Making the Most of Social Media

Making the Most of

Social Media

What IsSocial Media?

“People connecting via technology to get things they need from each other, bypassing traditional institutions, like Corporations.”

--Groundswellby Charlene Li & John Bernoff

Benefits ofSocial Media✦ Free!✦ Connect with

Global Audience✦ Check out Competition✦ Increase Website Traffic

✦ Create Visibility & Awareness

✦ Establish Credibility✦ Collaborate on Projects✦ Shorten Product

Development Time

✦ Generate Leads & Sales✦ Strengthen Brand

Social Media Etiquette

✦ Observe ✦Participate✦ Play Nice✦ Be an Encourager✦ Be Sincere✦ Don’t Beg✦ Be Patient

✦ Put in Time✦ Offer Value✦ Guard Your Online Reputation✦ Say Please & Thank-you✦ Be Relevant✦ Don’t Overdo It

✦ Smile✦ Contribute Quality Comments✦ Listen to the Conversation✦ Make Others Look Good✦ Use Your Own Voice

Steps towardSocial Media Success

✦ Listen to the conversation✦ Define your

target audience✦ Determine your

objectives✦ Plan your strategy

✦ Establish a presence✦ Position yourself

as an expert ✦ Build a following

✦ Provide value to your community

Your Blog✦ Easy to upload new content (compared to traditional website)✦ Communicate with Customers/Clients✦ Establish yourself as an authority/expert in your niche✦ Interact with readers and other bloggers✦ Market products and/or services

Types of Social Media

✦ Blogs✦ Social Networks✦ Social News✦ Social Measuring✦ Microblogging✦ Social Bookmarking✦ Social Q & A✦ Video Sharing✦ Photo Sharing

✦ Social Search✦ Professional Networks✦ Niche Communities✦ Social Email✦ Comment Communities✦ Regional & Local Sites✦Podcasting Communities

✦ Blog Networks✦ Presentation-sharing Sites✦ Content-driven Sites (Wikis)✦ Product-based Sites✦ Review & Recommendation Sites✦ Sites that Defy Definition

Facebook✦ Access a Quarter Billion People ✦ Fan pages are indexed by Google -- great for SEO✦ Fan pages publish to the news stream (group updates don’t)✦ Fan pages offer analytics data ✦ Fan pages are customizable -- great for strengthening brands✦ Great place to interact with audience

Facebook Tactics

✦ Greet guests -- create a custom landing page for non-fans✦ Offer sneak previews to fans✦ Give fans early access and/or special discounts to sales✦ Offer fans exclusive information, like having a backstage pass or private tour guide✦ Create a custom URL instead of the default one

Twitter✦ Create a Buzz✦ Link to Posts & Product Pages✦ Network within Niche✦ Research in Real Time✦ Branding✦ Customer Service✦ Share Valuable Information with Followers✦ Keep up with News✦ Fun Chit Chat

Twitter Tactics

✦ Keep profile updated with new products & services✦ Cover events, such as conferences & workshops -- create a special hashtag (#) so those at home can participate✦ Time tweets for optimum leverage✦ Display link to Twitter profile in email signature

LinkedIn✦ Personal & Company Branding✦ Establish Expertise by Recommendations from Others✦ Showcase Experience through Profile✦ Research through Q&A✦ Keep up with Niche Trends✦ Stream Blog & Twitter Feeds into Profile

LinkedIn Tactics

✦ Complete profile as thoroughly as possible✦ Answer questions -- display your expertise✦ Get recommendations from those who know your work✦ Ask experts for advice✦ Get LinkedIn updates via email and compliment your contacts when you hear of their successes

YouTube✦ Create Tutorials ✦ Showcase Products & Services✦ Boost Search Engine Rankings✦ Learn by Watching Tutorials Posted by Others✦ Increase Perceived Value of Your Blog by Embedding Videos ✦ Strengthen Brand via Dynamic Profile & Channel

YouTube Tactics

✦ Limit videos to less than 3 minutes ✦ Use highest resolution possible✦ Quality audio is more important than video quality✦ Create a series of videos to hook readers✦ Write script in advance✦ Be yourself & make it fun

Flickr✦ Showcase Products & Services✦ Boost Search Engine Rankings✦ Free Bandwidth & Disk Storage✦ Easy to Use✦ Assign a license to your photos✦ Variety of photos to choose from on almost any topic✦ Guest passes are available to non-members

Flickr Tactics

✦ Use logo as buddy icon✦ Use HTML tags in photo & profile descriptions (Hint: link back to your blog)✦ Don’t blatantly advertise ✦ Use tags ✦ Put keywords in photo titles✦ Join niche groups✦ Request feedback on works in progress

Conclusion

✦ Forge Relationships✦ Connect with Audience✦ Check out Competition✦ Increase Website Traffic

✦ Create Visibility & Awareness

✦ Establish Credibility✦ Collaborate on Projects✦ Shorten Product

Development Time

✦ Generate Leads & Sales✦ Strengthen Brand