving more often is a good habit to have.

http://michaelhyatt.com/the-20-to-1-rule.html