Social Media 101

So at this point, we all know social media has the potential to make or break a business. Still, sometimes it can be quite overwhelming and non-sensical, especially to a newbie. The plethora of choices can consume hours from your life and result in decision fatigue. Sometimes we just want someone to break it down for us nicely and easily into actionable steps we can understand. For those late to the game, here’s how to get in quickly, efficiently, and as painlessly as possible: #1: Twitter What to do: 1) Set up a profile with a brief description that will give people a summary of what they need to know about you/your business 2) Use #hashtags and @mentions to maximize interaction and visibility 3) Follow thought leaders and companies in your industry. Approach Twitter the same way you would a networking party - professionally, strategically, and with a dose of your unique personality 4) Depending on the size of your following, put out a proportional amount of daily tweets. For frame of reference, large corporations put out 27 tweets a day for their 1MM+ followers #2: Facebook What to do: 1) Set up a page for your business 2) Start conversations daily 3) Offer creative incentives to get people to like your page (like free giveaways relevant to your sector) 4) Vary the type of content you post - pictures, videos, blogs, songs, etc. #3: LinkedIn What to do: 1) Create a personal and company profile, and have your employees create profiles as well 2) This is a professional website, with the average user earning a six-figure salary, so be sure to cater to that demographic (ie: do not post pictures of funny videos, nights out, etc.) - think of this site as an extension of your company website 3) Join groups that are relevant to your business - if you work in web design, join web designer groups and start networking by posting relevant content #4: Blog What to do: 1) Write! And write well. Think about what will keep people coming back for more, day after day. 2) Every time you write your blog, your website gets one page larger. So the more you write, the better your chances of bringing in new leads and customers. #5: Youtube What to do: 1) You should try to incorporate relevant videos into your marketing efforts, and post them on Youtube. Get creative, for example, if you are a blender company, show great recipes using your product, or if you are a production company, show behind-the-scenes footage. 2) Post at least one new video per month 3) Make sure your videos are not amateurish. This is a reflection of your company brand, so try to make it TV quality. With all the great equipment at your disposal these days, this goal does not have to be limited to the big players anymore. 4) Keep it short - under 3 minutes. There is too much out there to compete with, so your videos need to be short, sweet, and to the point in order to keep people’s attention. Remember, always think like the reader. What kind of information/videos/pictures would keep you coming back to a website day after day? Something useful/entertaining to you, not someone talking about their own inside jokes or bragging about themselves. If you give people something worth reading, they will not only visit your site, but also advocate for you.