Social Media 101
Posted on | August 22, 2009 | No Comments
Twitter. Facebook. MySpace. LinkedIn. There are many social-networking tools, but how should your business engage with them?
Here are a few thoughts about maximizing social media:
- Don’t do it just for the sake of doing it. A company that sells toner cartridges, for example, probably doesn’t have a compelling need for a Facebook page, and creating one may send the message that the company lacks clear direction about its marketing strategy. Instead, consider whether any new business will result from this effort, and whether using social networking tools will enhance your company’s networking with current and prospective clients.
- Maintain a wall of separation between the business and its principals. Tempting though it may be to create a single Twitter account and use it for both personal and professional Tweets, the first time you send a drunken 3 a.m. Tweet about the hottie you brought home from the bar, you may well have some explaining to do to your business partners on Monday morning. And be careful about linking, too — don’t make it obvious on how to access your personal online stuff from your business web pages. Use different addresses and user names.
- Use LinkedIn for your professional networking. LinkedIn is a good site for “grown-ups” to engage — you can put up your business experience and objectives, as well as ask and answer questions that allow you to showcase your expertise. In addition, business partners or clients can “recommend” you, which is a way of giving you an endorsement. With hundreds of thousands of active users, at the least, LinkedIn is a free tool that could generate leads for future clients.
- Avoid MySpace. MySpace, more and more, is turning into a playground of questionable sexual content. Unless you’re in the music industry, or are a stripper, it may be best to forego this site altogether.
- Build a fan page for your business on Facebook. It’s simple to do and allows people to become fans of your business. Facebook is a good networking tool, but it may be prudent to focus on “friends and family” or to use your Facebook business page as a way of providing value to potential customers — like offering exclusive coupons or insider advice, in order to keep them engaged. And since status updates push to people’s Facebook feeds, you can help keep your business at the top of their minds, provided you exercise judgement to limit overloading them with marketing info.
- Consider establishing a Twitter account. Twitter is a micro-blogging service, allowings its users to send instant messages of fewer than 140 characters. Some Web-saavy businesses use Twitter (and the ability to follow users) as a mechanism for immediate customer feedback. This can be powerful, particularly with a younger demographic, but be prepared to keep up with it, for Twitter users are notoriously intolerant of delays.
- Be thorough and accurate. Don’t create and publish a work-in-progress.
- Use your Web site as a central hub for your marketing. Allow each social-networking service have its due, but let your company site be the hub of all your activity.
If used properly, social-networking tools have the potential of adding significantly to your list of actual and prospective clients. Be careful, however, to keep the professional distinct from the personal, and to accept the strengths and weaknesses of each networking community.
Category: Business Development
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