Social Media can be intimating for a small business owner with limited time and budget to implement an all-out social networking marketing strategy. Here is out guide to the 5 most importants social sites you’ll need to make a start…
1. LinkedIn: Network with business connections.
LinkedIn is THE social network for business. Join the community and start searching for business associates. LinkedIn greatest features comes with the groups that a user becomes a part of – professional associations, corporations, college alumni groups, and more. With each group, users have access to discussions, relevent news stories that have been posted, and a professional networking system for asking questions, finding inventory, or searching for new employees.
2. Twitter: Share thoughts and links in short 140 character bursts.
Twitter can be silly or Twitter can be a powerful business tool, depending on how it is used. Think of it as quick emails to the masses – it’s estimated than up to five million people have Twitter accounts, with up to 5-10 thousand new users per day, logging in to the site to share whatever is on their mind. Some share inspirational sayings, some use Twitter as a huge chat room, and others send links of recent blog posts or product reviews. Before a business writes Twitter off as not useful for marketing purposes, keep in mind that corporations like CNN, Doritoes and the BBC all have a Twitter presence.
3. Google Alerts
Wether you like it or not, people talk. And people are talking about YOU online… right now.
Set up Google Alerts with your Google account and recieve an email everytime your brand is mentionoed on Google.
4. Facebook: Network with personal connections.
Facebook is a social network with a more personal twist, encompassing a series of networks that members can ‘join’ to keep in touch with happenings for social causes and business entities. Facebook may not make a huge impact in a small business marketing strategy, but it would be remiss not to mention it since Facebook’s membership is huge, with more than 400 million active users as of early 2010.
Adding an online presence to small business marketing efforts is a simple way to keep current and potential customers informed of new developments and capabilities.
5. Blog: Write online to share thoughts, ideas, and concepts.
Blogs are short bursts of information, and can include teasers that drive traffic to the business website or gets prospective customers to grab a phone and call to find out more. Create a blog through simple, pre-formatted sites like Blogger.com, WordPress.com, or Typepad.com. Then include a link to the blog in every email sent from your company. Traffic will slowly increase as long as content is fresh – aim to post at least once a week with new product releases, short how-to videos, or information about what is going on within the business.
