Social Media Strategy for Your B2B Business - Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn

Social Media: For Your Business

Rachel Yeomans - @rachelyeomansJohn Armstrong - @johnequatro

Astek - @astekweb

Basic Themes and TheoriesLinkedInFacebook

TwitterGoogle+

ToolsMeasurement / Analysis

Social media is…

FREE

Time is money…

“I keep my mind on my money, my money on my mind.”

“Where did the day go?”

• Information research• Image and video creation• Reading articles• Reading community posts• Getting approval from the boss• Writing and publishing posts• Replying to your community

Time Savers

• Technology and tools

• A schedule• Content strategy• Attainable goals• Interns

Still, like a good crème brulée, good social media

takes time.

Clever promotion is primarily how businesses make

money on social media.

B2B social media is a top-of-funnel

channel through which you offer value to, and converse with, a customer.

Let’s repeat…

Social media is only useful if you’re having a

Hint: I couldn’t make that font any bigger…

way conversation.

An apple a day… …keeps your audience from dwindling

away.

•Consistency sets expectations of value•Brings customers back on their own volition•Reduces the need for promotion•Less promotion leaves room for more value•Makes important promotions MORE POWERFUL

Otherwise…

Focus, Focus, FocusChoose the most relevant platform

and…

master it.•Practice takes time•Time builds experience•Experience builds confidence•Confidence breeds authenticity•Authenticity builds audiences•Audiences buy stuff

Let’s get started…

LinkedIn

Why LinkedIn is ImportantPersonal Branding:

• An optimized profile means optimized Google results• Stand out among others in your field• Show you’re an “expert”

- Recommendations- Group and Discussion Involvement

Result:

The next time someone searches using industry keywords, they find YOU – and when they find you, they’ll be impressed.

Why LinkedIn is Important

• Networking– People use LinkedIn for professional growth & development.

They are looking for you!– More importantly, you may be looking for them and their

connections as well.

• Result 1: – Search – Connect – Enforce Relationships

• Result 2: – Existing Connections – Introductions

Why LinkedIn is Important

Networking!

Why LinkedIn is Important

• Education– LinkedIn boasts the largest professional

Question and Answer forum– Ask questions and get them answered– Answer questions and become recognized

• Result: – When your connections receive their LinkedIn

Activity emails, you’ll be near the top above everyone else, therefore reminding them of you and your business

The Profile Makeover

Your Headline

Personalization

Contact Info

Choose “Other” for websites to label them properly!

Fill Everything Out

• Keywords, keywords, keywords!

SectionsSkills & Expertise: List them!

Choose specific phrases that people would actually search for and understand…

Avoid duplicates or closely related-terms.

The Order of Things

• Summary• Contact Info: Twitter, Blogs, Business Websites• Choose Skills & Expertise• PDF, whitepapers for any job you’ve held• Video that shows your expertise or projects• Publications (if applicable)

• Experience• Volunteer Experience & Causes (if applicable)

• Recommendations• Education• Additional Information• Personal Information• Patents

The Routine of Things

• Update your status daily• Post and/or comment in at least one group

daily• Ask for recommendations after every project• Write recommendations for others

(reciprocate)

To-Do List

• Update your headline• Personalize your website/contact

information • Personalize your LinkedIn URL• Fill in your Profile• Ask for recommendations

Time Management

Yes, You Do Have Time…

• All it takes is 10 minutes– 5 minutes: Post one Profile status update– 5 minutes:

• Comment on one Group Discussion post• Post one Group Discussion post• Like someone’s post or comment on it

Status Updates

Status Updates

• Links to informative industry articles• Links to your business’ blog• Opinions/questions about a work topic• Breaking news of any kind• Business Thank Yous• Links to press about your company

Well thought out opinions are powerful avenues to credibility and awareness!

Status Updates

•Place the link URL in the status box •Edit the website description that appears below (if needed)•Delete the URL in the status box. •Write your own thoughts in the status box•Hit “Enter”

Groups

LinkedIn Groups

• Extend relationships with existing network– Alumni group, Association, Company, or Non-

Profits

• Gain Awareness and Credibility– Offer knowledgeable opinions– Start an important discussion– Comment on and Like good posts– Use one-on-one networking opportunities

• Reply privately

Above all, provide value to an audience.

Groups

Use the dropdown menu to…- Find your groups- Create a new group

You can find existing groups to join in the search field.

Example Group: eMarketing Association Network

Search

It’s a powerful function that allows you search LinkedIn’s 200,000,000 profiles by:• Job titles• Industry keyword• Name• School• Company• Groups• Email contacts

• Relationship• Company• Location• Past Company• Groups• Years of Experience• Degree• Interested In…

LinkedIn Questions?

Impact!

There’s 1.2 billion people on Facebook…

Beat through the noise!

Your Strategy / Goals

What immediate actions do you want from your audience? Who is your audience? What do they

want? VALUE.

• Example – A Restaurant – Stronger brand relationship

• Yummy imagery• Casual conversation• Community connection

– Coupon use– Share with friends

Your Strategy / Goals

• Example – A Roofing Contractor– Gain Trust• Employee Stories

– Return often for info• Post Articles/Papers

– Consider referrals• Tag collaborators• Converse with others

Your Profile: Cover Image

Emotional – Impact – Bold – Direct – SimpleValue added – Relevant – Accessible

It’s the most impressionable element on your page – use it wisely.

Another Example

accessible – supportive – family – warmexperts – valuable – inviting - understanding

Facebook goal: To be a supportive communication channel for patients

Your Profile: Logo

• It’s square!• Because the logo is place over the cover image,

the cover image must be designed with it (and its colors) in mind

• It doesn’t have to be your logo!

Your Profile: About

Your Profile: Milestones

• Tell your company’s story…

Your Profile: Apps/Links

This blurb is limited to 200 characters, and an important block of text. Place contact info here as well.

These are customizable images and links:• Photos is a fixed element• The second box is a custom app for a

contest• Other social links are a popular use• Can have up to 9 apps/links

Nutz-n-Bolts… Content Strategy!

• What’s your goal? – Personalize your company: Accessibility/Trust

• Employee events• Inter-office activities• Blog articles from employees• Business mentions from the nearby community• What’s for lunch?• Who’s at the ballgame? • A review of a play that stars the HR assistant• What’s playing on the radio? • Funny memo titles• What does Kevin’s hat say today?

Nutz-n-Bolts… Content Strategy!

• What’s your goal? – Be a Resource: Thought Leadership• Post from conferences• Blog articles about the industry• Links to partners and colleagues information• Breaking news in the industry• What newsletter are we ready today? • Share posts from other industry accounts• Comment on other organizations’ posts• Case studies• Professional materials

Nutz-n-Bolts… Content Strategy!

• What’s your goal? – Entertain: Humanize and build a unique

voice• Industry jokes• Funny, but relevant videos• “Thoughts From the Water Cooler”• Best office vacation photos• “Caption that Photo”• Odd signs from the delivery route• Sarcasm and snark in small doses can win

the day

Nutz-n-Bolts… Content Strategy!

• What’s your goal? – Promotion: Careful now… • It must be couched in value!

– Entertainment– Employee/office news– Impactful imagery– Insightful– Storytelling

• Remember, don’t be Waldo…

Please.

EdgeRank

Your page is secretly ranked by Facebook to determine its value to the

internet.

Your ranking determines HOW MANY PEOPLE see your posts.

Great Posts:

Great Posts:

Great Posts:

Great Posts:

Great Posts:

Great Posts:

Facebook Questions?

Before We Begin…

Traditional MarketingPublic RelationsEditorialSocial Media

Set Your Expectations…

With That Being Said…

MarketingCharts.com

Twitter for Business is:

A marketing funnel with bite!

Now Let’s Get To It…

Set-Up

The Process

The Process

The Process

The Process

The Process

The Process

The Process

The Process

The DimensionsProfile: 500x500

73x7348x4831x31

Header: 1252x626

Background: 1600x12002560x1600

The Process

The Process

The Process

Password Reset

Where in the world is…

Don’t protect your tweets

How can Twitter contact you

The Process

Think securely!

Attach mobile phone option

Need current password

The Process

Download the app

Text to tweet

Password reset option

The Process

Check accordingly

Uncheck

Uncheck

The Process

Header

Website

Location

NO FACEBOOK!!!!

The Process

…or make your own!

Pick your background…

Speaking Twitter

Twitter Language 101Term Definition

@ Account Handle (@AstekWeb)

# Hashtag

Reply To respond to the individual who posted that tweet

RT To repost/quote an entire tweet to your audience

DM To send a private message to an individual on Twitter

Follow You subscribe to have this Twitter user’s tweets show up in your Twitter feed

Twitter Language 101Term Definition

Lists You can add a Twitter user’s tweets to a public or private Twitter list (Examples: Friends, Colleagues, Competitors, Clients, Food, Fashion…)

Favorite You can mark a tweet as a Favorite; that user sees a notification that you Favorited the tweet

This. A Twitter term that emphasizes that the article or link included in the tweet is a “must read”

MT An RT that has been edited (usually due to character length

Yes coffee IS healthy; @NYTimes says so! http://t.cojk.com

RT @FitzTheCat: Dear Mom, thanks for the new cat tower. But I find your head to be a much more

comfortable nap space

Attention #Chicago Brown Line riders! MT @WBEZ: Train derailed at Armitage brown line. No trains going 2

Loop. Shuttle buses from Belmont

Hey #RockinEvent2013 attendees – no Starbucks line at the South Corridor. RUN!

Twitter Baby Steps1. Listen2. Retweet (ideally with a comment)3. Share4. Post

Twitter Questions & Answers?

Why?

• Fast growing platform• Google runs the world• Communities• Beautiful images• Savvy users• Google reviews• Google Hangouts• Super easy to use• Authorship

What is it? • Posting process is like Facebook • No ads, better interface and less settings• You reach ALL of your followers (circles)

Strategy

• Content strategy is similar to Facebook• The tone is a balance of LinkedIn and FB• Audience is more likely to engage with a

industry content• Industry conversations are easier to find• Consumers are not yet on the platform in

mass (many are online less than one hr/week.

• Highly visual platform• Top-of-funnel platform – difficult lead-gen

Posting+1s are “likes” in Google+

They are not related to SEO, but soon could be.

Events

Circles

Communities

Communities•Forums are by invite or open to the public•Well-policed for blatant link promotion•Used for conversation•Authenticity is important•Post as an individual instead of a company: “+Pat Kopeki, John here from

Astek,

I totally agree that the discussion regarding online lead-generation starts with the user-experience. When we analyze websites for improvements, we look at how the layout and content is directing our attention. That path should be obvious, simple to follow and driven by one or two overall marketing goals.”

Reviews

Hangouts

• Easy video conferencing and recording for 10 people

• Live stream it to anyone

• Easy to invite others to join a conference

• Send files, media and text mid-call

Google AuthorshipIt’s a bit complicated initially to set up, but…

If you install an Authorship plugin or code in your blog and connect it to your Google Plus personal page, the more articles you write, the more likelihood that your articles will appear higher in search results.

It’s Google’s way to measure your online influence.

Find more at https://plus.google.com/authorship

Profile Setup

• Cover Image (needs to be very large)• Logo• About sections• Contact• Links• Choose a brand page (for many offices)• Choose a business page (for one location)• It must connect to a personal Google+ account• So create faux personal account for businesses• Many Google products will be attached to this

account

About

Other Tid-Bits

G+ Questions & Answers?

Tools

Your Social Arsenal…

Argyle or SproutArgyle Sprout Social

Entrepreneur – Small/Medium Business

Medium/Large Business

Best social posting integration One of the better social posting integrations

Bookmarklet Bookmarklet

Singular URL Works with bit.ly

Scheduling/Random Scheduler Scheduling/Random Scheduler

Deep analytics dive Medium analytics

Social listening confined to Twitter searches

Social listening

Conversion tracking No conversion tracking

Not-so-pretty in-depth reports Pretty high-level reports

Not cheap but high quality Cheap for the quality

“Analyze”

Measure: Tools/Software

Measure: Google Analytics

Measure: Facebook/Twitter

Be Accountable1. What’s working?2. What’s not?3. What needs to be changed?4. What are others doing?5. Next steps

Oh Yes, and Have Fun!