• Is what you are doing online working?  
• You are allover the internet, Why?  
• Is the time you spend doing what you do online producing anything?  
• Do you need to spend as much time online as you do to be successful?

These are just a few of the questions I get asked nearly daily.   People come to me looking for answers to the question…how much time do I need to spend online marketing before I see any return?

The answer to all of these questions are not clean cut.  There just is no one formula to use to determine how anything works online.  Plus, what is successful for one person is failure to another.

What stirs people up to asking these questions usually has to do with them seeing someone else online claiming they are making tens of thousands of dollars a week doing what seems simple…posting something online.

Well, I’m here to tell you, only about .01% of those people out thumping their chests on how much they make online are actually making that much from their online efforts.  The rest are hoping to make that much if they can sell you into doing what it is they say they are doing to make millions.  Yes, most of what you see or hear out here in La-La-Land is not true.

However, not all things are bad online.  There is a reason business people need to be present online.  

Here are just a few Real Good Reasons:

• Validates your existence
• Provides an access point for people to get in touch with you.
• Offers a way to build upon or improve an image.
• Can work to being a marketplace where you get the online version of Face-to-Face discussions

So, relax and enjoy your time online but be focused on what you are doing.

Here are a few things to keep in mine while online:

• Stay away from all political discussions.  Even if your very best friends calls you out online to get your opinion on a very touchy subject..keep moving on.  Nothing will take the wind out of your sails than stepping into a political debate.  People on the other side of the argument will shun away from you..or even run away.  Then the negative reviews come and ..bam..you are done online.  There is no harm in not replying to people who “Mention” you or even Direct Chats filled with off centered remarks or statements.  Make it a policy to not make a statement or reply to any thing political.  Same goes for Religion and Sex.  You will find you are much more productive when not bogged down in feeling you need to take a stance.  There is nothing going on in those worlds that will help you be productive.
• Post Frequently.  I know..it is hard to find time to write a blog then post it everywhere and then reply to the comments.  But, it is what you have to do if you are going to market yourself or company online.  Posting something each day eventually alerts the masses that you are out here and available to discuss whatever.  The best practices is to take 15 minutes every two hours and post something you found on Google News, or from one of your favorite bloggers.  The more frequent you post, the better chance you have in being found.
• Be bold, but thoughtful.  Don’t be afraid to make a statement about something in your industry.  But you need to be ready to defend what you say.
• Some would say having a strategy to follow on what you are doing online will help you manage your time online.  They would not be wrong.  However, many people will bog themselves down if they develop a non-realistic strategy.  That is why I will suggest hiring a business coach or a digital marketing agency to outline a strategy to follow.
• Stay positive.  Yeah, there are times to Rant on about something, but make sure the Rant is productive and offers a solution.
• Be polite.  Most people will follow others who are gracious for their support or even criticism. 

I’m out here a lot.  I post several times a day on Google+ and a few times each day on LinkedIn.  Mostly, my time is spent sharing other people’s posts..I find that rewarding and hope they will share my post some day.  How and what you do is up to you.

The best advice I can give people wanting to know how much time is needed to be productive online is to first define what is productive and then manage what time you have available to being productive.  And most importantly, be patient. 

Let me know how I can help.